Having lost to Skyview twice in the regular season, the Camas girls basketball knew it not only had to play better on Tuesday, it had to play harder.
The Papermakers brought the intensity, especially on defense, when they shut Skyview down late, pulling away for a 50-32 win in a winner-to-state 4A bi-district playoff at Heritage High School.
“We’re definitely like a super high energy team,” Camas junior post Faith Bergstrom said. “One of the things that we love to do is keep the pressure on the team and see if we can break them down. It’s something we always do, but we knew it was a lot more important tonight because it was loser-out game.”
Camas’ defense held Skyview to one field goal in the first quarter to take a 14-7 lead. But Skyview’s defense stepped up in the second quarter to take an 18-16 lead before Bergstrom’s three-point play right before the halftime buzzer put Camas up 19-18 at the intermission.
Camas again put Skyview in a field-goal drought for much of the third quarter until the Storm answered late to cut the Papermakers’ edge to 31-28.
And that’s when Camas really brought out the pressure.
The Papermakers’ defensive pressure and ball movement on offense sparked a 10-0 run to open the fourth quarter, with the final four coming from Bergstrom.
“Honestly it was a lot of passing the ball, making sure to choose the right shot,” Bergstrom said. “Not just a good shot, but a great shot. Finding the open girls. If there’s a better pass somewhere else, we give it to them.”
Bergstrom was the recipient of several of those better passes, converting them into a game-high 14 points. But the Papermakers got scoring contributions from everyone who played.
Haylie Johnson hit three 3-pointers to finish with nine points, and Katelynn Former had seven.
Even with less than a minute to play and Camas up 15, the Papermakers did not let up on the pressure. A trap by Former and Kyra Seggewiss led to layup by Seggewiss that sealed the state berth for the Papermakers.
“It feels super nice to be going on to regionals,” Bergstrom said.
Camas (15-9), which needed to win a play-in game just to reach the bi-district tournament, will now try to improve its RPI rankings in its final two bi-district games this week, starting with a game Thursday against Kentwood at Stadium High in Tacoma.
Skyview, the 4A Greater St. Helens League champion, saw its season end at 15-8.
CAMAS 50, SKYVIEW 32
CAMAS (15-9) – Haylie Johnson 9, Emma Rehrer 2,Katelynn Forner 7, Anna Mooney 6, Avery Minich 2, Faith Bergstrom 14, Jalena Carlisle 3, Kyra Seggewiss 4, Ashley Bauer 3. Totals 17 (15) 11-19 50.
SKYVIEW (15-8) – Addison MacPherson 5, Mikelle Anthony 8, Alexis Perez 0, Madeline Hendricks 7, Ava Harman 0, Avery Wilson 3, Skylar Groesbeck 6, Kazz Parks 3, Emily Norton 0, Jordan Labrador-Hallett 0. Totals 8 (5) 11-23 32.
Camas 14 5 12 19—50
Skyview 7 11 10 4—32
