Camas can’t be stopped, beats Union 28-14

CAMAS — This game, the Camas Papermakers say, is the biggest check mark to date.

The self-proclaimed Revenge Tour took another step Friday night when, for the first time since 2016, Camas became the 4A Greater St. Helens League champion.

The ending seemed fitting as it has done all season at Doc Harris Stadium with a flash of fans and supporters swarming the Papermakers postgame. This time, it was a 28-14 home victory over the Union Titans to cap the regular-season undefeated.

“This box,” said senior Charlie Bump, who had one of Camas’ three interceptions, “is just a little bit bigger. “And it’s one of those that you love, and we were glad to put on a show tonight.”

The win gives Camas (9-0, 4-0) its first league crown since 2016, when the Papermakers captured the Class 4A state title.

Now, the next stage continues with the postseason. Camas guaranteed itself a home playoff game for the Week 10 state preliminary round hosting Olympia.

A Union (5-4, 2-2) victory would have forced a three-way tie for the 4A GSHL title with playoff seeding determined by a coin flip. Instead, the defending 4A state champions hit the road for the playoffs at Mount Rainier next week.

The past two meetings, Camas and Union were separated by a combined eight points with two Union victories. But Friday, it was all Camas from the start.

Camas scored touchdowns on three of its first four drives, had a 21-0 lead by halftime, and its largest lead of 28-0 came midway through the third quarter. Camas dominated the time of possession on offense and its defense had three takeaways and three stops on fourth and 1.

“Everything was going our way,” nose guard Robert Silva said of the defensive performance, “and we were happy to catch them on the right plays.”

And Camas’ offense continues to be in high gear with a new leader under center.

Last week wasn’t kind for either team at quarterback, in fact. Both teams’ starting quarterbacks’ seasons ended prematurely with injuries — Camas’ Jake Blair (collarbone) and Union’s CJ Jordan (knee), setting the stage for the biggest starts of Blake Ascuitto and Alex Gehrmann’s careers.

Ascuitto, a senior and four-year player in Camas’ program, made his first varsity start, and all week, the best advice came within his own program. That, in turn, led to a memorable outcome, he said.

“I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” Ascuitto said. “This is huge being 9-0 and going for a state championship now.”

Ascuitto went 7 of 11 passing for 136 yards, two touchdowns and zero turnovers.

Gehrmann, Union’s backup quarterback, entered Friday with nearly 700 yards passing and field touchdowns with one previous start in a 21-20 nonleague win over Chiawana. Friday, he went 24 of 38 passing for 313 yards and two second-half touchdowns, but two of the team’s interceptions.

Key moments

• Long drives, plus short field in the first half, aided in Camas’ scoring drives. It began in plus-territory in three of its four first half drives and had a 21-0 lead when Tyler Forner scored the second of his two touchdowns with 3 minutes, 44 seconds left in the second quarter. Camas’ largest lead was 28-0 on Jackson Preston’s 14-yard touchdown reception when drive took 5:26 off the clock.

• With Camas’ utilizing its run game with 42 run plays and four ball-carriers with three or more carries, Camas’ defense forced turnovers not just on fourth-and-short situations, but a trio of interceptions from Jackson Clemmer, Charlie Bump and Sebastian Harb. In the third quarter, Union drove seven plays to reach the Camas 3-yard line before a stop by Camas on fourth and 1 for a turnover on downs.

• Both of Union’s touchdowns came in the final 14 minutes of the game: Jake Bowen’s 21-yard touchdown reception and a 13-yard catch by Daron Ulrich. Its best drive — a seven-play, 61-yard drive to reach the Camas 10 trailing 28-7 — ended in an interception in the endzone. Union had two red zone turnovers.

Key players

Blake Ascuitto, Camas — The senior quarterback, who was third-string in 2018, passed for 136 yards and two passes came on 40 or more yards: Kenny Wright’s touchdown catch and run for 54 yards then Jackson Clemmer’s 42-yard catch on the first play from scrimmage to open the third quarter led by Jackson Preston’s score.

Robert Silva, Camas — The starting nose guard had a quarterback sack, three tackles for loss and a host of other tackles to highlight the defense that also had three takeaways.

Jake Bowen, Union — The junior receiver had seven catches for a game-high 103 yards. He was one of two 100-plus-yard receivers by the Titans. Marques Cantu had a game-best nine catches for 101 yards.

CAMAS 28, UNION 14

Union 0 0 7 7 – 14

Camas 7 14 7 0 – 28

First quarter

C — Tyler Forner 1 run (Bryce Leighton kick)

Second quarter

C — Kenny Wright 54 pass from Blake Ascuitto (Leighton kick)

C — Forner 3 run (Leighton kick)

Third quarter

C — Jackson Preston 14 pass from Ascuitto (Leighton kick)

U — Jake Bowen 21 pass from Alex Gehrmann (Sonny Pitts kick)

Fourth quarter

U — Daron Ulrich 13 pass from Gehrmann (Pitts kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Union: Alex Gehrmann 2-5, Isaiah Jones 14-81, Jake Bowen 1-(minus-1), Vihn Luong 2-11; Camas: Tyler Forner 18-74, Charlie Bump 2-28, Blake Ascuitto 1-(minus-10), Gabe Guo 3-14, Jacques Badolato-Birdsell 5-18, Randy Yaacoub 14-76.

Passing — Union: Alex Gehrmann 24-38-3-313; Camas: Blake Ascuitto 7-11-0-136.

Receiving — Union: Tobias Merriweather 3-35, Marques Cantu 9-101, Jake Bowen 7-103, Isaiah Jones 3-51, Daron Ulrich 2-21: Camas: Jacques Badolato-Birdsell 1-14, Jackson Clemmer 1-42, Charlie Bump 1-6, Jackson Preston 2-14, Dante Humble 1-6, Kenny Wright 1-54.