The Evergreen Storm Track Club had an exceptional day at the Junior Olympic National Cross Country Championships Dec. 14, on the National Shooting Range in San Antonio, Texas.
Carol Willson helped many of these Camas High School gymnastics find their footing in this sport. After taking some years off to adopt and raise a child, Willson was hired as the new head coach for the Papermakers just as these girls reconnected as sophomores and freshmen in high school. "It's like a family reunion," Willson said. "I met all of these girls when they were first-graders. It's fun to see them now as young ladies."
The Camas High School boys swimmers have their alarm clocks set earlier this season. With no practice time available in the afternoon at LaCamas Swim & Sport's Grass Valley Aquatics Center, every single Papermaker who wants to be on the team must be willing to take the plunge into the pool before school starts. "You have to show up ready to work. There is no set when you can slack off," said junior Kasey Calwell. "You push through when you're hurt, tired, or when it's dark and cold outside and you just want to be in your own bed. We want the younger guys to know that it hurts for us too."
After becoming a district and regional champion, Tye Lommasson earned the opportunity all wrestlers in the state of Washington dream about. He competed for a state championship medal. The match only lasted 21 seconds before Lommasson was pinned, but it was enough to make the Camas High School senior believe he could achieve his ultimate goal. "It just taught me to be humble. Be grateful for the opportunity," Lommasson said. "I'm going to go twice as hard this year to get back there. Hopefully, I get another shot at it."
Erin Locke and Sara Sanchez picked up right where they left off last season. The two Washougal High School seniors earned championship medals to help the Panther girls wrestling team win the 22-school Warden, Wash., Invitational Saturday. Sanchez pinned all four of her opponents in the 137-pound bracket. Locke nailed three pin fall victories and a 15-0 technical fall at 145 pounds. Morgan Ratliff (130) snagged second place for the Panthers. Yaneli Martinez (100) and Emily Alder-Storm (112) took third place. Jessica Biron (155) and Katelyn Purkeypyle (235) finished in fourth place. Logan Sanchez (118) and Abby Lees (170) claimed fifth place. Baylee Wright (124) grabbed sixth place.
Hearts were broken when the clock struck zero. The Camas High School football team lost its lead in the final seconds Saturday, at the Tacoma Dome. There would be no state championship celebration. No time to drive down the field for one last shot at redemption. The season was just simply and painfully over.
Just when Sarah Baxter and Elise Cranny thought they were the only ones fighting for the Nike Cross National Championship, Alexa Efraimson left them both out in the cold. The Camas High School junior beat the two frontrunners to the finish line, with a time of 16 minutes, 50.1 seconds, Saturday, at Portland Meadows. Cranny, of Niwot, Colo., followed in second place (16:53.8) and Baxter, of Simi Valley, Calif., took third place (16:57.8). A total of 198 high school girls from across the country competed in this 5,000-meter extravaganza. Efraimson added a national title to her state and regional accolades.
Chiawana stunned Camas with two touchdowns in the final 55 seconds to win the 4A state football championship game 27-26.
Just when Sarah Baxter and Elise Cranny thought they were the only ones fighting for the Nike Cross National Championship, Alexa Efraimson left them both out in the cold. The Camas High School junior beat the two frontrunners to the finish line with a time of 16 minutes, 50.1 seconds. Efraimson added a national title to her state and regional accolades. "My goal was to max out, do my absolute best and have no regrets," Efraimson said. "I have no regrets today. I'm really happy right now."
Winning at the Tacoma Dome is no longer impossible for the Camas High School football team. The Papermakers shattered that glass ceiling when they defeated Bellarmine Prep 49-21 Saturday, in the semifinal round of the state tournament. "Every year since I've been here, we've been breaking down barriers but we had never been able to get past this one," said senior offensive lineman Matt Walser. "It's such a great feeling to be able to smash through this road block and keep going. Right now, I feel like we can do anything."
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