CAMAS — Jordan Del Moral knew he could do this, that he could become the No. 1 running back for the Camas football team.
Yet he also knew there were doubts.
Heck, even he was not sure he would be this successful in his first and only year as the featured back.
Now a senior, Del Moral waited and waited the past two seasons as older players, all-league players, got the call, got the ball.
“I always believed in myself. That’s very important. Anything you do in life, you’ve got to believe in yourself,” Del Moral said.
The Camas football machine was set to return a number of proven players. The Papermakers were going to be ranked high again among the state’s best teams.
“Everyone knew (quarterback) Liam (Fitzgerald) was coming back, everyone knew (a lot of) wide receivers were coming back, and the defense is always outstanding,” Del Moral said. “But I knew people were wondering. There were questions about the running back.”
Del Moral, it turns out, has been the answer. Through eight games, Camas is undefeated, Camas is the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League champion, and Del Moral has more than 1,100 yards rushing.
“I wanted to make a statement,” Del Moral said. “I can play. I’ve done my time.”
That is part of the Camas way, after all. That is how the Papermakers have won 33 consecutive league games, and six league titles in a row. That is how the Papermakers are hoping for a fourth consecutive perfect regular season when they host Heritage on Friday night at Doc Harris Stadium.
“With Camas, you’ve got great players every year,” Del Moral said. “You have to wait for your time. When your times comes, you’ve got to be ready.”
Camas coach Jon Eagle called Del Moral a “program guy,” a player who sees the bigger picture and understands the value of dedication early in high school — even if he does not get a lot of varsity playing time.
“He’s a guy who paid his dues and patiently waited for his opportunity,” Eagle said. “And when he got an opportunity, he performed in a great way.”
Del Moral’s story, Eagle said, is another example of how Camas football keeps winning.
“That’s why we can graduate a large number of starters and come back and be competitive the next year,” Eagle said.
Before the success, Del Moral had to believe that his work would, indeed, work out for him.
As a junior, he got the ball a lot in junior varsity games. No big fanfare. Just work.
“That prepared me to take a lot of hits,” Del Moral said.
Then he ran even more in the offseason, to ensure his endurance would be strong throughout a game.
“I knew I was going to be a question mark,” Del Moral said. “I wanted to be the guy, prepared for any moment.”
In Week 2, he recorded his first 100-yard game. In Week 5 against Skyview, he rushed for 191 yards and four touchdowns.
“I was just running. I wasn’t paying attention to how I was doing,” Del Moral said. “Someone came up after the game and said 191. ‘What?’ I was shocked when I heard that number.”
Two weeks later, he obliterated his personal record, rushing for 274 yards against Union. That is the best rushing performance in Southwest Washington this season. In all, Del Moral has 1,111 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, plus another 139 receiving yards and a TD catch.
One of the keys to his individual success is his size. At 5-foot-7, 165 pounds, he said it is difficult for defenders to see him behind the Camas offensive line.
“I’m just quick. I don’t have long legs, long strides. But I can move in and out of the hole quickly,” Del Moral said.
His height only hinders him on the dance floor.
“It sucks for my homecoming date,” he said. “She can’t wear heels.”
The real key to his statistics, he said, is the Camas offensive line. Del Moral, who has always believed in himself, said he always believed in the guys in front of him, too.
“I always tell the offensive line before every game, ‘You’re the best offensive line.’ They prove it every week,” Del Moral said. “I love playing behind them. I love playing with this team. The 1,100 yards are just icing on the cake.”
Of course, Del Moral and the Papermakers hope that number keeps increasing. In Week 9 and beyond.
Some day soon, whether Camas makes it to December for the state title game or not, Del Moral’s final year of high school football will come to an end. Never a star before this season, now he has 1,250 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns.
Because he always believed.
“It’s been a fun senior year,” he said. “Well worth the wait.”
