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Sports

February 26, 2013
Sean Guthrie sets a screen for Austin Tran during the consolation finals of the district tournament Feb. 19, at Evergreen High School. Hockinson defeated Washougal in overtime 67-53.

Washougal boys fall one win short of state again

The Washougal High School boys basketball team picked up the intensity in the second half and pushed the game into overtime, but the Panthers were never able to get a handle on the Hockinson Hawks. Michael McElroy made both of his foul shots to tie the game up for Washougal and send it into overtime. Nate Adams won the tip off for the Panthers, Austin Tran got to the ball and put it right in the basket without hesitation to give Washougal the lead. Hockinson then closed out the game on a 16-0 scoring drive to win by the score of 67-53. "It felt good to take the game into overtime," McElroy said. "We felt like we had the momentum. But after getting those first two points, it started to go downhill in a hurry."

February 26, 2013

Kyle Eakins is rewarded for his love of the sport

Wrestling is joy in its purest art form for Kyle Eakins. "It is an ancient sport that teaches all the right lessons in a very personal and no excuses format," he said. "Humility, discipline, sacrifice, fraternity, physical and mental endurance, confidence and compassion. Wrestling brings these values together in a way that promotes community but rewards individuality." Eakins has been teaching this ancient sport to Canyon Creek Middle School students since 2002. When asked about the key elements he passes on to younger wrestlers just getting started in the sport, Eakins quipped that it was "top secret" before letting his guard down and opening up his heart.

February 19, 2013
Jake Yraceburu broke the one minute mark in the 100 breaststroke Friday. The CHS senior touched the wall in 58.99 seconds. Yraceburu snatched seventh in the championship race Saturday.

Swimmers earn seventh at their first 4A state meet

The academic state championship Camas High School boys swimming team captured seventh place at its first 4A state meet Saturday, at the King County Aquatic Center, in Federal Way. "This has just been an incredible season of firsts. This was our first time in 4A and our first time winning the academic award. We also had a lot of people coming up here for the first time, making it to the finals and getting up on that podium," said senior co-captain Trent Harimoto. "It's been an amazing four years of ups and downs, crazy experiences and memories. I'm so glad that it happened this way. I wouldn't change a thing." Camas racked up 130.5 points to finish in seventh place out of 37 schools. Kamiak High School, of Mukilteo, won the meet with 207 points.

February 19, 2013

Opportunity knocks for Washougal

Once again, the Washougal High School boys basketball team faces the consolation finals crossroad. A win tonight against their nemesis Hockinson sends the Panthers to the state tournament, but a loss ends the season. For the eight Washougal seniors who endured heartbreak after losing in a similar situation to North Thurston last season, it's now or never. The game starts at 7 p.m., at Evergreen High School, 14300 N.E. 18th St., in Vancouver. "Twenty miles away at Evergreen, the atmosphere is going to be great," said senior guard Michael McElroy. "It's going to be a battle to see who has the loudest fans and who is the better team." "We want to finish what we started last year," added senior forward Aaron Deister.

February 19, 2013
Sara Sanchez (left) lassoed a fifth place state medal from the Mat Classic Saturday, at the Tacoma Dome. The Washougal High School junior rallied back from two losses to defeat Mabton's Jazmin Mendoza 15-2 in her last match.

Emotional ending for Washougal wrestlers

Neither Sara Sanchez nor Erin Locke could have made it to the Tacoma Dome alone. "Having such a tough partner to work with every day makes you a better wrestler," Sanchez said. "One of us usually goes on before the other one. It's like tagging in your partner. Now it's your turn." Sanchez and Locke each won their first round matches in the girls state tournament Friday, but got caught on the wrong end of pin falls in the quarterfinals. Both Panthers fought through to Saturday and wrestled three more matches to get a medal.

February 12, 2013
Camas' Austin Miller turns the tables on Battle Ground's Sean Trenda during the 132-pound 4A regional championship match Saturday, at Heritage High School. Miller won the match 13-11.

Five Papermakers advance to the Mat Classic

After Tye Lommasson became a district and a regional wrestling champion for Camas, Austin Miller delivered a sensational encore performance Saturday at Heritage High School. Lommasson grounded Skyline's Joseph Dematteo 6-3 in the 126-pound 4A regional championship match. Dematteo was one of the top-ranked wrestlers in the state, but the Papermaker was able to keep the Spartan on the mat. "I had butterflies, but I just had to fight through it," Lommasson said. "This just feels awesome. It's my first time going to state. I can't wait to show everyone what I got."

February 12, 2013
Jake Yraceburu earned first place in the 100 breaststroke and helped the Papermakers win the 200 medley and the 400 freestyle relay races.

CHS swimmers clinch district championship in a new classification

After snatching four first place medals at Propstra Pool Thursday, Seth Albert helped the Camas High School boys swimmers hoist up the 4A district championship trophy. "It's a little heavy," Albert said, still catching his breath and rinsing the sting out of his arms after a perfect day in the water. The senior won both the 200- and the 100-meter freestyle races before helping the Papermakers win the 200 and the 400 freestyle relay events. "I came into the pool today saying 'I'm going to get a first place medal.' I didn't expect to get four," Albert said. "I'm competitive. I love being first in everything. I don't like to get second."

February 12, 2013
Aaron Deister ignites the offense for the Panthers. Washougal hosted its first district playoff game Saturday, but River Ridge escaped the jungle with a 54-51 victory.

Shocker in Washougal

The Washougal Panthers hosted their first district playoff game Saturday, but Brad Wallace and the River Ridge Hawks spoiled the party. Wallace delivered 25 of his 30 points in the second half to lead the Hawks to a 54-51 victory in front of a packed house at Washougal High School. He also nailed the game-winning 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left on the clock. All the Panthers had time for was a desperation shot that deflected off the glass as the final buzzer sounded. "That kid just hit an incredible shot with a hand in his face," said head coach Malcolm Estes. "We played hard. The breaks just didn't fall our way in the end."

February 10, 2013

On the sidelines: Line in the sand

The Washougal Panthers hosted their first district playoff game Saturday, but Brad Wallace and the River Ridge Hawks spoiled the party. Wallace delivered 25 of his 30 points in the second half to lead the Hawks to a 54-51 victory in front of a packed house in the Washougal High School jungle gym. Wallace's game-winning 3-point basket with 1.1 second on the clock was his fifth in the half. Washougal seniors Michael McElory and Aaron Deister each netted 15 points, and Jaden Jantzer added 10. McElory swished a buzzer beater from well behind the 3-point line to bring the Panthers within one point going into the fourth quarter. Jantzer and McElory both hit huge threes in the fourth quarter, but Washougal couldn't hold to either one of those leads.