March 2012 - Lacamas Magazine

Camas Boys Win Tiger Invite; Girls Place 2nd

Camas High School Track & Field proved their competitive edge with a successful showing at their first invitational of the young season at Battle Ground on Saturday, March 24.

The Camas boys won overall at the Tiger Invitational with the Camas girls placing second.

“The boys look VERY STRONG this year with depth in every event across the board,” said Co-Head Coach, Alisa Wise. “They won the meet and the girls also look very strong. We took second to Union by just a few points. We had some wonderful surprises from some freshmen athletes on both sides.”

Freshman Alexa Efraimson broke the meet record in the 800m AND school record at 2:17. Zach Marshall won the 100-Meter Dash with a time of 11.15!

Wise said Freshman Cole Zarcone stood out and “will be a force for us on the boy’s side.”

Zarcone, along with Daniel Ryan, Kyle Schrader and John Payne won the 4×100 Relay with a time of 44.16.

Camas Boys also won on the 4×400 Relay with Zach Eagle, Jared Smith, Schrader, and Marshall.

Marshall also delivered a first place win in the 200 Meters with a time of 22.75.

In long distance, Tucker Boyd placed third in both the 800 and 1600-meter events. Andrew Duffy and Andrew Kaler placed third and fourth, respectively, in the 3200-meter race.

In the Distance Medley 12,4,8,16, Camas placed third with a time of 11:48.90 with Taryk Boyd, Jackson Cutler, Matthew Sanchez and Timothy Miles.

Scott Feather placed second in Discus, while Triton Pitassi placed third in Shot Put.

Josh Ryan placed fourth in Long Jump and so did John Payne in the Triple Jump.

Junior Paige Jackson placed 2nd in Pole Vault.

“We are starting to get some ‘shape’ to our events and it’s exciting,” said Wise. “Caleb Morrissey got a BIG PR at 18-9! I was so excited for him! He is a good example of fortitude and it will pay OFF! He will do good things — he has good ‘pop’ speed and as he matures, he just gets stronger and faster and better!”

Lauren Neff placed first in the High Jump at 5’ 2”.

Kimi Knight won the 100-meter High Hurdles with a time of 16.44; and Tamaki Murata placed third in the same event. Knight also placed third in the 300 meter Hurdles.

Alexa Efraimson, Lauren Neff, Camille Parsons and Kimi Knight won the 4×400 Relay. Paige Jackson placed second in the Pole Vault.

“Well it was our fist invite, and for some of us it was our very first track meet,” said Kimi Knight. “So it was just exciting for everyone. And the sunshine was just amazing! I think that brought our spirits up as well. I competed in the 100 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles, the 4×400, relay, and the long jump and that was my very first time doing that since 8th grade.”

Caleb Morrisey got a PR for Long Jump.

Cole Zarcone has a bright future in track, says Coach Alisa Wise.

March 25, 2012/1 Comment/by Ernest Geigenmiller

Living, Travel

NW Destinations: Historic Benjamin Young Inn

It is easy to feel relaxed at this romantic getaway. The Benjamin Young Inn Bed & Breakfast sits on the hillside in beautiful Astoria. Its location gives a great view of the Columbia River, and is located close to the world-famous Astoria Column and well-loved “Goonies” home.

In 1888 Benjamin Young, an early-day salmon packer, built this amazing house on the original bank of the Columbia River. The house has been well maintained throughout the years and is recognized throughout Oregon as an outstanding example of Queen Anne architecture. The house is even listed in the National Registry of Historic Places.

The current owner Carolyn Hammer, who purchased the home almost 18 years ago, is only the second owner outside of the Young family. Benjamin’s oldest daughter became a doctor and inherited the home in which she ran her practice. She then handed it over to her daughter Josephine who was a teacher and taught English at Astoria High School. It was her daughter, Chris, who was the first to sell it and move outside of Astoria.

