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Stories by Dan Trujillo

email icon dan.trujillo@camaspostrecord.com

July 10, 2012
Nate Lauritzen gets down and dirty for the Camas-Washougal Granite against the Vancouver Jayhawks during the semifinals of the Southwest Washington Senior Babe Ruth state tournament Saturday, at Louis Bloch Park in Camas.

Tyler Purkeypyle’s return from heart surgery inspires his teammates

With heart and hustle, Camas-Washougal Granite Construction is going to the Northwest Regional Babe Ruth Championship Tournament, for 16- to 18-year-olds, in Kent, Wash. "I hope this means something because we are representing the community, and our hats say Camas and Washougal on them," said manager Scott Purkeypyle. "I just want these guys to make the plays they're supposed to make, and to never get out-hustled. That's the one side of the game we can always win."

June 19, 2012
Camas quarterback Reilly Hennessey receives plenty of protection from his linemen during a scriammage game with Washougal June 12, at Cardon Field.

Rekindling an old flame

On June 12 at Cardon Field, the Camas and Washougal high school football players and coaches welcomed the opportunity to play a game against each other for the first time in nearly four years. "There's a connection with these kids through youth football," said Washougal head coach Bob Jacobs. "The rivalry goes back to like 1913. We don't want to lose that. We're just in a situation where we need to grow before we can get on a more even playing field."

June 19, 2012
East County Little League baseball and softball players, coaches, parents, family members and friends gathered for closing ceremonies Wednesday, at George Schmid Memorial Park in Washougal.

A Knight serenade for East County Little League in Washougal

The East County Knights were serenaded as champions Wednesday, at George Schmid Memorial Park in Washougal. The Knights slayed the East County Blue Claws in the championship game, by the final score of 14-10. The team of 9- and 10-year-olds finished the season with a record of 16-0-1.

June 12, 2012
Alexa Efraimson earned fourth place Saturday, at the Adidas Dream Mile in New York City. The Camas High School freshman finished with a personal best time of 4 minutes, 42.41 seconds.

Efraimson’s Dream Mile

A dream freshman year for Alexa Efraimson continued Saturday when she got the opportunity to represent Camas at the Adidas Grand Prix track and field meet, in New York City. The Papermaker held her own in the Dream Mile against 13 of the best high school runners in the country. She finished in fourth place with a personal best time of 4 minutes, 42.21 seconds. "The competition was there and I was able to do my best," Efraimson said. "It was like the perfect race."

June 12, 2012
A Spartan Sprint obstacle race will take place at the Washougal Motocross Park Saturday. As many as 6,000 competitors from the U.S. and several foreign countries are expected to attend. Racing occurs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a barage of entertainment, raffles, food, beverages, vendors and games.

Become a Spartan in Washougal

Take the natural elements like earth, air, fire and water -- throw in some barbed wire -- and you have the blueprint for a Spartan Race. The world's leading obstacle racing event comes to the Washougal Motocross Park for the first time Saturday. Admission is $15. Elite heats occur from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Regular heats of up to 250 competitors each follow every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event culminates with a lively festival of raffles, food, beverages, vendors and games.

June 5, 2012
Reiner Hershaw (fourth from left) holds a piece of the IRA Open Four National Championship trophy. The 22-year-old, who graduated from Washougal High School in 2008, was recently commissioned to the U.S. Marine Corps as a second leiutenant.

Hershaw part of Husky rowing sweep

University of Washington went 5-for-5 during Saturday's grand finals of the 2012 Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships, on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill N.J. Reiner Hershaw, a 2008 graduate of Washougal High School, was right in the middle of all the excitement. He was a member of the open four crew that finished in first place and set a new course record time of 6 minutes, 15.257 seconds. Hershaw then cheered all of his teammates on to victory in the other four races. It was a complete sweep for the purple and gold.

June 5, 2012
A.J. Geaslen (right) shows off his TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year award with his brother Tommy (left) and mother Molly (center).

‘Best brother’ becomes TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year

A.J. Geaslen is the best brother a child with a mental or a physical disability could ever have. For the past three years, the 13-year-old from Camas has dedicated his time and effort to help athletes with special needs excel on the soccer field and the baseball diamond. He has been a buddy to the Camas-Washougal Kickers TOPSoccer team and has also volunteered in the Lacamas Little League's Challenger program. Camas-Washougal Soccer Club TOPSoccer Coordinator Tammie Naffziger nominated Geaslen for the 2012 Washington Youth Soccer Association's TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year award. Included were letters from Kickers' head coach Greg Bost and Liberty Middle School language arts teacher David Kilpatrick.

June 5, 2012
Guests enjoy salads and beverages by a warm fire Friday, during the grand opening of the Lower Terrace restaurant at Camas Meadows.

Lower Terrace lights up Camas Meadows

A day of golf at Camas Meadows doesn't end on the 18th green. The new Lower Terrace restaurant, open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., extends the fun into the evening. Guests can gather around the tables equipped with umbrellas and fire pits, and choose from a variety of healthy, hearty foods and beverages. "We are trying to bring a fresh face to Camas Meadows. We want to have the whole experience and not just the golf," said general manager Doug Burton. "We have high demand for outdoor seating. The upper deck is always full. This is a place to sit with your spouse or your buddies after a round, enjoy some good food and a cold beverage, and take in the beautiful scenery. The fire pits and the live music bring a whole new ambiance to the experience."

May 29, 2012
Camas runners Austen Reiter (left) and Camille Parsons (right) feed off each other in the 3A girls 1,600-meter state championship race Saturday, at Mt. Tahoma High School.

Camas girls track and field team captures ninth at state

The look on Alexa Efraimson's face during those final 50 meters of desperation in the 800 told the story. She was pushing her body, mind and soul to the brink to become a state champion Saturday, at Mt. Tahoma High School. But on this day, Amy-Eloise Neale of Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish, was just a step ahead of the Camas freshman. "I feel like I couldn't have given it any more than I did," Efraimson said. The Papermaker stumbled across the finish line, in a breathtaking time of 2 minutes, 10.51 seconds, before collapsing on to her knees in complete exhaustion. She had just broken the meet record of 2:10.98 set by Penny Graves of Port Angeles in 1983.

May 29, 2012
Camas senior Cali Mulholland high-fives assistant coach Ari Van Horn after her third hit of the game. The Papermakers defeated Liberty 9-5 to become one of the top eight teams in the 3A state softball tournament at the Regional Athletic Complex.

Papermakers finish as one of the top eight teams in the state

As the Camas softball players celebrated at home plate after Mikaela Searight tied the score with Liberty on a 2-run home run, they rediscovered their love for the game. "After going 0-for in the first two games, I told myself, 'I'm done failing. I'm going to help my team now,' " Searight said. "That swing felt so effortless. Every time I hit the ball well, it's when I relax. I felt great because I finally didn't let my teammates down." Somewhere between the white lines and the mounting pressure of the state tournament, the Papermakers lost their edge. Camas rallied to beat Bainbridge 2-1 on a 2-run triple by Sarah Nidick in the sixth inning, but tightened up in the first few innings against defending state champion Juanita Friday, at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.