Camas improves to 11-0 and advances to state quarterfinals with win over Curtis on Friday night

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

On defense, he always seems to be in the right place. Always.

On offense, he prefers to block, even though he excels at catching the football.

And here are just a couple of the descriptions heard along the sidelines at Camas football games this season, from coaches or teammates:

• He is the best player on the team. If he only played defense, he might still be the best player on the team.
• If the ball is thrown near him, it is going to be a catch.
• If you come to a Camas game, your eyes just lock on to No. 43.

Nikko Speer is a linebacker and tight end for the undefeated, top-ranked, No. 1 seed Camas Papermakers.

That means so much to him, too, because this is exactly where he has always envisioned himself, making plays for the hometown team.

“I’ve loved football my whole life. I put in work my whole life. It means everything for the work to pay off on Friday nights,” Speer said Friday night after the Papermakers defeated Curtis 41-6 in the opening round of the Class 4A state football playoffs. 

Camas, which improved to 11-0 this season, will host a state quarterfinal game next week against Saturday’s winner between Graham-Kapowsin and Arlington. While the date and time is not yet confirmed, the game will likely be next Saturday, Nov. 23.

For certain, it will be at Camas’ Doc Harris Stadium.

“My favorite part of Camas is that we are a community. Our high school name is the town’s name,” Speer said. “I think that brings everybody together.”
He should know. Growing up in Camas, he used to come to the games and watch long playoff runs and championship teams.

Now he and his teammates are three wins away from their own state championship. Of course, the ultimate goal for the Papermakers is to be playing in Husky Stadium in December, winning the state title. Speer cautioned all associated with Camas football — players and fans — not to overlook anything during this journey.

“Every team is great now,” he said of the elite eight. “We just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”

On Friday, the Camas defense pitched a virtual shutout. Curtis’ lone touchdown came when the Vikings made a great defensive play of their own with a pick-six.

This game was close for a half, but Camas crushed it in the second half, pulling away from the Vikings. 

Speer was his usual dominant self on defense, and on offense he made one spectacular grab down the sideline to keep a scoring drive alive. He also made some impressive blocks as the Papermakers outscored Curtis 32-0 in the second half.

“I love offense, don’t get me wrong, but defense is where it’s at,” Speer said.

“Defense is my favorite because of the chemistry we have on our defense,” Speer said. “It shows on the field. I feel like I’m the leader on the defense, and I love leading it.”

Dan Kielty has been the defensive coordinator at Camas since 2008. That means he has coached a who’s who of linebackers in Clark County. Kielty said Speer is among the best he has ever seen.

“You can put him anywhere. We play him everywhere,” Kielty said. “He makes adjustments. He understands what’s coming before it happens. He makes my job a lot easier. He makes us look good.”

Kielty then looked at the scoreboard after Friday’s win.

“This is the kind of defense that championships are made of,” he said.

Adam Mathieson, who was on staff last year before becoming the head coach this season, said Speer continues to amaze all of the coaches and all of his teammates.

“He’s exceptional. He’s an exceptional football player,” Mathieson said. “No matter what you ask him to do, he does it at a level where, ‘You guys see that?’ How many ‘wow plays’ can someone produce? ‘Oh, he did it again.’ He does everything at a high level.”
Mathieson said Speer is also team oriented. A couple of weeks ago in a close game against Skyview, Speer requested a specific play on offense. It was not to get Speer the ball, but instead a play that would call for Speer to distract the defense, allowing for a teammate to get open for a huge first down.

“He understands he’ll get his plays, and he’s super happy when his teammates make great plays,” Mathieson said. “He’s the consummate teammate.”

He showed that again Friday against Curtis. Sure, Speer made plenty of plays, but his teammates were getting sacks and interceptions. Speer was thrilled.

“I love my teammates. They’re my brothers. I’ve played with most of them for at least 10 years. I’m proud of them, and I think they’re proud of me, too,” he said. “That’s what makes it great.”

A week ago in the Week 10 playoff, Speer grabbed a touchdown pass from quarterback Jake Davidson that was shown multiple times on a Portland television station. Speer had to leap and twist his body in the air to adjust to the ball, thrown that way intentionally by Davidson to avoid the defender. 

Yes, it was a tremendous catch, but it was not a surprising catch to anyone who has been watching Camas football this season.

Sometimes, those types of passes are called 50-50 balls. Not at Camas.

“Instead of a 50-50, it’s 70-30,” Davidson said of the high-degree-of-difficulty passes to Speer.

The Papermakers are used to Speer coming up with the ball.

“It makes me happy that he trusts me,” Speer said of his quarterback. “Throw it up, and I’ll go make a play.”

Still, as the Camas offense lines up to snap the ball, Speer prefers a run play so he can block with the offensive linemen.

Speer is just built that way.

“He’s giving us his all,” Davidson said. 

Speer, Davidson, and the rest of the Papermakers have up to three more games this season to give it their all to their program, to their school, to their community.

No matter the result, they will be together. 

“I love it here,” Speer said, looking around at the celebrating crowd on the field at Doc Harris Stadium after Friday’s victory.

“I love that we are a family.”