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Sports

March 6, 2012
Nick McAfee performs on the rings during the Blackjack National Men's Gymnastics Championship Feb. 3, in Las Vegas. The 16-year-old from Camas racked up 77.35 points in six events to finish in third place in the all-around competition.

A love for gymnastics takes McAfee to Las Vegas

Mesmerized by the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nick McAfee captured two trophies at the 2012 Blackjack National Men's Gymnastics Championship on Feb. 3. The 16-year-old from Camas finished in first place on the floor exercise (13.95 points) and second on the parallel bars (13.6). He racked up 77.55 points in six events for third place in the all-around competition. "This was my second year going to Vegas," McAfee said. "It's wild. Everything you see there is just massive and larger than life." The deck was stacked against McAfee going into this meet. Since last summer, he has suffered through every kind of pain imaginable from a broken foot to a broken wrist, a pulled Achilles tendon and a pulled muscle in his back. This season, he has dealt with a sprained ankle and tendinitis in his shoulder.

March 6, 2012
Haven (left) and Stephen (right) Camden are bound by a love for wrestling in Washougal.

Camdens rise to the occasion

On the way to the Tacoma Dome from Washougal, Stephen Camden's plans for the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament changed dramatically. On Feb. 16, the Washougal High School junior made the trip with alternates Matt Wilson and Tyler Purkeypyle. Stephen was going to spend the weekend cheering for his sister Haven and her teammate Erin Locke. "When I went up there, I didn't really have it in my head that I was going to wrestle," he said. "I knew it was like a million to one shot because someone from my league had to get hurt."

February 28, 2012
Father and son Curt and Jonathan Warner share a passion for football, academics, work ethic and family. Curt had an illustrious career playing for Penn State University and the Seattle Seahawks. After graduating from Camas High School in June, Jonathan will follow in his father's footsteps to Penn State and create his own path.

Passing the torch

It has been 22 years since Curt Warner carried a football, but it was quite a ride.

February 28, 2012
Tatum Schroeder caught fire for Camas and scored all 10 of her points in the second half, but the Franklin Quakers shattered the Papermaker dream of playing in the Tacoma Dome Saturday with a 53-43 victory.

Effort helps CHS girls make history

Effort is not always rewarded. The Camas High School girls basketball players gave everything they had in their mind, body and spirit Saturday for an opportunity to play in the Tacoma Dome, but the Papermakers just couldn't shake the No. 4 ranked Franklin Quakers of Seattle, losing 53-43 at Bellevue Community College. "It's real simple," said head coach Chuck Knight after the teary defeat. "I couldn't be more proud of these girls. I'm just disappointed for them because I wanted everything for them." Still, Knight said he can look back at this season with a smile.

February 28, 2012
Washougal's David Crowley fights a North Thurston Ram for a lane to the hoop Feb. 21. The Rams held off the Panthers 62-56, but Washougal still brought home a fourth-place trophy.

Clock runs out on Washougal

North Thurston had Washougal's number this time around, but the Panthers became the talk of the district tournament. Ben Broker scored 30 points to carry the Rams to a 62-56 victory over Washougal Feb. 21, at W.F. West High School in Chehalis. Washougal (14-10) finished the season just one win shy of the Sweet 16. The Panthers still brought home a fourth-place trophy from districts. "To win a trophy is a huge accomplishment for these young men. I have nothing but good things to say about them," said head coach Malcolm Estes. "We played extremely hard for four games, and we almost got those guys. We almost got there."

February 22, 2012

On the sidelines: Clock runs out on Washougal

Washougal boys basketball team loses to North Thurston for the second time Tuesday night, but the Panthers still brought home a fourth-place trophy from the district tournament.

February 21, 2012
Camas senior Syndey Allen delivered 64 points in four games to help lead the Papermakers to the State Sweet 16 for the first time in 34 years.

Camas girls are in the Sweet 16

Students were out of school Monday, but not the Camas High School girls basketball team. Two days after qualifying for the Sweet 16 for the first time in 34 years, the Papermakers got back to work. While the school’s hallways and classrooms were empty, they were bouncing basketballs in the gym during the early hours of the morning before heading back up to Clover Park High School in Lakewood to play their fourth game in six days. "It feels good," said senior co-captian Sydney Allen. "We haven't been this far since '78."

February 21, 2012
Jaden Jantzer (33) glides to the hoop for two of his 12 points off the bench for the Panthers in the district playoffs Saturday, at Mark Morris High School. He also hit two big 3-pointers in the game.

Don’t stop believing in Washougal

Are you a believer in the Washougal High School boys basketball team? The Panthers did everything in their power Saturday to change people's minds. They rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat W.F. West of Chehalis 58-57, at Mark Morris High School in Longview. "That was the best basketball game I've ever played in," said junior forward Aaron Deister. "We don't give up. That's for sure." Tonight's third-place game in Chehalis features a return bout between Washougal (14-9) and North Thurston from the first round. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m. The Panthers lost by only three points the last time, before beating Black Hills Wednesday and W.F. West Saturday for a shot at redemption.

February 21, 2012
Washougal sophomore Erin Locke sets Lakewood's Allison Lawton up for a rough landing Friday, during the 2A state wrestling tournament at the Tacoma Dome. Locke brought home an eighth-place medal.

A topsy-turvy finish for wrestlers at state

Mat Classic XXIV turned Tyler Weiss upside down Saturday, but the Camas High School senior got right side up and grabbed a third-place medal. Weiss rolled past Harley Kolp of Kamiakin 8-2 and Boyce Johnson of Sedro Woolley in the first two rounds of the 3A 132-pound state championship bracket Friday. In the semifinals Saturday morning, Weiss held a 2-0 advantage over Jessie Lopez of Everett with 20 seconds left on the clock. Camas assistant coach Alan Bohac said Weiss was grinding Lopez into the mat and wearing him down, but the referee turned the tables by penalizing Weiss for stalling and awarding Lopez with two points. All the sudden, the match was tied and continued into overtime.