CAMAS — The Camas boys soccer team finished the first half of the 4A Greater St. Helens League season with a tie against Battle Ground and a loss to Skyview.
Now finally healthy, the Papermakers are playing the second half of league with a single focus.
Camas scored four goals in the first half, including three in the final 10 minutes, en route to a 5-1 rout of Battle Ground.
The win means the Papermakers (5-1-1) can clinch the league title with a win over Skyview on Wednesday. Finishing league play 5-1-2, Battle Ground is now hoping the Storm can score another win over the Papermakers.
“Especially with the last game against Union (on Friday) and now this game, I definitely feel like we’re playing like we want to be playing,” Camas senior Erik Brainard said.
Brainard was one five different Papermakers to put the ball into the goal on Monday night.
“I definitely like to see that,” coach Roland Minder said. “It makes it hard for teams to focus on one guy when you have so many who can score.”
Junior Josh Schneider got Camas going with his goal on an assist from Danny Wing in the 15th minute.
Brainard made it 2-0 in the 30th minute with help from Dominic Fewel. Then Fewel and Josh Tkachenko added goals before the intermission to put the Papermakers fully in control.
“That was just about how bad we wanted it,” Fewel said of the flurry of goals. “I felt like we came out just way too nonchalant in the first game (with Battle Ground). In this game, we wanted it more and it showed.”
Tybalt Thornberry added a second-half goal to give Camas its fifth goal.
“We had a rough start to the season, battling injuries,” Minder said. “But now I’ve been able to send out the same 11 starters, and it’s helped us with our consistency, which helps us finish runs strong.”
The Papermakers are looking for another strong finish against Skyview on Wednesday at Kiggins Bowl. Skyview beat Camas 2-1 on April.
With Monday’s win, Camas owns the tiebreaker with Battle Ground, meaning a tie with the Storm on Wednesday would give the Papermakers a share of the league title and the No. 1 seed to the bi-district playoffs.
“We’re not going to be playing for a tie,” Minder said. “I can guarantee that.”
Brainard added: “We were co-league champions last year. We want to go out, beat Skyview and get that league title all for ourselves.”
