Even at age 60, Roger Russell has no problem plowing through the mud. The Camas resident earned first place in the over 55 category at the Rugged Maniac Obstacle Race May 31, at Portland International Raceway. He completed the 3-mile, 25-obstacle challenge in 43 minutes, 59.1 seconds.
John Welborn didn't skate away from his responsibilities as a Mt. Hood Saint. The 2011 Camas High School graduate served as an announcer during the college's basketball and volleyball games. He also washed baseball uniforms, led the team with a .320 batting average, scored 22 runs, drove in 10 and became a Northwest Athletic Association of Community College's Southern Region First Team outfielder.
As the youngest competitor in a field of world leaders and champions, Alexa Efraimson put all she had into each stride and loved every second of it. The 17-year-old from Camas earned 10th place in the Elite 1,500-meter race Saturday, at the Adidas Grand Prix Diamond League meet, at Icahn Stadium, on Randall's Island, in New York City. She finished with a personal best time of 4 minutes, 7.25 seconds. It is the second fastest time by a high school runner in the United States.
On June 9, the Camas School District board of directors hired Rory Oster as the new athletic director for the district. The Enumclaw native will replace Josh Gibson, who has taken a new position as a guidance counselor at Camas High School.
A call back to his coaching days in Louisiana and Florida allowed Randy Fox to take a walk down memory lane. The founder and co-owner of the Vancouver Elite Gymnastics Academy, in Camas, will be inducted into the USA Gymnastics Region 8 Hall of Fame Saturday, in Tampa, Fla.
Lena Richards is loud and proud to be a softball player. After shouting words of encouragement to the Papermakers all season long, the Camas High School senior second baseman was the loudest one in the dugout during the Southwest Washington All-Star Challenge Wednesday, on the Clark College softball field.
Nick McAfee courageously ran a youth camp at the Vancouver Elite Gymnastics Academy on the same day he broke three metatarsal bones in his left foot. The Camas High School senior organized the event for his senior project. He said 15 boys participated, and about half of them had never done gymnastics before.
Hannah Gianan, Jen Lewis and Esther Kwon rode home from Richland in a state of shock. Lewis and Gianan defeated Union's Jelena Vidovic and Sydney Wallace in the championship round for the third time in the past three weeks. After losing in the first round of the singles bracket, Kwon won three matches in a row to finish in fifth place. These efforts helped the Papermakers earn third place at the state tennis tournament. "It was hard to believe it actually all happened," Kwon said. "I'm really proud of Jen and Hannah, and I can't thank our coaches enough for their encouragement. It really was a great bonding experience for all of us."
Up on the podium is where the Camas High School track and field athletes wanted to go, and they got there together. Sixteen Papermakers earned state medals Thursday, Friday and Saturday, at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma. The Camas girls rose to second place against 48 other schools in the state. They also set a national record, two state records and five school records. "I'm really proud of all the girls," said junior distance runner Alissa Pudlitzke. "I've seen all of us working hard every day in practice, rain or shine, to get here. It's been a great season."
Four Washougal High School seniors put the final stamp on their careers as Panthers with state medals. Adam Thomas rose to third place in the pole vault and tied his personal best mark of 14 feet, 6 inches. Thomas Normandeau ran to third place in the 800-meter event and improved his school record to 1 minute, 55.74 seconds. Mackenzie Pfeifer fired the javelin to fifth place with the throw of 124 feet, 1 inch. Michelle Greear grabbed fifth place in the discus with a toss of 112 feet, 9 inches. "It's the best feeling in the world," Greear said of the four Panthers bringing home state medals. "Our school better be proud of us because we worked really hard for this."
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