Incredible journey ends a day early for Camas

The Camas High School girls basketball players would give anything for one more game.

Haley Hanson and Teague Schroeder both hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first half, and Meghan Finley also chipped one in from long range. But, Sunnyside shined much brighter and defeated the Papermakers 45-34.

After winning league and making it to the Tacoma Dome for the first time in school history, the Camas girls can hang their hats on becoming one of the top 10 teams in the state.

“No one likes to end their season on a loss,” said senior Emma Jones. “I’ll never forget this team. We have so many memories. There’s not enough time to tell them all. I will hold onto those memories forever and cherish all the times we spent together.”

Meghan Finley played inspired basketball for the Papermakers with a sprained foot.

“I will cherish that we are the first Camas girls or boys basketball team to ever make it to the Tacoma Dome. It’s something I’ve dreamed about since I was a little girl. To do it my senior year makes it all the more special,” she said. “This team, we have overcome so much adversity. And that’s what got us here.”

Camas bounced back from heartbreaking losses to Bellarmine Prep, in the finals of the bi-district tournament, and Kentlake, in the regional round before state. The Papermakers stepped on to the court at the Tacoma Dome for the first time Wednesday and defeated Eastlake, the team that eliminated them from the playoffs in 2016.

“You don’t really remember the games as much as the people you played with,” Schreoder said. “It’s upsetting that we lost, but you have to think of the accomplishments. We made so much history together this year.”

Finley, Jones and Schroeder hope this is just the beginning of more Camas basketball teams getting to the Tacoma Dome. Now all current and future Papermakers know this is possible.

“I hope they get back here. I hope they go farther than we have,” Schroeder said.

Read more in Thursday’s print edition of the Post-Record.