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Sports

March 19, 2013
Camas sophomore Katie Schroeder didn't allow Washougal to get a hit in her first varsity start on the mound. The Papermakers scored 12 runs for Schroeder March 12, at Camas High School.

Washougal softball can’t touch Camas

Katie Schroeder never dreamed she would pitch so well in her first varsity start. The Camas High School sophomore didn't give up a hit to Washougal in the five innings it took for the Papermakers to beat the Panthers 12-0. She also racked up 11 strikeouts. She was only two walks and a hit batter away from throwing a perfect game. "To get my first varsity start was such an awesome feeling. This is something I've worked hard for my entire life, and now it's finally happening," Schroeder said. "I didn't even know I was throwing a no-hitter until the end of the game. It was such a surprise to me. It was not that I did so well, but that the whole team did so well."

March 19, 2013

Camas lacrosse wins first game

The Camas High School lacrosse team celebrated its first career victory Friday, at Doc Harris Stadium.

March 19, 2013
Contributed photos The Camas High School dance team qualified for the state competition Friday and Saturday, at the Yakima Sun Dome. Their hip-hop routine pays homage to the movie "Happy Feet."

Camas dancers razzle, dazzle to state

With a razzling hip-hop routine and a dazzling jazz display, the Camas High School dancers are on their way to the 4A state dance and drill championships Friday and Saturday, at the Yakima Sun Dome. Head coach Ranae Scott is thrilled that the Papermakers earned this opportunity in just their first dancing season in the largest classification in the state. Most of the 4A teams have more members coming up through middle school programs every year. Camas doesn't have that luxury. When new girls join the team each year, they are starting from scratch. "These girls have come a long way from not dancing to doing break dancing, headstands and building very technical routines," Scott said. "Some of the strongest dancers we have on the team have never danced before this year. They have a lot of natural talent, and we're harnessing that talent and taking it to the next level."

March 19, 2013

Panthers net third place at tennis tourney

The Washougal High School girls tennis team clinched third place at the Longview tournament Friday and Saturday, at the Mint Valley Racquet Club. Seven Panthers earned ribbons for their efforts. The team of Taryn Boni and Jenni Ladwig reached the championship match in the doubles bracket and settled for second place. "Jenni's serves were on, and Taryn was able to take advantage at the net. They had a good system going," said head coach Linda Balholm. "They lost by a tiebreaker. That's how close they were to winning the championship."

March 12, 2013
Jason Vailea walks his teammates through the rucking formation Thursday, at Skyridge.

Rugby warriors fight

Thirty-two athletes from Camas, Columbia River, Mountain View, Hudson's Bay and Union high schools are building an unbreakable bond through rugby. They are called the Clark County Warriors. "A warrior is somebody who keeps fighting for what we want," said CHS junior Jason Vailea. "Our team is a family, and we will keep fighting for each other until the end of the match." Vailea enjoys playing the game with Papermakers Nick Gadbaw, Jesse Kiesser, Riley Moss, Drew Clarkson, Michael DiGenova, Matt Walser, John Ashford, Gavin Grable, Tanner Aldridge and Dylan Tauscher. Many of them participate in rugby and football together during the school year. The Clark County Warriors defeated the Westside Alliance 65-14 Saturday, at Liberty Middle School, in Camas. The Warriors compete in the High School Boys Club Championship Division. Log on to www.rugbyoregon.com to look at the team's scores and schedule.

March 12, 2013
Photos courtesy of Jamie Valdez Camas High School graduate Caleb Malychewski grabbed second place for Pacific University at the West Regional Championships March 2, in Minneapolis. He also qualified for the NCAA Division III National Wrestling Championships Friday and Saturday, at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Malychewski embraces wrestling

Camas High School graduate Caleb Malychewski still has a soft spot in his heart for baseball, but wrestling is what gets his blood pumping at Pacific University, in Forest Grove, Ore. "In baseball, there's lots of politics on who plays. In wrestling, you beat the guys in your weight class and you get to go to the varsity level. There's no question about it," Malychewski said. "There's a saying that 'once you have wrestled, everything else in life is easier.' I think there's a lot of truth to that. "You can fail seven out of 10 times in baseball and still be successful. But in wrestling, you only got seven minutes on the mat. One or two mistakes and you're done. The matches always seem to come down to one takedown or escape," he added. "There's nothing like getting your hand raised at the end of a match after all the hard work that went into it. Every day, it's a grind. That's what I love about wrestling."

