Triumph of the Titans: No. 5 Union beats No. 1 Camas

CAMAS — Beating the previously unbeaten Camas Papermakers, the state’s top-ranked team all season, might have seemed surprising.

But that’s just it, the Union Titans say. It’s surprising to no one inside of the black, red and silver.

The heart, the determination, the resiliency willed their way to win.

Especially in this game.

What visiting Union did Friday, a 14-13 come-from-behind victory, is what no 4A Greater St. Helens League team has done since the Papermakers entered the league in 2012. It’s what no team has done during the previous 58 regular-season games.

Defeat the Papermakers.

And they did it in front of an estimated 7,000 lively and jubilant crowd at Doc Harris Stadium.

Unbelievable is how senior Aiden Nellor, whose 19-yard touchdown on fourth down helped sparked the comeback, described it.

“It means the world to us,” he said.

It wasn’t so much startling that a team as talented as the fifth-ranked Titans came away the winner

Union scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Jojo Siofele’s 5-yard game-winner with under four minutes to play capped a 10-play, 73-yard drive, to win the 4A GSHL title and earn the No. 1 seed into next week’s Week 10 regional round of the state playoffs.

Nellor’s 19-yard touchdown with 9:57 to play started the comeback, as the Union defense held the Papermakers to only 24 yards its final four drives after trailing 13-0.

Now, they’re the 4A GSHL champions, ending Camas’ seven-year run as a league champion between 4A and 3A GSHL.

They’re also the No. 1 seed entering the playoffs starting next week. The Titans (8-1 overall, 4-0 4A GSHL) host Tahoma of Maple Valley in King County next weekend as the first of a possible three games at McKenzie Stadium.

How Union pulled it off was almost unfathomable.

Camas (8-1, 3-1) led 13-0 for three quarters, getting first-half touchdowns by Semisi Schultz on runs of 3 and 2 yards. The Camas defense, highlighted led by Taylor Adams’ two interceptions on third-and-long plays, held Union scoreless for the first time since its Week 3 shutout loss against Eastside Catholic.

Camas might’ve had a larger lead, though, if Union didn’t block an point-after attempt or didn’t stuff Schultz on a fourth-and-1 try with 5:24 to play in the third quarter with its lead still two scores.

This came after a timeout when Andrew Boyle initially lined up to attempt a 22-yard field goal on fourth-and-5, but a Union off-sides call made it fourth-and-1. Camas elected to go for it on fourth-and-1 after the timeout, but Union, for the second time in a week, stuffed a team at or near the goal line — The Titans had four straight stops against Skyview at the 1.

That started the momentum swing in the Titans’ favor.

Shortly after, Union converted its first third- or fourth-down pass play, which happened to be fourth-and-12 from the Camas 19. It was Nellor’s 19-yard touchdown that made it a one-score game at 13-7 with 9:57 to play.

Nellor described the offense as a bit “dead” in the first half, which was filled with penalties and some frustration.

“We needed something to pick us up,” he said. “And a touchdown is the thing to do it.”

That did it. Then the defense took over once more, forcing its second consecutive punt. In all, Camas didn’t register a first down after being stopped on that fourth-and-1 in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Union orchestrated its game-winning drive using a combination of quarterback Lincoln Victor, Dustin Nettles (2-yard run, 7-yard catch), Darien Chase (two catches, 39 yards) and Siofele (five carries, 27 yards). Siofele’s 5-yard touchdown came with 3:41 to play.

Resiliency and no quit, Siofele said.

“We never gave up,” he said. “We knew we were going to come out with this win. That show it right here.”

Siofele had 101 yards on 25 carries, and Chase four of his five catches in the second half, finishing with 96 yards. At one stretch, Victor was 3 of 14 passing, but finished 10 of 22 for 150 yards.

Ryan Rushall had 110 yards on four catches for Camas, and Schultz led the rushing game with 45 yards on 11 carries.

While losses like these can be debilitating, Adams, who had the two interceptions on the night, said it’s important to push forward for the Papermakers. The postseason path will be different for the Papermakers, too, than in recent seasons. As the No. 2 seed, they hit the road for the first two rounds starting at Auburn Riverside next week. A win next week at Auburn Memorial Stadium, and it’s a trip east to Spokane for the first round in the Class 4A state playoffs.

“We have to remember we’re still the same team,” Adams said. “We’ll be better because of it.”

UNION 14, CAMAS 13

Union 0 0 0 14–14

Camas 7 6 0 0–13

First quarter

C — Semisi Schultz 2 run (Andrew Boyle kick)

Second quarter

C — Schultz 3 run (kick blocked)

Fourth quarter

U — Aiden Nellor 19 pass from Lincoln Victor (Alex Koga kick)

U — Jojo Siofele 5 run (Koga kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Camas: Semisi Schultz 11-45, Will Schultz 6-6, Drake Owen 2-(minus-1), Kyle Allen 6-7. Union: Braedon Ensley 2-4, Lincoln Victor 10-47, Dustin Nettles 1-3, Elijah Jones 1-1, Jojo Siofele 25-101.

PASSING — Camas: Kyle Allen 10-20-0-155; Union: Lincoln Victor 10-22-2-150

RECEIVING — Camas: Ryan Rushall 4-110, Shane Jamison 1-6, Ja’Michael Shelton 1-5, Semisi Schultz 1-3, Drake Owen 3-31. Union: Aiden Nellor 1-19, Dustin Nettles 1-7, Darien Chase 5-96, Braedon Ensley 3-27.