Camas’ season ends with 35-10 loss to Skyline

SAMMAMISH — These things happen.

Over-analyzing these things can be counter-productive.

The Camas Papermakers gained plenty of yards Saturday night, even put themselves in position to score a few times. Only, the scoring part rarely happened. And it certainly did not happen enough for their cause.

Skyline of Sammamish topped Camas 35-10 in a Class 4A state football quarterfinal game at Spartan Stadium, ending the Papermakers’ season one win short of a trip to the Tacoma Dome.

“We were driving. Our offense was going good. We just couldn’t punch it in,” Camas quarterback Liam Fitzgerald said. “I don’t know what happened. It didn’t work out. Just one of those nights.”

One tough evening for Camas (11-1).

One victorious night for the Spartans (11-1).

Blake Gregory threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more, and the Skyline defense held Camas out of the end zone until the final four minutes of the game. Senior linebacker Harry Reed had a career-high three sacks for the Spartans.

“We’ve just been preaching all week. We knew we were better than them,” Reed said. “Confidence is king. We just kind of built our confidence all week. We just worked them, we outworked them.”

The Papermakers were held to a season-low in points, losing by 25 despite outgaining the Spartans 358 to 304.

“We were going up and down the field,” Camas coach Jon Eagle said. “We misfired a few times near the end zone. Our defense was stellar. Unfortunately, we could not score any points to back them up.”

Eagle said Fitzgerald’s assessment of “one of these nights” was spot-on.

“You’ve got a good team and sometimes you just don’t win,” Eagle said.

Skyline scored on its second play from scrimmage when Gregory found Luke Stiles for a 49-yard strike.

Camas would go 70 yards on 13 plays to the 20-yard line before settling for a 37-yard field goal from Caleb Lightbourn.

Skyline’s Logan Wanamaker returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, making it 14-3. Wanamaker caught the ball with his back foot in the end zone, but the official ruled the ball did not get to the goal line, which would have been an automatic touchback.

By the end of the quarter, Camas had run 31 plays from scrimmage to Skyline’s seven, yet trailed 14-3.

One of those nights, right?

The Papermakers reached the Skyline 6-yard line early in the second quarter. Reed picked up his first sack of the night on a third-and-goal play, making it a longer field goal.

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” Reed said. “Seeing all my teammates rally around me, getting fired up. I loved it.”

The Papermakers missed the field goal.

Two drives later, Skyline got its offense going, moving 89 yards on 13 plays, with Gregory scoring on an 11-yard run to make it 21-3 at the half.

One of those nights for the Papermakers.

“We played our hearts out, but we didn’t make as many plays as we should have,” Camas senior defensive lineman Jarrin Webb said.

Nobody scored in the third quarter, but the Spartans made it 28-3 early in the fourth on a Gregory-to-Wanamaker TD pass to make it 28-3. The desperate Papermakers turned it over on their next play, setting up another Gregory touchdown run.

Two drives later, the Camas defense got a stop, giving the offense one more shot. Pride was on the line.

Fitzgerald found Jared Bentley on a 13-yard touchdown pass, two plays after the two combined for a 55-yard pass.

“We knew (then) we weren’t going to get the victory,” Fitzgerald said. “But we could make our own victory. We told ourselves we had to score on that drive. That lightened the mood a little.”

It was fitting for the Camas offense that those two got the final touchdown. Fitzgerald threw for 304 yards and Bentley’s TD was his 13th catch of the game for 202 yards. The two led the region in passing and receiving, respectively.

Camas’ season is over, but this group of seniors has continued one impressive streak. The Papermakers have recorded double-digit win totals in six consecutive seasons.

“Camas football has shaped me as a person,” Webb said. “It’s taught me work ethic and how to love my teammates. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

SKYLINE 35, CAMAS 10

Camas 3 0 0 7–10

Skyline 14 7 0 14–35

First quarter

Sky — Luke Stiles 49 pass from Blake Gregory (pass failed)

Cam — Caleb Lightbourn 37 FG

Sky — Logan Wanamaker 99 kickoff return (Danny Sinatro pass from Gregory)

Second quarter

Sky — Gregory 11 run (Patrick Zonta kick)

Fourth quarter

Sky — Wanamaker 16 pass from Gregory (Zonta kick)

Sky — Gregory 10 run (Zonta kick)

Cam — Jared Bentley 13 pass from Liam Fitzgerald (Lightbourn kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Camas, Jordan Del Moral 15-63, Liam Fitzgerald 8-(minus 9). Skyline, Gregory 11-26, Rashaad Boddie 16-41, Sinatro 1-(minus 3), Isaiah Shim 4-(minus 4), Drew Kistner 1-6, Team 1-(minus 1).

PASSING — Camas, Fitzgerald 24-38-3-304, Hunter Bruno 0-1-1-0, Skyline, Gregory 17-22-0-237.

RECEIVING — Camas, Blake Roy 2-31, Jared Bentley 13-202, Del Moral 3-12, Drake Owen 4-39, Bruno 2-20. Skyline, Jake Pendergast 4-34, Stiles 2-66, Sinatro 4-35, Kai King 1-20, Boddie 2-14, Wanamaker 3-30, Caleb Johnston 1-38.