Papermakers, Beavers clinch berths to state
VANCOUVER — The Camas Papermakers got their revenge, and they found a way to state.
The Woodland Beavers made a bit of history, and they found a way to state.
Seton Catholic and La Center are going to state, as well.
All that, and more, during a wild Tuesday of high school basketball for Clark County programs.
The Camas girls topped Skyview 50-32 in a winner-to-state, loser-eliminated game in the 4A bi-district tournament at Heritage High School. Camas had lost to Skyview twice in the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Woodland boys continued on the craziest ride a Southwest Washington team has had during the recent RPI era. The Beavers, who just now got above the .500 mark after a five-game win streak, are going to the state regionals after stunning W.F. West in the 2A district semifinals.
Woodland is the first team from the county to make it state after entering the postseason with a losing overall record.
And in the Class 1A district boys tournament, La Center and Seton Catholic won in the semifinals, both clinching berths to the state regional round.
Here are some of the highlights, starting with the Camas girls.
4A girls:
Camas 50, Skyview 32 — It took them three tries this season, but the Camas Papermakers did get the job done against the Skyview Storm.
The first two results gave Skyview a 4A Greater St. Helens League title.
This result, though, gave Camas a trip to the state regional round.
“It’s crazy. I just can’t believe it. They got two wins on us, and we knew we just had to push it aside and keep going. This game mattered more than anything,” junior Katelyn Forner said. “We wanted the league title. We didn’t get it. But that’s OK.”
Faith Bergstrom scored 14 points and Haylie Johnson made three 3-pointers for her nine points, leading the Camas offense.
It was the Papermakers defense, though, that proved to be the difference, holding Skyview to a season-low in points. Skyview had scored 62 and 56 points in the two wins against Camas earlier this season.
“Defense is super big with this program,” Bergstrom said.
Camas jumped out to an early seven-point lead in the first quarter, but Skyview took the lead briefly in the second quarter.
“We just had to get back to the scouting report,” Bergstrom said. ‘We had to go back to what we were doing well (in the first quarter).”
It was a three-point game going into the fourth quarter, then it was all Camas.
Jalena Carlisle opened the fourth-quarter scoring, then Forner found Avery Minich with a sweet feed. A couple of free throws from Anna Mooney and back-to-back baskets from Bergstrom gave Camas a 10-0 run.
Later, Forner buried a 3-pointer to pretty much seal the deal.
“I had a red light to shoot,” Forner said of the past. “This year, I’ve had a green light from my coach because he’s always believed in me. To hear him say, ‘You can shoot it’ … that meant the world.”
Camas (15-9) will play Kentwood on Thursday in the bi-district consolation semifinals. Regardless of the outcome, though, Camas is moving beyond bi-district.
“It’s great to keep on playing,” Bergstrom said. “Skyview is a tough team. They’re great. They won league. They are a super good team, but it’s super nice to be able to keep playing.”
Camas coach Scott Thompson said he never worried about his squad, even after finishing third in the league behind Skyview and Union. He said the attitudes remained strong despite some tough losses.
“I’m proud of these girls. They buy in, they play hard, they do everything we ask them to, and now we get to keep this thing rolling a little bit longer,” Thompson said.
Mikelle Anthony led Skyview with eight points. The Storm finished 15-8.
2A boys:
Woodland 48, W.F. West 45 — Nobody really paid attention to the Woodland Beavers going into the postseason. Now, they are the talk of District 4.
A team that finished 4-8 in the 2A Greater St. Helens League will play for a district championship after beating W.F. West 48-45 at Ridgefield High School on Tuesday. Woodland will face Tumwater at 8 p.m. Friday at Battle Ground High School for the title.
Oh, and no matter what happens in that game, Woodland will be in the state regionals.
Woodland led after the first quarter, at halftime, at the end of three, as well. This was no fluke.
Up by five with a minute to play, Trey Hanson made a 3-pointer to pretty much secure the Woodland victory.
Columbia River 70, Washougal 40 — The Columbia River Chieftains, the 2A GSHL champions, let out their frustrations all over Washougal in the consolation bracket of the District 4 tournament.
Columbia River was shocked by Woodland in the opening round and needs to win three in a row to make it to state.
Well, the first one was relatively easy, ending Washougal’s season.
Columbia River will take on Black Hills on Thursday at Tumwater High School.
R.A. Long 69, Hockinson 57 — Hockinson’s season came to an end with a 12-point loss to R.A. Long in the consolation bracket of the tournament.
1A boys:
Seton Catholic 69, King’s Way Christian 48 — No one who has been following the Trico League this season could be surprised that Seton Catholic won this game.
The final score? Yes, that would have to be a surprise.
Seton Catholic pulled away to beat the Trico League champions by 21 points Tuesday night, advancing to the 1A District 4 title game and qualifying for the state regional round.
King’s Way Christian, which went undefeated in league play, had won 12 games in a row. Now at 17-5, the Knights will need to win two in a row in the consolation bracket to make it to state.
Seton Catholic, the third-place team from the Trico League, will face the second-place team in the district title game …
La Center 91, Stevenson 67 — La Center had no problems in its semifinal game Tuesday, advancing to the district finals. The Wildcats will take on Seton Catholic at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Kelso High School. Both teams are going to state.
