Home is where the journey begins

Starts Tuesday, at noon

Location changed from Camas to Battle Ground High School

With the 4A district wrestling tournament fast approaching, coach Cory Vom Baur threw down the gauntlet for the Papermakers.

“If you are looking for a way out, take it. There are exits everywhere, but these kids are training to beat you,” he said.

Veteran Camas wrestlers Tye Lommasson, Marcus Hartman, Noah Shannon, Bryant Elliott, Talon Edmiston take Vom Baur’s words to heart. He was a three-time state finalist when he wrestled for Evergreen High School, in Vancouver, and became a champion in 2005.

“Whenever I do anything for wrestling, I hope it’s something my opponent may not be doing,” Shannon said. “We all work hard in this room to beat the other guy we’re facing. It’s like the match is already happening right here.”

Districts was supposed to take place at Camas High School Saturday, but snowy weather moved the event to Tuesday in Battle Ground. Wrestling starts at noon.

This is the first of two tournaments to earn a ticket to the Mat Classic, at the Tacoma Dome. It all starts right here for the Papermakers, in their own backyard.

“It’s a big fight. A lot of good wrestlers are out there, and they all want the same thing,” said head coach Glenn Hartman. “You can talk all you want about the rankings, but what matters is how you do in that moment on that day.”

Hard work helped the Papermakers defeat Battle Ground 41-28 Jan. 22. Hartman, Elliott, Lommasson, Shannon, Edmiston, Max Grimes, Gavin Grable, Dylan Ingram and Ty Alishie all earned victories out on the mat.

Coach Hartman said this was one of the biggest team wins for Camas. Marcus Hartman and Shannon beat the wrestlers they lost to at the Clark County tournament. Ingram flipped his opponent over and pinned him with about 30 seconds left in the match.

“Battle Ground was third in the county, and they had all of their best kids out,” Coach Hartman said. “We just had some good performances. Any time you can get nine wins like that, it’s something pretty special.”

There will be more road blocks to smash through on the way to Tacoma. Shannon has been wrestling for Camas since he was six. This the moment the CHS senior has been working for his whole life.

“I can’t wait to get out there and watch us do our best to represent Camas,” Shannon said. “Once you get a taste of victory, you crave it more. That taste of victory is so sweet.”