Making it a memorable season

Two championships are in the bag for the Camas High School volleyball team, but the Papermakers want more.

Inside of a rocking Camas warehouse Thursday night, the Papermakers shredded the Prairie Falcons 25-10, 25-23 and 25-15 to clinch the 3A Greater St. Helens League Championship for the first time since 2007.

Camas also brought home a championship trophy from the Liberty Volleyball Tournament Oct. 16, in Hillsboro, Ore. One of the biggest wins came against Newberg, who was ranked third in the state of Oregon. The Papermakers also defeated Centennial in the finals.

“Liberty was championship number one for us. Tonight, was championship number two,” said head coach Julie Nidick. “We need to keep rolling. The girls are really starting to come together as a team. This is the time you want to start peaking.”

Camas led Prairie 10-9 in the first game, when Brindl Langley began serving aces. She delivered three of them, to go along with three thunderous kills by Stefani Sorensen and one for Marleen de Zoete. Langley served the Papermakers to nine straight points, before the Falcons finally broke the streak.

“It was an adrenaline rush,” Langley said. “It felt good to put a lot of power on the ball, and keep control. I just want to win so bad, and contribute as much as I can.”

Camas scored six more points in a row to win the first game. Sorensen had another kill, McKenzie Elliott added a diving dig and Sydney Trammell chipped in with a block and a kill at the net.

Aces for Langley and de Zoete, and kills and blocks by Sorensen, Trammell, Kelsy Benton and Britteny Gilge, gave the Papermakers an 18-11 advantage in the second game. The Falcons fought back on some incredible volleys, but could never wrestle the lead away from Camas. Sorensen won a joust at the net on match point.

Sorensen, Langley, de Zoete, Benton, Trammell and Gilge continued to be menaces at the net in the third game. Sorensen finished the night with 13 kills, 7 digs and 2 blocks. Langley delivered 7 aces, 16 service points, 15 digs and 7 kills. De Zoete added 29 assists, 9 digs and 2 aces.

Benton had 9 service points, 5 digs, 4 kills and a block. Trammell nailed 4 blocks and 3 kills, and Gilge chipped in 5 kills and a block.

“To me, blocks are the most exciting part of volleyball,” Nidick said. “Tonight, we had plenty of them.”

The Papermakers were also motivated by the home crowd.

“The energy was especially high tonight, even before we stepped on the court,” Sorensen said.

“Our school and our fans really support us. They give us their all, and we give our all for them,” Langley said. “It’s a good partnership.”

The Papermakers host Mountain View Thursday, at Camas High School. The Camas varsity and junior varsity teams both have the opportunity to put the finishing touches on a 14-0 season. Junior varsity and freshmen play at 5:30 p.m., followed by varsity at 7 p.m.

Camas is in the district championship game, scheduled for Nov. 2, at 7 p.m., at Mountain View High School. The Papermakers played the role of spoiler at districts the past two years, now they are the hunted.

“We have a good chance of playing Prairie again at districts,” Nidick said. “We do not want to be the ones who are upset in the championship game.”