A common place for weddings and romantic getaways there are five different rooms to choose from. The Fireplace Suite is a large first floor suite with a king size bed. The bay window and fireplace give it the needed essentials for romance. It also includes such amenities as a TV/DVD, double whirlpool tub, and an adjoining room with its own queen and single beds.

The Honeymoon Suite is a large elegant second floor room with antique furnishings, and private bath. The canopy queen bed and sitting room have great views of the Columbia River, and touches of wedding bliss add to the elegance.

The Lady Ann Room is a second floor suite that also has an outstanding view of the Columbia River and wooded hillsides. It has a private bath with shower, queen bed, loveseat, two plush comfortable rocking chairs, and TV/DVD.

You will often find the Rose Room sunlit on the second floor with an excellent view of the Columbia and gardens. It also has a queen bed and private bath. Last is the Dorothy Room with the same amazing views, queen bed, private bath, and single bed.

Breakfast is served in the dining room and is prepared by Carolyn. She tries to keep the menu varied, but always filled with amazing dishes such as orange French toast, chicken apple sausage, blueberry pancakes, omelets, eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce, or scones with cranberries.

With plenty to do and see in Astoria and a great place to stay The Benjamin Young Inn Bed & Breakfast is a great place for your next romantic getaway.

To contact the Benjamin Young, call 800.201.1286 or 503.325.6172. You can also find them at www.BenjaminYoungInn.com.

March 21, 2012/0 Comments/by Ernest Geigenmiller

Sports

CRST Performs Well at Senior Sectionals

The Columbia River Swim Team (CRST) recently participated in the 2012 Speedo Western Zone Champions, or commonly called “Senior Sectionals” at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

The event lasted four days and included high-level swimmers from 12 states, according to Doug Lombard, co-founder of CRST. The swimmers included high school and college stars, as well as former Olympians.

“You have to be proficient and fast to even get there,” said Lombard. “Nine kids from our local swim club went and 90 percent of them got best times, setting personal records.”

The event is considered one step below Olympic trials and several of the swimmers are currently trying to attain Junior National and Olympic trials cuts.

CRST sent the following swimmers to Senior Sectionals: Eric Bugna, Kasey Calwell, Jaron Hamlik, Jim Nguyen, Darya Samlee, Julia Sanders, Alex Suk, Felicia Williamson, and Andrea Young.

The swimmers competed in multiple events, and most got best times. Three, however, placed top 15 in their respective events. This is a major achievement considering the competition.

Jaron Hamlik placed 15^th in the Boys 200 meter Individual Medley (IM); and Julia Sanders placed 14^th in the Girls 50 meter Freestyle and 15^th in the Girls 200 IM.

Jaron Hamlik looks forward to competing at
upcoming Santa Clara Invitational. He placed 15th in the
Boys 200 IM at Federal Way.

“This was not my first time competing on a sectional level, I’ve competed in senior sectionals every season for about two or three years now,” said Sanders. “I’ve also competed in Junior Nationals several times and swam the 100 butterfly at Senior Nationals when they were here in Federal Way. Competing at high level meets is very exciting, they have a completely different feel than age-group level meets. It’s a lot of fun and really motivating to travel as a team and compete with some of the fastest swimmers in the Nation.”

Sanders has two main goals for the next few years in her swimming career. The first is to make an Olympic trials cut, and the second is to swim at a division one college after she graduates in 2013.

Hamlik continues to impress those around him, but maintains modesty and said he “felt pretty good” and continues to think about getting ready for the next season.

Kasey Calwell, who competed with Camas High School this past season, felt good about his performance at Senior Sectionals. He dropped times in several of his races.

“It was so much different than the high school state meet because first of all, kids from 12 states competed in this meet,” said Calwell. “With high school states, it was just Washington. So that adds a very different element to it. And this is the first meet that you really see Olympic-bound kids such as Missy Franklin, who’s got a world record in the 200 Back and swims for the Colorado Stars in Denver. It is so much more competitive, so it really motivates you to see if you can move up in the coming years. You see what the Olympic people go, and you say to yourself, ‘How can I get there?’ So that’s my mindset coming out of it.”

