CAMAS — The first state playoff football game featuring two Clark County teams had a little bit of everything.
A special teams touchdown.
Defensive scores for both teams.
A bunch of turnovers.
A game-winning drive in the fourth quarter.
Overwhelming joy.
Oh, and heartache on the other sideline.
The top-ranked Camas Papermakers survived Saturday night at Doc Harris Stadium, taking the lead with 2 minutes and 16 seconds remaining to beat league-rival Skyview 29-22 in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs. Camas will travel to play Skyline next week in the quarterfinals.
Liam Fitzgerald found Jared Bentley for a 23-yard touchdown pass, and then the Camas defense — huge all night — secured the victory with Cooper McNatt’s second interception of the game.
Skyview had taken a 22-21 lead early in the fourth quarter, taking advantage of one of Camas’ four turnovers.
Then, after another Camas turnover, the Papermakers had to stop Skyview one more time.
“Of course I was worried,” said Camas linebacker Michael Matthews. “I was scared. But I had faith. I did have faith in the team.”
Sure enough, Camas stopped a fourth-down play with 3:24 on the clock with a great push by the defensive line and a fumble by the Storm.
The Camas offense got its last chance.
“We just had to clear our minds with what happened earlier in the game,” Fitzgerald said. “We had to pull it together when we had to. Adrenaline was up to the max.”
Fitzgerald found Bentley for a 10-yard gain, plus a 15-yard penalty against Skyview.
A 12-yard pass from Fitzgerald to Hunter Bruno.
A 13-yard run from Jordan Del Moral.
A few plays later, Camas was facing third and 11 from the 23-yard line. Fitzgerald threw a perfect pass as he was getting crushed by the Skyview blitz.
“It was definitely worth it,” he said of the hit he absorbed.
“Liam is unbelievable. I don’t know how he does some of the stuff he does,” Bentley said. “Give all credit to Liam for passing the ball in a spot I could get it.”
The Camas offense did not have its typical big-play game going for most of this outing against a tough Skyview defense. The Papermakers lost four fumbles and also were sacked for a safety.
That meant the Camas defensive players had to make this their night. Time and time again, the defense was put in tough spots, but the Papermakers were there, forcing five turnovers on their own.
“The defense has been really good, but they’ve been overshadowed by the offense,” Camas coach Jon Eagle said. “Tonight you had a chance to see just how good our defense can play. So proud of the way the kids came up with big plays to keep us in the game.”
The Camas defense got on the scorebaord, too, when Jack Colletto picked off a Skyview pass and returned it 94 yards to make it 21-9 Camas in the third quarter.
“The offense all year has had our backs. It was great for the defense to have their backs,” Colletto said.
“We weren’t mad at each other,” Matthews said.
In fact, just the opposite.
“There was a lot of encouragement. ‘You got this, man. We need you now.’ We had faith, that over time, we were going to pull through.”
It is a simple philosophy, the Papermakers said.
“When one side of the ball struggles, the other side has to step up. We did just that,” McNatt said.
Special teams, too.
Drake Owen returned the game’s opening kickoff 95 yards for a Camas touchdown. Camas was looking to roll over Skyview like it did in the regular season when the Papermakers won 41-10.
Instead, Skyview bounced back to take the lead when Jayden Chatman sacked Fitzgerald in the end zone for a safety, and then after the free kick, Tavis Chunphakvenn-Pinkney caught an 83-yard TD pass from Brody Barnum to make it 9-7.
Fitzgerald put the Papermakers ahead with a 3-yard touchdown run late in the first half, capitalizing on McNatt’s first interception of the game.
Colletto made it 21-9 in the third quarter with the pick-six.
Skyview bounced back when Travis Yajko caught an 80-yard TD pass from Barnum.
A fumble by the Papermakers gave Skyview the ball at the 3-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Blake Ingram would cash in to make it 22-21.
“I’m proud of our effort,” Skyview coach Steve Kizer said. “Holy cow. It was a battle.”
From there, the two defenses each had a couple of stops before Camas got the ball with 3:24 to play, 72 yards away from the end zone.
After Camas went ahead, Skyview still had a chance for the tying touchdown. McNatt — playing in his first game after missing four due to injury — got the interception, though, to seal the victory.
“I’m on top of the world right now,” McNatt said.
Camas still owns the Class 4A Clark County football world. This one was close, but the Papermakers are moving on to the state quarterfinals.
CAMAS 29, SKYVIEW 22
Skyview 9 0 7 6—22
Camas 7 7 7 8—29
First quarter
Cam — Drake Owen 95 kickoff return (Michael Boyle kick)
Sky — Safety, Jayden Chatman sacks QB in end zone
Sky — Tavis Chunphakvenn-Pinkney 87 pass from Brody Barnum (Braden Hadfield kick)
Second quarter
Cam — Liam Fitzgerald 3 run (Boyle kick)
Third quarter
Cam — Jack Colletto 94 interception return (Boyle kick)
Sky — Travis Yajko 80 pass from Barnum (Hadfield kick)
Fourth quarter
Sky — Blake Ingram 2 run (pass failed)
Cam — Jared Bentley 23 pass from Fitzgerald (Bentley from Fitzgerald)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Skyview, Blake Ingram 29-108, Barnum 3-(minus 26), Dyvon Green 2-(minus 2). Camas, Jordan Del Moral 20-115, Fitzgerald Owen 1-0, Fitzgerald 11-(minus 30).
PASSING — Skyview, Barnum 14-36-4-284. Camas, Fitzgerald 20-38-0-254.
RECEIVING — Skyview, Hadfield 4-42, Chunphakvenn-Pinkney 3-109, Jeremiah Wright 3-23, Green 1-6, Yajko 3-104. Camas, Jared Bentley 7-60, Blake Roy 5-74, Owen 1-10, Del Moral 2-36, Hunter Bruno 5-74.
