Tuesday featured high school playoff action all over the county
It is go time.
Spring sports playoffs officially began on Saturday, but Tuesday featured a packed schedule of a number of sports in different classifications.
The Camas baseball team qualified for the state tournament.
So did the Columbia River and Woodland boys soccer teams.
There were district champions crowned in girls golf.
Here are some of the highlights from a full day of sports Tuesday, which is just the beginning of a mad dash in the quest for state championship glory.
Camas baseball gets it done
Going up against one of the best pitchers in the state, the Papermakers put the ball in play with runners on base in the first inning, got two across the plate, and that was enough for Riley Sinclair in a 3-1 victory over Auburn Mountainview.
“Awesome. Amazing. It’s been our goal since Day One,” Sinclair said of securing a berth to state.
This is Camas’ first trip to the round of 16 since 2011.
“Hard work and preparation,” Sinclair said.
Sinclair got through the top of the first inning unscatched, then had a two-run lead by the time he returned to the mound for the second inning in this 4A bi-district quarterfinal game.
“I was very comfortable,” he said. “I have a great defense behind me. I just had to pitch to contact.”
The only time Sinclair looked uncomfortable is when he had to exit the game with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
“I just really wanted to finish it,” he said.
He and the Papermakers had no choice, though. He came up on the pitch-count limit, one batter shy of a complete game.
No problem for the Papermakers. Luke Brewer came in the game with a runner on base and got the strikeout for the save.
“I knew he was going to get the save,” Sinclair said. “I have a lot of trust in my guys, a lot of trust in everyone.”
The Papermakers have trusted each other all season. They surprised many by winning the 4A Greater St. Helens League. And now they are going to state.
Camas will play two more games Saturday in the bi-district tournament, but those games are only for seeding to state.
Emma Cox and Camas shine at district golf
There was no real pressure for Emma Cox. Not this year, anyway.
A senior from Camas, she won her second Class 4A district girls golf title Tuesday at Tri-Mountain Golf Course in Ridgefield.
“Starting my high school career, I didn’t think I’d be able to win district so early. When I won my sophomore year it was a happy surprise,” she said.
Junior year, though, she put too much pressure on herself as the defending champion, and she struggled.
“This year, I just wanted to have fun my last year,” Cox said. “Just enjoy playing and have as much fun as possible.”
Up by one over teammate Ashley Clark going into the final round, Cox went on a par parade in the back-nine and ended up winning the district title by nine shots. She scored 76-78 for a two-day total of 154.
“I was crushing my drives and putting it on the greens” on the back-nine Tuesday. “I started feeling alright.
“I really worked hard out there, too.”
Camas won the team title by finishing 1, 2, 3, and 4 among the individuals. The next step for qualifying golfers is bi-district. The top players and teams there will go to state.
In the 3A bi-district, Kelso’s Liz Dolan pulled away for a seven-stroke victory over Fort Vancouver’s Kiana Coburn. Mountain View won the team title.
Dolan went 78-80 for a 158 total.
Coburn, a senior, hopes to have two more high school tournaments — bi-district and then state. She fired a 79 in Monday’s opening round, the first time she has been in the 70s for an 18-hole, non-practice round.
“That was a big milestone,” Coburn said.
The goal is for four more days in the 70s in the next two tournaments.
She also is proud to be one of the faces of Fort Vancouver athletics.
“It’s been a journey. It’s been an honor,” Coburn said. “Senior year, there have been a lot of ups and downs. Right now, it’s on an up.”
Columbia River baseball opens with a win
The Columbia River Chieftains had some shaky moments on defense early, but that did not get to them.
They got out of a few jams, then scored plenty in an 8-1 win over Centralia to open the Class 2A District 4 tournament.
“The first few innings were rough, but we loosened up,” said Nick Adler, who pitched into the seventh inning for the win and also had a couple hits for the Chieftains.
Adler said he does not get rattled on the mound if there is a miscue in the field.
“I know they love me, and I love them,” he said of the faith he and his teammates have for one another.
If a bad thing happens, move on to the next play.
“We try to eliminate the double-negatives,” he said.
Adler just kept doing his thing from the mound, and the Chieftains were fine.
“The butterflies are going to be there, whether it’s game one of the season or the 21st game of the season,” he said. “Once you settle in and get in a groove, no better place to be.”
Columbia River will take on Tumwater in a district semifinal game tonight.
Here’s a roundup of the rest the postseason action.
Baseball
Skyview beat Bellarmine 4-2 in an elimination game in the 4A bi-district tournament. The Storm will play another loser-out game today against Kennedy Catholic in Puyallup.
Mountain View already clinched a berth to state in the 3A bi-district. Evergreen is playing Peninsula today in Tacoma in a consolation loser-out game.
Ridgefield also won a 2A district opener, taking down Rochester 7-3 to advance to the semifinals. Ridgefield will face W.F. West in Centralia at 4 p.m. today. The Columbia River-Tuwmater semifinal is at 6 p.m. Woodland plays today in a loser-out consolation game.
Montesano beat La Center 8-0 on Tuesday in a 1A district semifinal. King’s Way Christian survived a consolation game, beating Forks 16-9. La Center and King’s Way Christian will play each other in a loser-out game Friday.
Soccer
It was a rough night for the Clark County 4A and 3A soccer squads.
Union’s season came to an end with a 2-1 loss to Kentridge. (Skyview and Camas are still alive, though. They play on Thursday.)
In the 3A bi-district, Mountain View, Evergreen, and Prairie all suffered defeats and fell into the consolation bracket. Mountain View and Evergreen, in fact, play each other Thursday in a loser-out match at McKenzie Stadium. Prairie will face Bethel on Thursday in Lacey.
The defending Class 2A state champions have qualified for the state tournament. Columbia River beat Centralia 4-1 on Tuesday and will face league-rival Woodland in the district championship match Thursday. Woodland beat Tumwater 3-2 to qualify for state as well. Meanwhile, Ridgefield is still alive in the consolation bracket.
In the 1A district, Seton Catholic will play in a semifinal tonight against Forks in Montesano. La Center is in the consolation bracket and plays a loser-out game against Hoquiam tonight.
Track and field
The 4A and 3A district championships begin today and conclude Thursday at McKenzie Stadium.