Two weeks prior to the Senior Sectionals, CRST placed second at the Oregon Senior Championships for swimmers 13 and older. The nine swimmers that made it to the Senior Sectionals in Federal Way achieved specific time standards at the Oregon event or at some point during the season. Those time achievements made it possible for them to go to Senior Sectionals.

Lombard said Hamlik and Sanders are aggressively working toward achieving qualifying Olympic Trials times, and “that is a big deal.”

“Olympic trials are very difficult to meet,” said Lombard. “It’s like making the NCAA tournament and only the top two in each Olympic trial event go onto the Olympics. The Olympic swim team consists of 34 swimmers.”

The team’s next meet is the Santa Clara International Meet at the end of May. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps has frequented the event in year’s past.

Hamlik expects to compete in the 100 Back and 200 IM at the very least. “Those are the only ones I think I’m qualified in right now.”

March 18, 2012/0 Comments/by Ernest Geigenmiller

News

Mitt Romney wins Camas GOP caucus

More than 700 people crammed into the Commons area at Camas High School on Saturday to vote in this year’s Republican caucus where presidential candidate Mitt Romney handily won the event’s straw poll.

The event was representative of all 23 Camas precincts and a total of 616 votes were cast for the four remaining GOP presidential candidates: Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich.Here’s how the votes tallied:

Mitt Romney: 275 votes; 44.65%
Ron Paul: 146 votes; 23.7%
Rick Santorum: 132 votes; 21.4%
Newt Gingrich: 63 votes; 10.2%

The turnout was much larger than expected and pressured party organizers to move the proceedings to the main Commons area at the center of the school. This caused about an hour delay, and kept voters waiting outside for long periods of time until the registration and precinct tables could be re-positioned.

Upon entrance voters registered their names, addresses, contact information and presidential preference.

Caroline Cummings, left, and Scott Duer review and discuss
aspects of the caucus rules. Duer was elected as a delegate
from Precinct 960 to head to the Clark County GOP Convention.

Once settled into the new area, the precincts gather separately and reviewed party caucus rules. Each precinct voter acknowledged their presidential preference and whether they would want to be delegates to the county convention held on March 31.

The precincts voted on a pre-determined number of delegates, which were apportioned by the population of their respective precincts. For example, Precinct 960 voted on seven delegates and seven alternates. Of those seven delegates, four are Romney supporters, while three are Santorum supporters.

“I’m here to support Newt Gingrich,” said Caroline Cummings. “This is my first caucus event and there’s a lot happening here. I think Gingrich knows how to balance a budget and that’s one reason I support him.”

Ron Paul supporters appeared to dominate the caucus by wearing Paul hats, pins, and shirts – they were clearly very organized and very vocal. They had the Romney people worried.

“I support Ron Paul because he’s the most consistent,” said Brian Kashas. “And he can’t be bought.”

Brian Kashas, center with glasses, came to caucus for Ron Paul.

Karen Mumford, center, awaits instructions from party organizers.

Scott Duer, a Santorum supporter, experienced his first caucus event. “There’s a lot to this,” he said. “I support Rick Santorum because I like that he’s a social conservative.”

Duer was elected as a delegate from Precinct 960 to move forward to the county convention. The county will vote on March 31 on which delegates to represent specific candidates at the state convention, which then choose the delegates to represent Washington at the GOP National Convention this summer in Florida.

Romney supporters won the day for the former Massachusetts governor.

“I like Romney because he’s a conservative, and has a proven record of fixing problems,” said Ben Yung. “I think he’s the only one that can beat Obama, and we have to beat Obama.”

It was just reported from Clark County GOP officials that Mitt Romney won the county’s straw poll with 37 percent of the vote. Ron Paul came in second, with 28.5 percent; Rick Santorum with 22.5 percent, and Newt Gingrich with 10.1 percent. Exact totals will likely be released on March 4.