SPOKANE — The smiles came out quickly and stayed shining brightly even after twilight began to give way to a pleasant spring evening.
Camas had just lost a 3-1 decision to Woodinville in the state Class 4A softball tournament consolation final and accepted the fourth-place trophy.
“I just want to tell you,” coach Tim Searight told his players, “I know it hurts right now, but we accomplished every single goal we set for ourselves.”
The Papermakers got to Spokane, got to Saturday and earned a trophy for their season.
It’s just that they were so darned close to finishing higher.
In the semifinals, Camas battled eventual state champion Tahoma for nine thrilling innings.
With a runner starting the inning at second base under tiebreaker rules in the ninth, Tahoma loaded the bases. Pitcher Katie Schroeder got the next two outs and got two quick strikes on the next batter, but for perhaps the only time all game long, she missed the corner with her 3-2 pitch, walking in the winning run.
“That hurts and it’s going to hurt for a while,” the coach said. “We were that close to beating the team that won state. But that’s the way the game goes.”
Camas came back strong in a loser-out game, scoring five runs in the top of the seventh inning to knock Bethel out of the tournament.
In the trophy game Searight considered giving a tired Schroeder the game off, but the senior would have none of it and the coach decided he didn’t have enough horses to drag his pitcher out of the circle.
Down 1-0, Camas tied the game in the fourth, but the Falcons scored twice in the fifth to clinch the third-place trophy.
Getting to state was a victory of team chemistry over adversity, Searight said.
“We had a coaching change in April and it took some work to get over that and for them to get used to the changes I made,” he said.
“Our team chemistry is definitely what got this team through.”
That chemistry was on full display after the final out was made. The group was in no hurry to walk off the field together for the last time and reveled in the chance to celebrate their season. There was singing, dancing and plenty of laughter all around.
What’s more, the Papermakers have more than enough in the cupboard to make up for what they will lose to graduation, the coach said.
Two of the brightest spots, aside from an unflappable Schroeder, were youngsters Abby Wong and third baseman Callie Johnson.
Wong, a freshman, caught every inning of every game — calling a brilliant game against Tahoma — keeping the Bears off balance all game long with her pitch selection.
And Johnson, who shifted to third from short in deference to senior Tori O’Neil, played the hot corner brilliantly — making dazzling play after dazzling play.
“We lose a senior pitcher, a senior shortstop and a senior center fielder,” Searight said. “But we have a very talented junior varsity and there is no reason why we won’t be back next year and the year after that. We have what it takes to be here every year.”
