You can't start a fire without a spark. New Washougal High School volleyball coach Mallorie Thompson hopes her passion for the game can ignite the program after several losing seasons. "I love that fire, intensity and excitement of the game," she said. "You can't find it in any other sport."
Taylor Williams got the call he had been waiting for his whole life Friday. The Milwaukee Brewers selected the 21-year-old Camas pitcher in the fourth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft. Williams was the 122nd pick overall. "It's amazing and surreal," said the 2010 Camas High School graduate. "Ever since I started playing baseball, this has been a dream and a goal in my life. "I've worked so hard for this moment," Williams added. "I thank my family and friends for being there with me every step of the way. I thank the community of Camas, as a whole. Every coach and every teammate I've had growing up have been a factor in me getting drafted."
The Camas High School softball team will not settle on being second best. "As painful as it was to be so close to winning the state tournament, there's nothing to be ashamed about getting this," said head coach Ken Nidick to the girls as he held up the second place trophy at the award's banquet. "There are 50 other teams in the state who would have given their left arm to be in our position. We've been to the state tournament three times in the last five years. If you continue to work hard, you're going to raise that state championship trophy for Camas again."
Ever since she was a freshman at Portland's Wilson High School, Rachel Webb dreamed of coaching a high school girls basketball team. She recalls an encounter with a young girl struggling to shoot the ball into the basket as a moment that changed her life. "She couldn't even hit the backboard," Webb said. "But after I gave her just a few pointers, she started making them. Swish, swish, swish. I got goosebumps."
Just after 11 a.m. Friday, Taylor Williams got the phone call he had been waiting for his whole life. The Milwaukee Brewers selected the 21-year-old Camas pitcher in the fourth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft. Williams was the 122nd pick overall. "It's amazing and surreal," said the 2010 Camas High School graduate. "Ever since I started playing baseball, this has been a dream and a goal in my life. "I've worked so hard for this moment," Williams added. "I thank my family and friends for being there with me every step of the way. I thank the community of Camas, as a whole. Every coach and every teammate I've had growing up have been a factor in me getting drafted today."
Charlie Hinds is now a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. But the words he heard from former colleauges, wrestlers and friends during Saturday's open house celebration at Liberty Middle School, in Camas, touched his heart in more ways than any national recognition could. "This is an award that Camas can share because it's something that Camas did," Hinds said. "I got the opportunity to work with some great coaches and athletic directors. Camas fans love their teams. We always had packed houses for the wrestling matches. We also had some amazing wrestlers who worked hard, were willing to follow and became great leaders when the time called for it. If it wasn't important to them, it would just be a wrestling match."
The world is about to change for Washougal's Tanner Baldwin. On July 1, the 16-year-old is on his way to New Zealand for four days and Australia for three days to wrestle in three different tournaments. After that, he will enjoy three days at Waikiki, in Oahu, Hawaii. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Baldwin said. "I'm excited to meet other wrestlers from all over the country and the world. I just want to take in all the wrestling and the culture."
Esther Kwon and Jen Lewis earned third-place medals from the 4A state girls tennis tournament Saturday, in Richland. The two Camas High School sophomores only lost two sets in three postseason tournaments. "It was nice to see them build their friendship, which only builds the strength of their game on the court," said head coach Jonathan Burton. "These two girls have pretty much been inseparable for the last month. They traveled together, ate together and practiced together. And the great thing about this whole experience was, they got to finish the season off with a win."
It is not easy winning championship trophies. The Camas High School softball team can attest to that. The Papermakers defeated Woodinville 2-0 Saturday morning to advance to the championship round of the 4A state tournament, at the Merkel Sports Complex, in Spokane. Camas pitcher Harli Hubbard held the defending state champions to just two hits in the game. Mackenzie Farnham drove in both runs for the Papermakers. "You need to enjoy the victory, but the bigger prize is right in front of you," said head coach Ken Nidick. "You're in the state championship game."
Winning races are baby steps for Alexa Efraimson. On Saturday, she stood on top of a mountain as a 4A state champion in the 800 and the 1,600 after setting new meet record times in each event. "This is what the whole season is about," said the Camas High School sophomore. "I was thinking about my teammates and how hard we trained for this. The realization sets in that state is the end. It's sad, but I'm very happy."
dan.trujillo@camaspostrecord.com
