Camas comes together one last time to beat Prairie 42-6

CAMAS — The football season ended for the Camas on Friday. But afterwards, none of the Papermakers wanted to leave.

They just wanted to hug, take pictures and reminisce on how far they had come.

“This all dates back all the way to last summer for us,” senior quarterback Jake Blair said. “We had to overcome adversity, overcome not knowing what the plan was each day. We were grinding over the summer. Nobody even noticed that we were out here on the field grinding. And I think that carried over to the season.”

On Friday night, the Papermakers put a cap on a 4-1 season with a 42-6 win over Prairie.

Jake Blair passed for 256 yards and hit on two touchdowns passes to Bryce Dewey, including a 75-yarder in the first quarter.

“Me and Bryce have been connecting lately,” Blair said. “He’s been a good receiver for us. He’s been a guy I could count on. That played a big part of it.”

Dewey said: “I have to give the credit to my team. If the (offensive) line doesn’t block, that play doesn’t happen If Jake doesn’t make the right reads, that play doesn’t happen.”

For the longest time, the Papermakers didn’t know if the season would happen.

“It means lot,” Dewey said of the season. “We’ve been waiting a long time for it. We’re lucky to get it.”

Coach Jon Eagle also remembers those summer workouts at Doc Harris, which he watched from his car in the parking lot.

“Watching those kids out on the field on their own, it really shows what kind of coach you are,” Eagle said. “I remember watching and texting my coaches saying ‘I think next season we could just play cards in the locker room.’ ”

On Friday, Eagle got to see a bit of the future. Sophomore quarterback Taylor Ioane threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to junior Jon Schulz and added 19-yard touchdown run.

“There is a lot of emotion on this field right now,” Eagle said, looking around to his players. “I really wish we could have seen what we could have done in the playoffs. … I think our league was really strong this year, and it’s going to be strong again next year.”

But Friday was also for the seniors. Running back Jacques Badolato-Birdsell, who had knee surgery in January and missed this season, even got in for one play, taking the final snap for a kneel down.

“I think our team made the most of what we could in the offseason,” Blair said. “I think if we didn’t do that, I think we’d regret it. I don’t have much regrets, except losing to Union.”

CAMAS 42, PRAIRIE 6

Prairie   0              0              0              6—6

Camas   14           7              21           0—42

First quarter

C — Bryce Dewey 25 pass from Jake Blair (Matt Gerardo kick)

C— Dewey 75 pass from Blair (Gerardo kick)

Second quarter

C — Andrew Caroussos 20 pass from Blair (Gerardo kick)

Third quarter

C — Blair 14 run (Gerardo kick)

C — Jon Schulz 30 pass from Taylor Ioane (Gerardo kick)

C — Ioane 19 run (Gerardo kick)

Fourth quarter

P — Alexander Ford 56 pass from Braden Slamp (run failed)

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Prairie: Dustin Shelby 14-42, Ford 5-30, Ian Davis 1-31, Brandon Baum 4-8, Slamp 4-6, Nicholas Davis 1-(-2), Devon Wallway 3-8, Jacob Wald 2-1. Camas: Blair 8-78, Gabe Guo 5-22, Schulz 3-2, Jairus Phillis 1-(-1), Luke Jamison 2-17, Hudson Schnedier 1-1, Ioane 4-17, Sam Speer 1-1, Austin Fullard-Leo 2-10, Bradley Prouse 1-6, Jacques Badolato-Birdsell 1-(-3).

PASSING — Prairie: Baum 8-20-1-70, Slamp 1-3-1-56. Camas: Blair 10-19-1-256, Ioane 2-2-0-30.

RECEIVING —Prairie: Davis 3-47, Mason Horrocks 4-24, Ford 1-56, Shelby 1-(-1). Camas: Dewey 3-124, Guo 2-63, Caroussos 4-53, Jamison 1-6, Schulz 1-30, Mark Harimoto 1-0.