Camas locks up 4A GSHL top seed with win over Mountain View

CAMAS — Check off another item from the Camas Papermakers’ to-do list.

With Friday’s 52-21 win over Mountain View at Doc Harris Stadium, the Papermakers wrapped up a share of the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League championship and the league’s top seed into the playoffs. A win over Heritage next Friday would complete another perfect regular-season for Camas (8-0, 5-0 4A GSHL).

“It’s one of those things we can celebrate for tonight, but we have to keep looking forward and thinking about the road ahead,” said Bryan Kelly, who ran for 83 yards and two touchdowns. “But tonight it feels great.”

Quarterback Liam Fitzgerald was feeling it from the start. The junior completed 20 of 24 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns. James Price caught eight of those throws for 128 yards and two scores. Jared Bentley caught five for 60 yards and one touchdown.

“Even if I know they’re covered, somehow I feel confident throwing it to them that they’ll always go up and get it,” Fitzgerald said, praising his receivers.

“Our game plan was to react to the defense,” Price said. “It just happened to be that we had to pass early to open things up for the running game.”

The running backs appreciated Price’s early catches.

“(Price) caught everything tonight. He played great,” Kelly said. “When you can pass it definitely opens up the running game.”

Mountain View (2-6, 2-3 4A GSHL) started well. The Thunder forced Camas to punt right away then kept the ball for 11 plays before they were held on downs at the Camas 31.

Fitzgerald then went to work, completing four passes on a quick drive highlighted by a 43-yard connection with Price that set up a 2-yard scoring pass to Jared Bentley.

Mountain View fumbled on its next snap, giving Camas a short field. Fitzgerald hit Price on an inside screen pass and Price dashed 26 yards for the second Camas score.

Short touchdown runs by Price and Cole Zarcone, whose score followed another Mountain View fumble, had Camas in front 30-0 midway through the second quarter.

This was the last regular-season home game for 28 Camas seniors, but the No. 1 seed means they will play at least once more at Doc Harris.

Mountain View’s Preston Jones, who entered Friday with 1,029 rushing yards and averaging 9.3 yards per carry, gained 105 yards on 21 attempts, with 52 of those yards in the fourth quarter when the game was decided.

CAMAS 52, MOUNTAIN VIEW 21

Mountain View 0 7 7 7—21

Camas 16 17 19 0—52

First quarter

Cam — Jared Bentley 2 pass from Liam Fitzgerald (Caleb Lightbourn kick)

Cam — James Price 26 pass from Fitzgerald (Lightbourn kick)

Cam — Safety, ball snapped through end zone.

Second quarter

Cam — Bryan Kelly 4 run (Lightbourn kick)

Cam — Cole Zarcone 5 run (Lightbourn kick)

MV — Garrett Jones 6 pass from Colin Biggs (Will Warne kick)

Cam — Lightbourn 43 FG

Third quarter

Cam — Price 20 pass from Fitzgerald (kick blocked)

Cam — Kelly 4 run (kick failed)

Cam — Fitzgerald 8 run (Brendan Geigenmiller kick)

MV — Jesus Familia 40 pass from Biggs (Warne kick)

Fourth quarter

MV — Garrett Jones 2 run (Will Warne kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Mountain View: Preston Jones 21-105, Garrett Jones 12-40, Jesus Familia 5-20, Team 3-(minus 24). Camas: Cole Zarcone 8-75, Bryan Kelly 15-83, Liam Fitzgerald 1-8, Jordan Del Moral 7-41, Stephen Jesmer 1-6, Jake peebles 2-3.

PASSING — Mountain View: Colin Biggs 13-25-0-157. Camas: Fitzgerald 20-24-1-270, Peebles 1-3-0-4.

RECEIVING — Mountain View: Corey Henderson 8-78, Jeff Adams 1-30, Familia 1-40, Kyle Moen 2-3, G. Jones 1-6. Camas: James Price 8-128, Jared Bentley 5-60, Hunter Bruno 3-45, Blake Roy 1-12, Reid Conlee 2-19, Zarcone 1-6, Colin Moon-Field 1-12.