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Sports

January 18, 2011

Panther basketball teams tame Lumberjacks and Jills

Whether they were in Washougal or Longview, the Panther boys and girls basketball teams got the best of the Lumberjacks and Jills Friday. The Washougal and R.A. Long boys traded baskets in a nail biter, but the Panthers held on for a 52-50 victory at Washougal High School. All nine Panthers contributed points, which made head coach Malcolm Estes smile. "So many kids are stepping up every time their number is called," he said. "All these kids care about is winning. Whatever it takes for us to win a game, I can count on these kids to do it."

January 11, 2011
Camas High School senior Odin Coe (57) is thrilled to be one of the four defensive linemen on the Class 3A all-state football team. He was the only all-state selection from the 3A Greater St. Helens League by the Washington Associated Press.

Odin Coe Ave

There are many ways Odin Coe makes his presence felt on a football field. The Camas High School senior is a 6-foot-3, 265-pound wrecking machine built by all of those weight lifting sessions with best friends Erik Clay, Brent Hill, Damon Kosaki, Zach Marshall and Addison Owen. All of the years of commitment to football paid off for these Papermakers when they won their first state playoff game in school history. "Looking back, it was a good run," Coe said. "I hope we are not just remembered for our wins and losses, but as a group of guys who showed up, worked hard every day and paid their dues.

January 11, 2011
Sarah Brown goes to the hoop for the Washougal High School girls basketball team. The Panthers nailed nine 3-pointers Friday night, but the Woodland Beavers prevailed 59-48.

Three-point Panther surprise

Washougal High School girls basketball captains Maddie Down and Darcy Akers are reunited, and it feels so good. In her first game back from an extended Christmas vacation, Down delivered 13 points for the Panthers on three 3-pointers. She also grabbed 11 rebounds and snatched four steals. Akers added 10 points on two 3-pointers, six rebounds and five assists. "It was very exciting in the first half. Everybody was contributing," Down said. "It was euphoric. I've never heard the crowd so loud at a Washougal game. Ever." The Washougal girls nailed eight 3-pointers in the first half, but the Woodland Beavers outscored the Panthers 30-20 in the second half to win 59-48 on a ferocious Friday night in the jungle.

January 11, 2011
Bryan Butler takes on two Eagles Thursday night, at Hudson's Bay High School in Vancouver. The Camas boys lost this exciting contest, but bounced back by beating Prairie to move into first place in league.

Papermaker Ring of Fire

St. Helens is about to blow, and the Papermakers are the magma. After a week without any seismic activity, the Camas High School boys basketball team plunged into the Ring of Fire and wound up in first place. Jacob Kaler scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Bryan Butler provided 14 points, to propel the Papermakers to a 58-45 victory over the Prairie Falcons Saturday night, in Camas. The Papermakers cracked through the magma chamber, after the Hudson's Bay Eagles lost to the Mountain View Thunder on the same night.

January 4, 2011
Michael Huck (right) grabbed the 140-pound championship at the Washougal River Rumble.

Rumble by the river

As if wrestling in the jungle on New Year's Day was not thrilling enough for the Panthers, Chism King and Michael Huck captured Washougal River Rumble championships. King pinned Union's Junior Godinho for the 112-pound title. He also pinned Ridgefield's Adrian Montiell and Union's Tiffany Hu to earn the opportunity to wrestle for the championship. "I was a little tired in that last match. I didn't get much sleep because of New Year's," King said. "My New Year's resolution is to push myself to the point of breaking."

January 4, 2011
Drew White

Klein and White are Camas soccer All-Americans

Camas High School seniors Raya Klein and Drew White were selected with 76 other girls and boys to be on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's High School All-American 2010 teams. After tearing her ACL during her sophomore season, Klein battled back to become a co-captain of the Papermaker team that placed third in the 2009 state tournament. She maintained her status as captain in 2010, and helped Camas win a league championship and reach the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

January 4, 2011
Melissa Williams scores two points for the Papermakers in a seesaw match up with the Washougal Panthers Dec. 28, at Camas High School. The Papermakers prevailed over their long time rivals 48-41.

A wild night in the Camas warehouse

Word around town is the Camas and Washougal sports rivalry is not what it used to be, but 16 minutes of girls basketball between the two high schools on Dec. 28 showed everything it could still be. A strong fourth quarter propelled the Papermakers to a 48-41 victory at Camas High School, but not before the Panthers roared back from 10 points down to take the lead twice. "It's very exciting seeing our kids step up when it easily could have gone the other way," said Washougal head coach Charlie Boyce. "It reverberates the belief that we can compete every time we step on to the floor."

December 29, 2010
Camas High School senior Melissa Williams drives by Washougal High School senior Chandler Audette.

On the sidelines: Wild night in the warehouse

Washougal rallied from 10 points down to take the lead twice in the third and fourth quarters, but the Camas High School girls basketball team held on for a 48-41 victory.

December 28, 2010
Kendall Utter drives to the hoop for two of her 16 points in the third quarter Wednesday night, at Washougal High School. She finished with 23 points.

UTTERLY UNSTOPPABLE

Washougalites were rocking around the Christmas tree Wednesday night, watching the Panther girls basketball team beat Stevenson by 30 points. The Panthers pounced the Bulldogs 59-29 on 23 points by Kendall Utter. She racked up 16 of those points in a phenomenal third quarter that saw Washougal outscore Stevenson 25-3. "That was probably the most fun I've ever had," Utter said. "It was awesome." Head coach Charlie Boyce elaborated on Utter's unforgettable performance. "I love seeing Kendall smile on the floor. She is a tremendously hard worker who is so hard on herself," he said. "Whether it's basketball, riding horses, or going to state in cross country or track; whatever she tries, she gives 110 percent. It's nice to see her enjoy her success."

December 28, 2010
Sydney Allen and a Tiger scratch and claw for the basketball Dec. 21, in the Battle Ground Tournament.

Battle Ground spoils Papermaker repeat

The Camas High School girls basketball team appeared to be on its way to another Battle Ground Tournament championship after the first quarter, but the next eight minutes changed everything. Shredding the Papermakers with steal after steal, the host Tigers grabbed the momentum on a 14-0 scoring drive in the second quarter. Just when all hope for a Camas repeat seemed lost, Kendra Preuninger brought the Papermakers back in the game with three 3-pointers in the third quarter. Sydney Allen, Lauren Neff and Melissa Williams made several acrobatic rebounds to create second and third chances, but Battle Ground pulled away for a 53-46 victory by scoring 19 points from the foul line. "It's a long game. We wanted to keep our composure and fight back, and we did that," said Camas head coach Chuck Knight. "We should feel good that we came back from being down by double digits, tied it up, and gave ourselves a chance to win the game."