The Columbian | Serving Clark County, Washington

SEATTLE — Camas owns Qwest Field.

Still.

The Papermakers returned to the Emerald City Kickoff Classic for the first time since 2004 and once again walked off of the Seahawks’ field with a victory.

Zach Marshall, a junior, rushed for three touchdowns Saturday in his first significant varsity action, and the Camas defense shut down a talented offense in a 29-15 victory over Timberline of Lacey.

“This was just great. After months and months of preparation, to finally get up here and get that win,” Marshall said.

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Camas vs Timberline

The Camas defense held Timberline to 85 yards of offense in the second half.

“Everyone did their job to the best of their ability,” defensive back Damon Kosaki said. “That’s what our defense is all about.”

The Blazers led 9-6 at the half — thanks in part to four Camas turnovers — before the Papermakers put together their dominating second half.

Quarterback Logan Grindy finished 20 of 33 for 211 yards. He was 13 of 18 in the second half, including a 16-yard touchdown pass to Brent Hill in the corner of the end zone to give the Papermakers the lead for good at 22-15.

Camas finished with 349 yards of offense, 244 in the second half.

“We started off slow, for sure,” Grindy said. “But I want to give credit to the offensive line. They really stepped it up.”

So, too, did the Camas defense.

Jeremy Faulkner and Kosaki each had an interception in the first half. John Payne maintained his concentration while tipping the ball twice in the air before getting his interception late in the third quarter, preserving a seven-point lead.

Moments later, Marshall had his most impressive run of the day, a 19-yard touchdown run for a 29-15 Camas advantage.

Camas ended up with one more turnover late in the contest — first-game jitters, according to coach Jon Eagle — but by then the game was in control.

Those turnovers could have been disastrous if not for the solid play of the defense.

Timberline did go 71 yards on its first drive, but Camas stuffed a fourth-and-goal play from the 1-yard line. But the Papermakers fumbled on the next play, setting up the Blazers back on the 1-yard line. Timberline cashed in for a 6-0 lead, the only TD the Camas defense gave up Saturday.

“That first drive, I felt everybody was a little timid,” Camas defensive lineman Odin Coe said. “The first game there’s always a little rust. After that, we played really well.”

Marshall returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards to set up Camas in Timberline territory. Four plays later, he was in the end zone for a 7-6 lead midway through the first quarter.

The defenses held until Timberline’s Skyler Brown kicked a 20-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.

“We had four turnovers, and they only had nine points,” Eagle said. “We were tough when we had to be.”

Grindy went 3 for 3 for 28 yards and scrambled for 13 yards on Camas’ opening possession of the second half. Marshall would score from a yard out, and Grindy found Addison Owen for the two-pointer for a 15-9 advantage.

Seconds later, it was tied again. Timberline’s Quinton Sison returned the kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.

Later in the quarter, Camas’ Ikaika Gunderson recovered a Timberline fumble, setting up a two-play drive, with Grindy finding Hill for the score.

Payne’s interception led to Marshall’s third touchdown.

“This is a pretty good quarterback,” Eagle said, referring to Timberline’s Kevin Russell. “This is a pretty good offense. I thought we held a really good team to 15 points.”

And the Papermakers did so in the state’s football palace.

“I thought it was a thrill to get the chance to play here,” said Eagle, who was an assistant at Camas when the Papermakers won on this field in 2004. “I’m real happy for our kids to get to line up on the same field as the pros do.”

Oh, and get the win, too.

Just another Camas victory at Qwest Field.

CAMAS 29, TIMBERLINE 15

Camas 7 0 15 7—29

Timberline 6 3 6 0—15

First quarter

Tim — Kevin Russell 1 run (kick blocked)

Cam — Zach Marshall 1 run (Dylan Stoller kick)

Second quarter

Tim — Skyler Brown 20 FG

Third quarter

Cam — Marshall 1 run (Addison Owen pass from Logan Grindy)

Tim — Quinton Sison 85 kickoff return (kick failed)

Cam — Brent Hill 16 pass from Logan Grindy (Dylan Stoller kick)

Fourth quarter

Cam — Marshall 19 run (Stoller kick)

Leaders

Rushing — Camas — Marshall 12-67, Grindy 6-36, Julian Samuels 7-19, Addison Owen 3-16; Timberline — Quinton Sison 12-93, James Segura-Mitchell 2-35.

Passing — Camas — Grindy 20-33-1-211; Timberline — Russell 16-36-3-180.

Receiving — Camas — Zach Anderson 5-61, Miguel Salamanca 4-60, Kyle Ervin 2-32, Hill 2-24, Owen 6-20, Marshall 1-14; Timberline — Charles MacNeil 7-80, Sison 4-65, Jordan Thompson 2-26, Dale Garcia 2-7, Douglas Sudberry 1-2.

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