District championships crowned in cross country, golf, and slowpitch softball
Columbia River picked up the biggest volleyball win in the state on Thursday and Columbia River got a big football win on Thursday, as well.
And tonight, it’s Game 2 of the three football games in the final three weeks of the regular season to determine the playoff teams from the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League.
All that and more in this high school sports notes package.
Football
It is Skyview at Camas on Friday night at Doc Harris Stadium as the big game in Week 8 of the regular season. Union, meanwhile, is playing a non-league game in Wenatchee. Don’t be surprised if the Titans are paying attention to what’s going on in Camas, though.
For Union, it is an interesting dilemma. If the Titans want a chance at a share of the league title, they have to root for rival Camas tonight. But if the Titans are looking at an easier route to the postseason, they just might have to root for Skyview tonight.
Huh?
That’s right. If the Union Titans are to win a share of the league title, it could only be via three-way tie with Skyview and Camas. Only two teams make the playoffs. So if, by the end of Week 9, there is a three-way tie for first, there will be a tiebreaker and one of those league champions will not be going to the playoffs.
If Skyview wins this week, the Storm will be the league champion. Then next week, the Union-Camas game will be for second place and a playoff berth.
If Camas wins this week, then Camas could win the league title by itself with a win over Union next week. But if Camas wins this week, and Union beats Camas next week, that sets up the three-way tie.
Oh, the dramatics.
Week 8 got started Thursday night and the Columbia River Rapids kept their postseason hopes alive with a 16-13 win over Washougal at Kiggins Bowl. Columbia River is 3-3 in the 2A GSHL, tied for fourth place. The top four teams from the 2A GSHL make it to the postseason.
Going into Week 8, Ridgefield needs a win this week or next to clinch the No. 1 seed. Hockinson appears steady in second place.
Volleyball
River’s win in football was big but not even the biggest victory of the night for its school.
Columbia River, No. 3 in this week’s statewide coaches poll, took down No. 1 Ridgefield in four sets, handing Ridgefield its first loss in years.
Ridgefield won the Class 2A state championship in 2018 and 2019 and went undefeated in the abbreviated season in early 2021. Ridgefield’s last loss came in 2018.
These two teams could easily meet again in the district tournament as well as in the state tournament.
On a related note, Columbia River volleyball is coached by Breanne Smedley. Her husband, Brett Smedley, is the football coach. Pretty big night for the Smedleys … Related note, see what we did there?
Cross Country
The Camas boys easily won the Class 4A district team title on Wednesday at Lewisville Park in Battle Ground, while the Camas girls won their team title by three points over Skyview.
Hayden Reich won the individual title in the boys race, with Camas teammates James Puffer and Gabriel Marchum finishing second and third. Camas recorded 17 points in the race, two points away from a perfect score.
Gracie Buzell of Camas won the individual title, leading the Papermakers to a 35-38 win over Skyview in the team race. Evelyn Reed of Skyview was second.
The 3A district meet was Thursday at Kelso, and the host team took the boys team title. Mountain View’s Branon Chou took home the individual title.
Claire Rogge of Evergreen won the girls district individual title. Prairie won the team title.
Boys golf
Dane Huddleston of Woodland cruised to the Class 2A boys district golf title, recording a score of 138 over the two-day tournament. Columbia River won the team title. Woodland finished second.
Slowpitch softball
Union beat Battle Ground in the 4A district championship game. Both teams qualified for state earlier in the day with victories in the semifinals.
