Ryan Josephson steps down as Camas’ boys basketball coachUpdated 1 hour ago

The 2024-25 basketball season opens Monday across Washington high schools with first practices, and a familiar face is taking the helm of Camas boys basketball in a last-minute shake-up. 

Brian Witherspoon, Camas’ junior-varsity coach and former Evergreen High head coach, will serve as the Papermakers’ interim coach this season after Ryan Josephson resigned Friday citing “personal reasons,” athletic director Stephen Baranowski said. 

Josephson won 99 games in seven seasons at Camas. The Papermakers have won the past three 4A Greater St. Helens League titles either outright or shared, and reached the Class 4A state tournament in 2023 and 2024. Its sixth-place finish in 2023 marked the program’s first state trophy since 1962. Last season, Camas reached the round-of-12 at state before a season-ending 65-61 loss to Glacier Peak to finish 17-11 overall. 

Baranowski said Josephson will remain at Camas as a science teacher. 

Witherspoon, a school counselor, joined Camas in 2017-18 after five seasons as Evergreen’s head coach. The Plainsmen twice played for a district title in Witherspoon’s five seasons, and won it in 2013. Witherspoon also coached eight seasons as an assistant at Clark College before going to Evergreen in 2012. 

Promoting Witherspoon to lead Camas became the natural way to go, Baranowski said. 

“It’s great to have somebody like that on staff who has experience and can jump right into the role,” Baranowski said. “The kids know him well. We’re fortunate to have him and it creates that continuity with the boys.”