March 12, 2013
Washougal's Joesph Snedeker and Nicholas Boylan try to take the soccer ball away from Will Warne (19) of Mountain View Monday, at Fishback Stadium.

Soccer teams come out of the chute shorthanded

After suffering a 3-2 loss to Skyline Saturday, the Camas High School boys soccer team got right back to work Monday and earned a victory. Austin Cassity delivered a goal and an assist, and Cameron Eyman and Riley Brannon also netted goals, to help the Papermakers defeat Prairie 5-0 at Doc Harris Stadium. The Falcons knocked two balls into their own goal. It was a well-deserved win for Camas, who played without any substitutes.

March 5, 2013
The ball is rolling fast toward the first Camas High School lacrosse season. The Papermakers are playing in a tournament Saturday, at Hanford High School, in Richland, Wash.

Bringing lacrosse to Camas High School

Camas High School juniors Cassius Johnson, Oliver Stanchfield and Bryce Tabbut live for lacrosse. "When we get up every day, this is the first thing on our minds. We can't wait to get out here," Stanchfield said. "Once you find something you love, you never want to stop doing it. I never realized how fun this sport could be until I started playing it all the time." Lacrosse coach Jim Avino has been attached to the sport his whole life. He played the game for State University New York, in Cortland, and at Colorado State. He then coached at Colorado State for five seasons, coached a club team in London and coached at North Rockland High School, in New York, where he went to school. Avino moved to Camas in 2003. After coaching his son's baseball teams for several years, Avino missed his lacrosse stick.

March 5, 2013
Jordin Seekins settles into her comfort zone before throwing the javelin. The 2009 Washougal High School graduate is now a senior at the University of Washington.

Jordin Seekins and her javelin are going places

As she prepares for her final season of track and field for the University of Washington, Jordin Seekins is ready to let that javelin fly. "Coming off indoors and all my training, I feel really good about everything that is about to happen," said the 22-year-old team captain from Washougal. "I want my teammates to compete with fire and passion for the school. You can't step into the circle or on the runway and be scared. You have to be confident in your ability to be a good thrower." Seekins qualified for the NCAA West Prelims the last two seasons. The goal for her senior season is to make it to the NCAA Championships June 6 to 8, at Autzen Stadium, in Eugene, Ore. Size has been a disadvantage for Seekins since high school, but she makes up for it with hard work and determination. "The girls just keep getting bigger, while I've pretty much stayed the same size," she said. "Nobody cares about how tall you are. The only thing that matters is how far you throw. I wanted a challenge, and that's why I came up here."

March 5, 2013
As the artificial turf at Fishback Stadium has reached its life expectancy, Washougal High School Turf Campaign members Kyle Eakins, Amanda Klackner and Rick Thomas (pictured left to right) designed a fundraiser to help the school district purchase a new turf field for Washougal students and athletes.

BRICK BUILDERS

The artificial turf at Fishback Stadium in Washougal is ripping and peeling apart. The Washougal School District maintenance staff has done an admirable job of maintaining and repairing the field since it was installed in 2002, but gluing, re-stitching and taping can only do so much after more than a decade of wear and tear. There is a growing foundation of community builders who are determined to save this field for future generations, but they need more bricks. Since the 2011 school year, Washougal High School Turf Campaign members Rick Thomas, Amanda Klackner, Kyle Eakins and Gordon Torstenbo have asked local businesses and residents for donations to help the school district purchase new synthetic turf for Fishback Stadium. The estimated cost for replacing the turf is $450,000. The district committed to donating $200,000 toward the project, leaving it up to the committee to raise the remaining $250,000 needed.