On Saturday, we got a call at The Columbian from a reader looking for a score.
That fact alone was noteworthy, because with all the online posting, blogging and tweets on Twitter that we do, there really is no reason to pick up a phone to get high school scores these days.
I bet you that call was made from a land-line with a rotary dial. Anyway, the caller asked: “How did Camas do today?”
To which we replied: “You’ll need to be more specific.”
It was another big weekend in the late spring for Camas High School.
For the record — and before you start composing that email (or spinning that rotary dial) — this is not a pro-Camas column, per se. Nor are we at The Columbian “Camas lovers.”
Now, we’ve got nothing against Camas. It’s a lovely town, and we use paper products every day.
But in the past we’ve been called “The Skyview Gazette” or “Union lovers” — sometimes by supporters of Camas, if you’re into irony.
And it’s not because The Columbian has allegiances toward any one area high school. It’s just because as a news organization, we tend to gravitate toward the news stories.
The teams that have the greatest success get the most coverage. And this spring, Camas has enjoyed a lot of success.
Last weekend, Camas was the only area high school that still had athletes competing in every spring sport.
So to answer that caller’s question, Camas did very well on Saturday.
• The baseball team posted two lopsided wins at the 3A regional in Centralia to reach the state semifinals for a second consecutive season. The unbeaten Papermakers will face Shorewood of Shoreline in the 3A semifinal at 10 a.m. Friday at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma.
Now, I’ve looked at the forecast, and it appears a bit unsettled, with a 50 percent chance of showers all weekend. It’s worth noting because the state finals won’t have the protection of the roof at Safeco Field. The Mariners are facing the Yankees this weekend.
• The boys soccer team won two games last weekend against top-5 opponents to reach the state semifinals for second year in a row. In fact, if Camas can beat Southridge of Kennewick at 4 p.m. Friday at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood, the Papermakers will be playing for the 3A state championship for the fifth time in six years.
• And the girls track and field team also had a big weekend, capturing the bi-district team title in a meet dominated by Clark County athletes. The Camas girls will seek a state team title when they compete Thursday through Saturday at the 4A/3A/2A state meet at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.
There will also be good storylines to follow that don’t involve Camas athletes. At that same state track meet in Tacoma, the Skyview boys and girls teams look to place high in the team standings. And Heritage’s Sean Keller and Prairie’s Jon Lawson will take aim not only a state titles, but state-meet records.
The La Center girls track and field team, led by multi-event standout Katrina Chamberlain, is coming off a district team title as the Wildcats head to the Class 1A/2B/1B state meet in Cheney. Also, Seton Catholic has several athletes ranked high in the state among 1B athletes.
For the first time in a while, there won’t be a Clark County team at the 3A state softball tournament. So the pride of Clark County softball resides with Skyview and Ridgefield. both teams will travel to Spokane to play in their state tournaments.
Skyview will open the 4A state tournament with a noon game Friday against Wenatchee at the Merkle Sports Complex. Ridgefield opens with a 10 a.m. game against Nooksack Valley at Franklin Park in Spokane.
The Hockinson boys soccer team, which had never advanced to the 2A state tournament prior to this year, finds itself two wins away from a state championship. The Hawks meet Fife at 8 p.m. Friday in a 2A semifinal at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.
The Class 4A boys and girls tennis tournaments return to the Vancouver Tennis Center on Friday and Saturday. Skyview’s Kent Andreasen, a 4A singles runner-up last year, will take aim at a state title. Battle Ground freshman Kylee Tyler-Breimon will make her state debut after sweeping to a bi-district title last week in Tacoma.
The 3A state tournament returns to the Tri-Cities, while the 2A state tennis tournament is in Seattle.
But it all starts Tuesday with the state golf tournaments. Golfers from the larger schools will head east to Spokane, where local district champions like Alistair Docherty of Union (4A boys), Belex Cheng of Union (4A girls), Tanner Maahs of Prairie (3A boys) and Columbia River’s Chloe Bartek (3A girls) will take aim at high finishes.
On the west side of the state, Class 2A golfers will be in Spanaway for their state tournaments, led by defending 2A state champion Connor O’Neill of Washougal. Ridgefield’s Brett Johnson, the District 4 champion, will play in the 1A state tournament in Dupont. And King’s Way Christian will have a trio of golfers playing in the 2B/1B state tournaments in Lakewood.
Oh, and if I didn’t mention every interesting storyline from Clark County athletes at state this weekend, I apologize. But if they make news this weekend, they’ll get their coverage.
Tim Martinez is the assistant sports editor/prep coordinator for The Columbian. He can be reached by phone at (360) 735-4538 or email at tim.martinez@columbian.com
