Camas rolls past Evergreen in 4A GSHL opener

There was never really any doubt that the Camas football program would get its 29th consecutive league win on Friday.

But the Evergreen Plainsmen gave the top-ranked Papermakers some things to think about in Camas’ 62-21 win at McKenzie Stadium.

Blake Roy, a Camas tight end and defensive end, called the performance bittersweet. He liked the fast start — which included his own 23-yard touchdown catch to open the scoring — but lamented that Evergreen was able to find ways to move the ball against the Camas defense.

“Evergreen’s a great team,” Roy said. “There’s just a lot more that we need to work on. Because if we’re going to make it all the way to the (Tacoma) Dome, there’s going to be tougher opponents.”

To be sure, there was plenty for Camas fans who found their way to the 4:30 p.m. contest to like as the Papermakers (4-0) opened Class 4A Greater St. Helens League play by producing 558 yards of offense and scoring nine touchdowns.

Running back Jordan Del Moral ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Liam Fitzgerald threw for 244 yards and hit four different receivers for scores.

Fitzgerald connected with Roy and Hunter Bruno on a pair of 23-yard touchdowns to cap five-play scoring drives on the Papermakers’ first two possessions.

An interception near the goal line by Evergreen’s Dustin Nettles halted the third Camas drive, but the defense kept the Plainsmen pinned on their own 1-yard line.

Jordan Bentley’s 18-yard punt return to the 9 and three carries by Del Moral put Camas in front 20-0 before the conclusion of the first quarter.

“I feel like we did well offensively and defensively to start,” Roy said. “We executed well.”

The Plainsmen (2-2, 1-1 4A GSHL) were never closer than 13 points after that and trailed by four touchdowns at halftime, but the Evergreen offense found ways to move the ball — primarily by getting the ball to Nettles through the air by running Dallas Goodpaster directly at the Papermakers.

Nettles caught 14 passes from quarterback Payton Monda for 143 yards. Goodpaster ran for 60 yards and scored the three Plainsmen touchdowns.

“I thought Evergreen had a great offensive game plan,” Camas coach Jon Eagle said.

Camas spread the wealth when it had the ball. Seven different ball carriers had runs of more than 10 yards. Among those was a 51-yard touchdown gallop by Manase Nguamo on a third-down play in the fourth quarter.

“I like offensively how many different weapons we used,” Eagle said. “A lot of different kids got their hands on the ball and we were able to run lots of our offense.”

The coach was less pleased with what he saw from the Papermaker defense, though he said nearly 30 players saw action on that side of the ball.

“Even though we can enjoy it, we know that down the road we’re going to need to do better,” Roy said.

Down the road might just be as soon as next Friday, when the Papermakers face Skyview at Kiggins Bowl.

“If we’re going to contend for a league title we have to play better defense,” Eagle said.

CAMAS 62, EVERGREEN 21

Camas 20 14 7 21—61

Evergreen 0 7 7 7—21

First quarter

C — Blake Roy 23 pass from Liam Fitzgerald (PAT failed)

C — Hunter Bruno 23 pass from Fitzgerald (Michael Boyle kick)

C — Jordan Del Moral 1 run (Boyle kick)

Second quarter

E — Dallas Goodpaster 3 run (Quentin Petcu kick)

C — Del Moral 1 run (Boyle kick)

C — Jared Bentley 44 pass from Fitzgerald (Boyle kick)

Third quarter

C — Drake Owen 24 pass from Fitzgerald (Boyle kick)

E — Goodpaster 11 run (Petcu kick)

Fourth quarter

C — Del Moral 9 run (Boyle kick)

E — Goodpaster 1 run (Petcu kick)

C — Manase Nguamo 51 run (Boyle kick)

C — Will Schultz 2 run (Boyle kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Camas: Del Moral 15-113, Nguamo 8-101, Fitzgerald 2-16, Tyler McClellan 2-22, Owen 1-29, Hunter Crandall 1-16, Will Schultz 3-15, Jack Colletto 1-2. Evergreen: Dallas Goodpaster 13-60, Marquis Sampson 11-23, Nathaniel Trevino 8-55, Payton Monda 4-(minus 19), Team 1-(minus 15).

PASSING — Camas: Fitzgerald 17-22-2-244. Evergreen: Monda 21-33-0-186.

RECEIVING — Camas: Jared Bentley 4-89, Hunter Bruno 6-70, Blake Roy 4-57, Sean  Ramage 1-4, Del Moral 1-0, Owen 1-24. Evergreen: Dustin Nettles 14-143, Trevino 3-16, Goodpaster 1-10, DJ Roberts 1-9, Sampson 1-3, Jonathan Spiering 1-3.