Swimmers strive to keep state streak alive

The head coach of a Camas High boys’ swim team that won back-to-back state titles in 2017 and 2018 is enjoying training the current Papermakers, as well as Washougal High Panthers who also have competed at the state level.

Coach Mike Bemis, in his 16th year as a Camas swim coach, said swimmers, in general, are dedicated athletes.

“I like coaching dedicated people and trying to help them in any way possible, to get better, go after their goals and try to obtain them,” he said. “It’s just fun to coach the great athletes.”

The Washougal swimmers train with the Camas team, five mornings a week, at Cascade Athletic Club in East Vancouver.

Camas swimmers look to district, state competitions

So far this season, the Camas High Papermakers, in the 4A Greater St. Helens League (GSHL), have beat Kelso, Mark Morris, R.A. Long, Skyview, Columbia River, Hudson’s Bay and Fort Vancouver, and they lost to Curtis High School, of University Place, Washington.

“Being able to improve with hard work — no matter how small the improvement — is always a rewarding experience,” he said. “Since your progress can be numerically quantified, it’s easy to see how you can improve over the years and even a season.”

Fogel remembers telling his parents when he was 4 years old, he wanted to take swim lessons.

“I loved the feeling of being in water,” he said.

Fogel, 18, started competing when he was 6.

He said swimming makes him physically fit and mentally tough, and he makes new friends along the way.

The challenges of swimming include waking up early for the 5:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, practices.

“The meets can last two to four hours, not counting travel time,” Fogel said.

Dedication to the team and sport, as well as his desire to improve and not let his team down, motivate him to be awake for the early practices.

In addition to Xia and Fogel, coach Bemis hopes David Peddie, Ben Taylor, Luke Bales and Jack Harris also step up and help the Camas team succeed this season.

Bemis also hopes the Papermakers win the 4A district title again and compete at the state meet.

“Getting back onto the podium on one of the top four places — as a team or individually — it’s a real achievement,” he said.

Leslie Levesque has been the assistant coach for the Camas and Washougal high schools’ varsity boys’ swim teams for 11 years.

Washougal team features four swimmers

The Washougal High Panthers, in the 2A Greater St. Helens League, have beat Fort Vancouver, tied with Hudson’s Bay and lost to Curtis, Kelso, Mark Morris, R.A. Long, Columbia River and Skyview, so far this season. Bemis expects Hockinson, Anacortes and Kingston High, of Kingston, Washington, will be tough competition for Washougal.

Washougal swim team captain Isaiah Ross competed in two events at the state swimming championships during each of his three years in high school.

“Isaiah can swim at the state level at just about anything he wants,” Bemis said. “He is a distance freestyler, 100 butterflyer and (competes in the) 200 IM. He can pretty much qualify for state in a lot of events. He’s been in the big finals in all three of those.”

Ross placed second in the 100 butterfly and fourth in the 200 free, at the state swimming championships in February 2018.

Bemis said Ross, 18, is an excellent trainer who has expectations to compete at the highest level.

“He’s trying to be swimming in the top 1 percent of all high school swimmers in the state of Washington,” Bemis said. “He’s got lofty goals.”