Camas rolls past Battle Ground, 77-21

BATTLE GROUND — Call it a comeback victory if you want.

Camas did not score first. Then again, Camas did not have the ball first.

Once the Papermakers got the ball Thursday night, they showed why they are the second-ranked Class 4A team in the state.

Camas scored on all seven first-half possessions — and added a defensive touchdown as well — and improved to 6-0 with a 77-21 victory at Battle Ground.

Bryan Kelly scored three touchdowns on four touches, Cole Zarcone had three touchdowns, and James Price and Isaiah Ephraim had defensive touchdowns for the Papermakers, who improved to 3-0 in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League.

The Camas offensive line paved the way for 397 yards of offense in the first half.

“It’s honestly a blessing,” center Trevor Wochnick said about playing for Camas. “Everybody’s doing their jobs. It just comes down to teamwork. Everybody hustles. Everybody helps one another.”

He said the Papermakers had no idea they had a perfect first half offensively — no turnovers, and touchdowns on every possession.

“We’re just running through everything. We kept our minds on what we do, what we know,” Wochnick said.

They know a lot about winning. This was Camas’ 25th consecutive league victory, dating back to when the Papermakers were in the 3A GSHL.

Camas’ defense also showed up in a test against one of the best passing teams in Washington.

Battle Ground did go 79 yards on eight plays to open the game, with Gunner Talkington finding Parker Randle on a 36-yard touchdown pass for a quick 7-0 lead.

The Papermakers, though, would get the next four touchdowns, with the Camas defense setting up the offense on three of the scores.

There was an interception from Blake Roy. Then the Camas defense forced a three-and-out. Battle Ground’s next possession ended when Manase Nguamo got the triple crown for a defensive lineman: Sack, forced fumble and recovery.

“That the best play I’ve ever made in my career,” said Nguamo, a junior who attended Newport High School in Bellevue before moving to Camas this summer.

The Papermakers finished with three interceptions and six sacks.

“We watched film for an hour every day,” Nguamo said of preparing for the Tigers. “That really gets us ready.”

Price had a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the first half. Then Ephraim got credit for a 25-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter.

Camas quarterback Liam Fitzgerald completed 8 of 14 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a TD. He did not play in the second half after Camas turned the game into a running clock situation with a 56-14 lead.

Battle Ground (2-4, 1-3 GSHL) found some success throwing the ball, but not enough to keep pace.

Talkington finished 18 of 31 for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Randle scored two times for the Tigers. Chris Waters had the other TD reception.

Jordan Del Moral rushed for Camas’ final two offensive touchdowns.

CAMAS 77, BATTLE GROUND 21

Camas 28 28 14 7—77

Battle Ground 7 7 7 0—21

First quarter

BG — Parker Randle 36 pass from Gunner Talkington (Riley Betcher kick)

Cam — Bryan Kelly 72 run (Caleb Lightbourn kick)

Cam — Cole Zarcone 3 run (Lightbourn kick)

Cam — Kelly 15 run (Lightbourn kick)

Cam — Zarcone 3 run (Lightbourn kick)

Second quarter

BG — Randle 13 pass from Talkington (Betcher kick)

Cam — Liam Fitzgerald 1 run (Lightbourn kick)

Cam — Zarcone 1 run (Lightbourn kick)

Cam — James Price 39 interception return (Lightbourn kick)

Cam — Kelly 25 pass from Fitzgerald (Lightbourn kick)

Third quarter

BG — Chris Waters 14 pass from Talkington (Betcher kick)

Cam — Jordan Del Moral 3 run (Brendan Geignenmiller kick)

Cam — Isaiah Ephraim 25 interception return (Michael Boyle kick)

Fourth quarter

Cam — Del Moral 10 run (Geigenmiller kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Camas: Kelly 3-88, Zarcone 7-35, Fitzgerald 5-21, Del Moral 9-54, Jake Peebles 2-44. Battle Ground: Reed Thompson 18-91, Talkington 10-(minus 7), Waters 1-13, Manny Grote 2-19, Nic Manuel 1-4, Taylor Stewart 1-12.

PASSING — Camas: Fitzgerald 8-14-0-253, Peebles 1-1-0-1. Battle Ground: Talkington 18-31-2-187. Waters 0-1-1-0, Manuel 1-2-0-9.

RECEIVING — Camas: Price 4-102, Jared Bentley 1-79, Blake Roy 1-35, Hunter Bruno 1-12, Kelly 1-25, Sedric Ruiter 1-1. Battle Ground: Randle 5-92, Waters 6-49, Kyle Cahoon 3-31, Chase Gunter 2-13, Betcher 2-2, Jake Scanlon 1-9.