Camas surge smashes Skyview

Propelled by a 35-point wave, the Camas football team methodically dismantled Skyview 56-24 Friday, at Doc Harris Stadium.

“We came out in the second half and hit them in the mouth,” said senior wide receiver James Price. “It’s amazing how everybody comes together when we’re faced with adversity.”

Price and quarterback Liam Fitzgerald had big nights for the Papermakers. Fitzgerald threw for 366 yards and scored six touchdowns. Price cashed in nine catches for 171 yards and three touchdowns.

“We caught fire in the second half. I had lots of targets down field,” Fitzgerald said. “If you can get the ball to [Price] in open space, he’s going to make the big play.”

Camas and Skyview traded touchdowns in the first half. The Papermakers struck first on a 56-yard breakaway by Bryan Kelly. The senior wore No. 6 in honor of injured teammate Dane Santos, who suffered a season-ending knee injury.

“It’s a tribute to my best friend. My brother,” Kelly said. “He was right there every time I came off the field with that same smile on his face.”

Fitzgerald carried the football for eight yards, dove by the defenders, leaned backwards and stretched his arm across the goal line to give Camas a 14-7 lead during a tight first quarter.

Braden Hadfield kicked a 44-yard field goal for Skyview to cut the lead to four points in the second quarter. Price came down with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Fitzgerald in the right corner of the end zone to put the Papermakers up by 11. The Storm made it a 4-point game again after scoring a touchdown with about a minute to go in the first half.

Camas only needed about 30 of those seconds left to go back up by 11 points. Fitzgerald fired the football to Jared Bentley to get into scoring range. As two Skyview defenders wrapped around Fitzgerald, he flicked the ball to a wide open Cole Zarcone on the wing. Zarcone shook off a couple of tacklers and reached the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown.

The Papermakers kept their foot on the throttle in the third quarter. Bentley snagged a 6-yard touchdown pass from Fitzgerald. Price and Fitzgerald connected on 16-yard and 37-yard touchdowns.

Kelly ended the 35-point surge with a 5-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

“I’m so proud of the way we kept on the gas,” Kelly said. “We proved that we are a team that can play for more than one half. We can go for a whole game and keep on firing.”

The Papermakers face Battle Ground Thursday, at District Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Camas and Union clash Friday, Oct. 17, at McKenzie Stadium.