Papermakers right back in it after 17-7 win over Skyview

CAMAS — Three teams, two playoff spots, one week to go.

When it comes to 4A Greater St. Helens League football, it seems almost a given that everything playoff related comes down to the Week 9 regular-season finale.

And why once again with so much at stake for Camas, Skyview and Union?

Camas’ 17-7 victory Friday night over Skyview makes things, well, interesting.

For starters, the guarantee: Friday’s win at Doc Harris Stadium means Camas (4-4 overall, 2-0 league) earned at least a share of the 4A GSHL title, and a win next week clinches the league title outright and the No. 1 seed. But a Union victory next week over Camas, though, means mayhem — by way of a three-way tiebreaker for two playoff spots. Skyview (6-2, 2-1) closes out the regular season with a nonleague contest.

All three teams could finish 2-1.

On Friday, the Papermakers started celebrating Friday with 11 seconds remaining as the defense earned a turnover on downs deep inside Camas territory. On Skyview’s previous possession, the Storm missed a 29-yard field goal attempt with 4:23 remaining that would’ve made it a one-possession game. The Storm converted a fourth-and-14 play to keep that drive alive.

Camas is now winners of four straight after an 0-4 start in its much-talked-about Oregon nonleague slate of opponents. No surprise that schedule helped the Papermakers prepare for big moments, big games and big outcomes such as Friday.

“We know how to dig deep,” senior receiver Nathan Criddle said. “We know how to fight and when it comes down to it. We’re going to work harder and we’re going to end the game (with a win).”

Criddle’s wide open 12-yard touchdown reception from Taylor Ioane with 8:43 to play pushed Camas’ lead to 17-7. A player earlier, Zach Blair’s interception on third down set Camas up offensively deep in Skyview territory.

Jon Schultz’s game-high 164 yards rushing — including the game’s longest play of 50 yards — on 30 carries set the pace for the Camas offense, which didn’t relinquish the lead after Ethan Ouchi’s field goal broke a 7-all tie in the closing seconds of the third quarter.

Skyview’s offense, which topped Union last week 37-7, had just three plays of 10 yards or longer in the first half trailing 7-0. But on the first play to open the third, a 40-yard completion by Niko Arriola to Riley Artis led to a tie score at 7-all.

After that, Skyview’s drives ended in two punts, an interception in Camas territory, a missed field goal and a turnover on downs.

Senior linebacker Luke Jamison was proud of the Camas defense. The message hasn’t changed all season, but it came to fruition Friday: do your job.

“That’s what we think about every single play,” Jamison said. “Everybody does their job; nobody tries to be a hero. When everybody does their job, we can’t stop them … Every single practice keeps getting better which makes our games better. We’re going to keep improving.”

Jamison’s 1-yard touchdown run gave Camas a 7-0 lead that held up at halftime. The first-half scoring drive came on its only possession to begin in Skyview territory at the 43, and took nearly six minutes off the game clock.

CAMAS 17, SKYVIEW 7

Skyview 0 0 7 0— 7

Camas 0 7 3 7—17

Second quarter

C — Luke Jamison 1 run (Ethan Ouchi kick)

Third quarter

S — Gabe Martin 1 run (Fedya Henrichs-Tarasenkov kick)

C — Ouchi 32 FG

Fourth quarter

C — Nathan Criddle 12 pass from Taylor Ioane (Ouchi kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Skyview: Jaydin Knapp 9-32, Gabe Martin 11-33, Niko Arriola 4-4; Camas: Jon Schultz 30-164, Taylor Ioane 10-47, Luke Jamison 2-3, Sam Speer 1-1, Team 1-(minus-21).

PASSING — Skyview: Niko Arriola 12-26-1-148; Camas: Taylor Ioane 3-8-1-37

RECEIVING — Skyview: Jaydin Knapp 2-5, Teddy Beaver 5-57, Tanner Beaman 4-45, Riley Artis 1-45; Camas: Nathan Criddle 2-33, Jon Schultz 1-4