CAMAS — Tony Gennaro took his role with the Camas football team seriously.
He knew he probably would not play much, never figured he would start a game this season. But he prepared for anything.
You know, just in case.
With all-league quarterback Logan Grindy secure in the starting role, Gennaro could have checked out from time to time on the practice field.
Instead, he took his reps. He stood near Grindy, listening to conversations between the starter and coach Jon Eagle. He made sure he was making the same reads as Grindy.
“If I get in the game, I’m not going to get surprised,” said Gennaro of his philosophy this season.
Gennaro is in the game now.
Big time.
A junior, Gennaro is 2-0 as Camas’ starter — two playoff victories — after Grindy went down with a broken leg in Week 9. Gennaro is 25 of 44 for 364 yards and six touchdowns in those starts, including the game-winning TD in a 20-13 victory over Juanita last week.
An overnight sensation? Only for those who do not follow Camas football.
Gennaro’s performances started last summer, when he worked drills with the first team while Grindy recovered from a thumb injury.
Eagle recalled driving past a park last spring and seeing Gennaro throwing ball after ball, with family members helping out by gathering the balls.
Gennaro’s 2-0 start comes from staying true to his practice habits in September and October, when he only played after Grindy and the first-team offense was way ahead in this perfect season of theirs.
But late in Week 9, with Camas trying to hold off Kelso for the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League title, Grindy was injured. Gennaro came into the game, only to leave a play later because Grindy had returned.
At that time, no one knew Grindy had a broken leg. He lasted one more play before falling to the ground.
“When he went down again, I knew he was hurt,” Gennaro said. “Your heart kind of skips a beat. ‘Uh-oh. I’m the guy now.’ ”
The next morning, it was confirmed. Grindy was out, Gennaro was in.
“The whole team came up and supported me. ‘We have all the trust in you. We all have your back.’ Also from the community,” Gennaro said. “People came up to me wishing me good luck. It wasn’t just one day. It was all week.”
It also helped that Grindy was at every practice.
“He’s been such a huge help,” Gennaro said. “He’s like a second coach out there.”
Still, there were some nerves during the short bus trip from Camas High School to Doc Harris Stadium for the state preliminary playoff game against Rainier Beach of Seattle. Once again, his teammates provided the right words.
He will do great, they told him. Don’t even worry about it.
“They calmed me down. The first play was a little shaky. After that, I got the hang of things.”
Yeah, with a four-touchdown night in a 56-0 victory.
“He has not made the typical backup quarterback mistakes,” Eagle said. “He’s made good decisions, for the most part. He’s found the open receiver on a couple of tough plays.”
Gennaro instantly became a team leader. That’s just how it works with the quarterback position. Ater that game, and then after the Juanita game, he came to the conclusion that everybody on the team — not just him — has had to step up their level of play to take the place of Grindy.
“Everybody is so into it, so keyed in,” Gennaro said.
Practices have been crisp. The line is giving him time. The wide receivers are making catches. And the defense? Wow. His team’s defense is, after all, a quarterback’s best friend.
The Camas defense has virtually posted back-to-back shutouts. Juanita scored 13 points, but the Rebels got the two scores on defense and special teams. Nothing came against the Camas defense.
Knowing that his teammates understand their assignments has made it easier for Gennaro to focus on his duties.
“(The) Rainier Beach (game) was getting a hold of the reins, getting used to running with the first team,” Gennaro said. “Juanita was more mental preparation. I was so focused on every single detail.”
The Papermakers, all in sync, overcame another injury to the offense. Running back Zack Marshall was hurt in the first series of the Juanita game. The coaches decided they needed to pass.
“It was a big confidence boost,” Gennaro said. “They tell me they have faith in me to run the offense. I believe them.”
Gennaro completed 15 of 29 passes for 207 and two touchdowns. He was 3 of 4 for 57 yards on the game-winning drive.
“We needed to make some big plays against that defense,” Eagle said. “He definitely had a big part in that.”
Gennaro connected with three receivers in that possession, hitting Brent Hill for 36 yards, then finding Miguel Salamanca for 12 yards on a third-and-11 play. His 9-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Faulkner was made easier because of Gennaro’s shoulder fake to another receiver, drawing the Rebel defenders away from Faulkner.
The Camas defense held off Juanita, and here are the Papermakers, in the Class 3A state quarterfinals for the first time in program history. Only with a quarterback that never expected to be the starter, but always prepared for this contingency plan.
Gennaro even gets to say he was the starting quarterback for the first Camas victory in the state playoffs.
“It’s funny how that works out,” he said. “That’s pretty cool. It’s a great feeling, but I’m just glad to be a part of this team and glad I could help out the team.”
