Goal for the books

Maddie Kemp put a cap on the victory for the Camas girls soccer team with three goals Nov. 3, at Doc Harris Stadium.

Not only was it a hat trick for the sophomore, she also tied the record for most goals in a season. Heather Roberts netted 24 goals for the Papermakers in 2001.

“It’s almost like it’s too good to be true,” Kemp said. “It feels great to have these girls by my side. I wouldn’t have the goals without them working to get me the ball. We wouldn’t even be here today if it wasn’t for them.”

Camas defeated Rogers, of Puyallup, 5-0 in a bi-district playoff game. Kemp got Camas on the board eight minutes in. Morgan Winston then netted her first goal of the season off a throw-in by Perri Belzer.

“Amazing! I’ve been waiting so long for it,” Winston said.

She jumped right into the arms of co-captain Sabine Postma, while other teammates came up to congratulate her.

“I knew they were happy for me,” Winston said. “They lift me up all the time.”

Kemp delivered her second goal with about 27 minutes left in the game. Belzer then threaded a corner kick through the hands of the opposing goalkeeper to give the Papermakers a 4-0 cushion.

“I’m just going to bend this in,” Belzer told herself. “Either one of my teammates is going to get on the back of it, or it’s just going to go in.”

Kemp completed her hat trick in the final minute of the game. It was a goal for the record books.

Not only was head coach Roland Minder happy for Kemp, he also enjoyed seeing Belzer score a goal off her own corner kick and Winston put a ball in the net.

“It was nice that everybody got a piece of the victory. It’s been that way throughout,” he said. “We need every part. It’s a team sport.”

Camas beat Kentridge 5-1 for the bi-district championship Saturday, at Kent.

Kemp collected two more goals to bring her season total to 26 and break Roberts’ record. Alyssa Tomasini added her 21st goal of the season in the victory. Postma and Carla Jooste knocked in the other two goals.

The Papermakers are back in the state tournament looking for redemption after finishing in third place last season.

“I’m so excited to hopefully get back to where we were and make it right,” Belzer said.

“We are not settling for anything less than first,” Kemp said. “We don’t want to go out. We’re going to do it for the seniors.”