BATTLE GROUND — The Camas volleyball team had expectations Tuesday night going into its volleyball match against top-ranked Battle Ground.
The result of the match was secondary, actually.
The Papermakers wanted to remain a family. They wanted to weather any down moments by sticking together. They wanted to share any of the good times with each other.
“Win or lose, if we gave 110 percent, we’d still be proud of ourselves,” team captain Erika Weber said. “To come away with a win, that’s a cherry on top.”
That’s some big dessert.
The Papermakers responded after losing the first set by taking the next three in a victory over Battle Ground. Scores were 13-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-23.
Camas (5-0) is the last unbeaten team league play in the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League.
“Right now, I’m in wow, I’m in shock,” Camas coach Michelle Allen said.
There is still more than half of the league schedule to play, but the Papermakers — who lost eight seniors off of last year’s squad — are alone in first place.
Allen said she did not know what to expect from a young squad with a new head coach, a new coaching staff.
“I did know the girls had talent. And they had desire and passion,” Allen said.
And if they stay together — the Papermakers keep preaching that — they know they can do some big things this season.
“Yesterday at practice, we had a big, long talk about what it meant to be a family,” said sophomore Keelie LeBlanc, who dominated much of the fourth set for the Papermakers. “We knew going into this that we could take them because we knew we were going to play as a family.”
The first three sets were not close, but the fourth set could have gone either way. Tied at 23-23, junior Natalie Scholtes got back-to-back kills for the victory.
“That was incredible. All I could think about is I had had to put the ball in and get it to somewhere they couldn’t get to,” Scholtes said. “The rush was amazing.”
LeBlanc led the Papermakers with 13 kills. She also had 13 digs. Scholtes ended up with six kills. As did Joan Varsek. Aubrey Stanton had 36 assists and three aces.
Battle Ground was playing without Division-I recruit Ashley Watkins, who is expected back from an injury later this week.
The Tigers looked ready to go in the first set, but Battle Ground coach Cheyanne Knight gave credit to the Papermakers.
“I told them to expect Camas to step up and rally,” Knight said. “They did, and we did not respond.”
Brooke Van Sickle, one of the top players in the state, had 13 kills, two blocks, 15 assists, and five aces for the Tigers. Autumn Mayo added 13 kills and a block.
The Papermakers, though, were too strong on this night.
They never trailed in the second set and took the lead for good at 10-9 in the third set. There were 13 ties in the fourth set, but Camas never trailed after tying the set at 17.
