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December 18, 2012
Emily McDonald turns the bowling ball loose Wednesday at Big Al's, while Hunter Lytle, Rebekah Curtis, Katie Hull and Porsche Chartrand cheer her on. The Camas girls knocked down a school record 1,764 pins, but it wasn't enough to beat Kelso.

Papermaker bowlers keep crashing pins

Bowling pins were falling for the Camas Papermakers like rows of dominoes Wednesday. Porsche Chartrand, Rebekah Curtis, Emily McDonald, Katie Hull and Hunter Lytle earned several combinations of strikes, splits and spares. As the cheers grew louder with each roll, the Papermakers couldn't wait for their next throw. "I was happy about how the positive energy kept flowing through both games and the baker," Chartrand said. "Once you get that strike streak rolling, it's easy sailing from there."

December 18, 2012
Camas High School senior Jasmin Karlous soars into first place on the uneven bars Saturday, at the Naydenov Gymnastics Center in Vancouver. Karlous finished in second place all-around with 34.05 points. She earned a 9.25 on the floor, a 9.0 on the bars, an 8.6 on the vault and a 7.2 on the beam.

New leaders rise for Camas gymnastics

Aches and pains are the sacrifices for glory in gymnastics. Together, Camas High School seniors Katelynne Jones and Hali Ramirez are unbreakable. "It's kind of cool that we get to be captains. We've been best friends since birth," Jones said. "Although the program has gone through three different coaches in the last three years, the seniors have held on to each other." Jones, Ramirez, Emily Early and Kacee Webb rely on each other for strength. It is their turn to lead returning underclassmen Virginia Duley, Amanda Kitterman, Tamaki Murata and Rachel Rakoski, along with newcomers Jasmin Karlous and Caleigh Lofstead. "What I love about gymnastics is that there is always something you can improve on," Ramirez said. "You never stop working at it. You can always get better."

December 11, 2012
Lucas Ulmer leaves a trail of water droplets in his wake while swimming the 100-meter backstroke for Camas Thursday, at David Douglas High School in Portland, Ore. Ulmer earned second place in the backstroke and the butterfly events.

Swimmers head upstream in new surroundings

The Camas High School boys swimmers are not afraid of their new surroundings in the 4A Greater St. Helens League. All it takes is a backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly or freestyle to make ripples across the landscape. Seniors Jake Yraceburu, Nick Panebianco, Trent Harimoto, Seth Albert, Alec Geenty, Jeffery Lee and Ian Walker designed a swimming tradition in Camas. Although the Papermakers are in the largest classification in Washington, their goals continue to grow. They want to win the league and district titles, and become a top five team at the state championship meet. "I love racing at districts and state, and seeing all those hardworking mornings and afternoons paying off," Harimoto said. "Don't hold back in your races. That little extra effort of pain will be gone in a minute, but the results and the memories you get will last a lifetime."

December 11, 2012
Austin Miller hyperextends his opponent Friday, at La Center High School. Miller and the Camas Papermakers won both matches.

Camas wrestling gets cracking in new league

It's been two weeks since Vince Huber played football in the Tacoma Dome. Today, he is working for an opportunity to go back as a wrestler. :Every wrestler from this state dreams of making it to the dome," he said. "I definitely want to get back there. It's such an electric atmosphere. I'm reflecting on my last season of wrestling and channelling all my experiences from football on the mat." Football has always been first in Huber's life, but wrestling is becoming a close second. His sweat on the mat made him more balanced and conditioned on the field. The Camas High School senior also developed friendships with seniors Andrew Duffy, Anthony Grable, Austin Miller and Dakota Safford. Their goal is to contend with Battle Ground, Evergreen, Heritage and Union for the top spot in the 4A Greater St. Helens League.

December 11, 2012
Sophomore Tanner Baldwin (right) snagged two victories for the Washougal wrestling team Friday, at La Center High School.

WHS wrestlers challenge Longview schools for bragging rights in league

Stephen Camden and Wyatt Eakins are leading the young and courageous Washougal High School wrestlers into the next generation. "It's not just going to be about this year for this group, but also the years to come," Camden said. "We want to leave an impression on these wrestlers and build a platform for future generations to follow." Camden snagged a sixth-place medal at the state meet last season. Eakins said nothing is going to stand in the way of him wrestling at the Tacoma Dome in February. Both seniors have sophomore sisters who are making their mark on the program. "When people see a Washougal wrestler, they see somebody who is hard working, intelligent, intense, strong, loyal, respectful and kind," Eakins said. "Wrestling is not just a sport, it's a lifestyle. You never give up in wrestling, just like you never give up in life."

