Camas takes big step over Skyview with win in volleyball

It is all about staying positive for the Camas volleyball team.

Even after falling behind in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League standings, the Papermakers had to remain upbeat.

Tuesday at Camas, the Papermakers moved back into first place, avenging an earlier loss to Skyview with a 3-1 victory.

And there was no doubt, according to at least one Papermaker.

“At practice, it wasn’t ‘if’ we were going to win this one, it was ‘when’ we win this one,” junior Keelie LeBlanc said. “That passion, that drive helped us a lot.”

Skyview won the first set and rallied from a deficit to tie the fourth set late.

“When they got all the momentum like that, you have to stop and think about your heart and your passion and that drive to win,” LeBlanc said. “We all wanted this one.”

Camas prevailed 19-25, 25-14, 25-16, 26-24 to improve to 4-1 in league play. Skyview fell to 4-2.

“It means we’re closer to state,” senior Natalie Scholtes said. “We think of it as a ladder. Every win gets us one step closer to state.”

LeBlanc led Camas with 17 kills and five aces. Whitney Quist had 11 kills. Scholtes ended up with five. Courtney Clemmer had a team-high five blocks. Madison Pfaff had 19 digs, moving from outside hitter to libero to fill in for an ill teammate. Aubrey Stanton had four aces and 22 assists. Maddy Gilchrist added 19 assists.

Camas led by as many as six in the fourth set but Skyview rallied to tie it at 21-21. It reminded Camas coach Michelle Allen of the first matchup between the schools, when Skyview won No. 4 and then prevailed in the fifth set.

“I’m a happy coach,” she said. “We are not doing that again.”

Scholtes remembered, too.

“It’s really nerve-racking because breaking their momentum is very hard,” she said. “It’s really scary. But my team does a great job of buckling down and delivering.”

Hannah Shirley led Skyview with nine kills. Grace Brenner added seven and Olivia White had six kills and four blocks. Peyton Timmons set up her teammates with 24 assists.

The Storm cruised in the first set, but Camas would win 22 of 28 points from the end of the second set and into the third set to take command of the match.

“There was so much passion on the court,” LeBlanc said. “Each timeout, we asked ourselves, ‘What are we working for?’ We want to get to state. That really fired up every single player to go out on the court and give it their all. We were all clicking.”