December 4, 2012
Lauren Neff soars over three Falcons and scores a basket for the Papermakers Friday, in Camas.

Six CHS seniors are ready to take the next step

A 24-point loss to defending 3A state champion Prairie Friday couldn't dampen the excitement of a new basketball season for Lauren Neff and her Camas teammates. "I thought we were more competitive than the score indicated," said head coach Chuck Knight. "It was only game one. Our goal is to be playing our best basketball game 15 and up." The Papermakers are in the 4A classification now. Sierra Brown, McKenna and Paige Jackson, Kathryn Johnson, Neff and Kyla Sumpter are ready to make some noise in this new league. "I've known these girls for such a long time, and we all get to play together in our final year here," Neff said. "That is what is pushing us so hard."

December 4, 2012
Megan Sharp cuts through two Trappers Thursday, at Fort Vancouver High School. The Washougal girls won 56-55.

Panthers hold on to defeat Trappers for their second straight win on the road

Alyssa Blankenship and Savanna McDowell hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Panther girls basketball team over the top Thursday, at Fort Vancouver High School. Washougal held onto its one-point advantage during the final minute of regulation, then walked off the court celebrating a 56-55 victory. "I love to see the kids playing well under pressure," said head coach Charlie Boyce. "Down by three, you start to wonder if you can come back. These girls didn't. They just kept playing hard, hit two big threes and held on for that last minute. It was just a great team effort." Before she could blink, Blankenship let the ball spin off her fingertips and watched it sail through the hoop for a game-tying basket. "Should I shoot it?" She asked herself. "I didn't want to turn it over. It felt very good when it went in."

December 4, 2012
Tyler Hallead drives to the hoop for the Papermakers Friday, at Camas High School. The Falcons soared to a 62-56 overtime victory.

CHS boys basketball program grows after a year under new coach

What a difference a year makes for Skyler Gillispie and the Camas High School boys basketball players. "Last year at this time, I barely knew their first and last names," said the second-year head coach who took over the program just weeks before the season started. "The kids have played a lot of basketball together in the spring, summer and fall, and hopefully that reflects on the court. Our communication and camaraderie will be stronger this year." The shorthanded Papermakers made significant progress during the first week of the season, while Zach Eagle, Drew Clarkson and Michael Digenova fulfilled their required number of practices after football. On Nov. 26, Camas held Hudson's Bay to just 13 points in the second half of a 54-39 road victory. Trevor Jasinsky and Jordan Lenard each scored 15 points.

December 4, 2012
Aaron Deister (left) and the Washougal Panthers are ready to take on all comers on the basketball court. The boys have already played W.F. West, Tenino, Battle Ground and Hudson's Bay.

All comers are invited to the Panther jungle

The Washougal High School boys basketball team picked up where it left off last winter. Back on Feb. 18, the Panthers rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat W.F. West by one point in the consolation semifinal round of the district tournament. On Nov. 26, they proved that wasn’t a fluke. Michael McElroy netted 26 points, Austin Tran added 12, and Aaron Deister and Jaden Jantzer each chipped in 11 to lead Washougal to a 67-60 victory. "For just the first game of the season, I thought we finished strong," Deister said. "Our experience really paid off."

November 28, 2012
The CHS girls cross country team is making the leap to the Nike Cross Nationals Saturday, at Portland Meadows. Pictured (left to right): Mckenzie Good, Megan Napier, Alexa Efraimson, Camille Parsons, Alexa Jones, Alissa Pudlitzke and Maddie Woodson.

Camas girls gain national exposure

The future's so bright for the Camas High School cross country runners, they got to wear shades. Seniors Megan Napier and Camille Parsons, junior Mckenzie Good, sophomores Alexa Efraimson and Alissa Pudlitzke, and freshmen Maddie Woodson and Alexa Jones have pushed their state championship season all the way to the Nike Cross National Invitational Saturday, at the Portland Meadows racetrack. The girls championship race begins at 10:05 a.m.