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Wrestling Rivalry: Camas Sinks The Titanic at Epic Home Dual

By Dan Trujillo

History was made in the warehouse Wednesday, when the Camas wrestling team broke the hammerlock Union had on the Greater St. Helens League for the last 10 years.

Down by 20 points with four matches left, Jack Latimer, Tanner Craig, Rylan Thompson and Karter Leifsen pinned Titans in succession to help the Papermakers win 39-35.

“I’ve never been a part of a dual like that where there were so many wrestlers, families and students. It was just a cool atmosphere,” said Camas head coach Cory VomBaur. “You had a lot of Union and Camas fans on both sides. That’s the way these two schools are, but wrestling hasn’t stepped into that dynamic until now.”

Union led 11-0, until Colby Stoller brought the Papermakers back from the brink by pinning his opponent. Sam Malychewski stuck a Titan that out-weighed him by more than 20 pounds.

“The first period, I shot in and felt how strong he was. It was a little intimidating,” Malychewski said. “I just pushed through that. I was happy to get that pin.”

Camas was still on the ropes. Ryan Ball saved the Papermakers when he rallied to defeat Brandon Esperto 6-4. The Titans countered with another pinfall victory to increase their advantage to 35-15.

But, that’s when Camas dropped the hammer down.

Latimer pinned Union senior Aaron Avery in the third round. Craig and Thompson pinned a couple of freshmen. All the sudden, the Papermakers trimmed the Titan lead to 35-33.

It was all up the Leifsen. He had to wrestle a senior who placed fifth at the Pacific Coast Championships.

“I went out there and tried to block as much of the pressure as I could,” Leifsen said. “I approached it like any other match, wrestled my hardest and stuck him.”

Leifsen locked in a near fall during the first round. The Camas wrestlers, coaches and fans were on pins and needles. Leifsen led 7-0. All the Papermakers needed was those three points. But, he wanted more.

Wrestling

Karter Leifsen vs. Miles Hartwig.

“Thirty seconds in, you could see Karter had something the other guy didn’t have,” VomBaur said. “We relaxed when he was up 7-0. All the sudden, Karter puts that guy on his back again. You could see it starting to sink in. Isaac was starting to fade. The pin was coming. We all knew it that time.”

Leifsen kept waiting to hear the referee slap his hand on the mat.

“I heard the crowd go crazy and I knew it was over,” he said. “Just the roar of the crowd when I heard that slap on the mat is something I’m never going to forget.”

When this wrestling rivalry started 10 years ago. Camas coaches Glenn Hartman and Brody Faler came up with a concept they called “The Battle for the Paddle.” Both schools are located on opposite sides of Lacamas Lake.

Union won the paddle in 2008, and has held on to it ever since. So long, that these Camas coaches and wrestlers had no idea this paddle even existed until the Titans gave it back to the Papermakers Wednesday.

“Never heard about this paddle in my whole life,” Latimer said. “It’s like a bonus. We have something to keep.”

“We just made history,” Thompson said.

Wrestling

Close up of the Paddle.

 

Wrestling

Jack attack! Jack Latimer.

 

Wrestling

Rylan Thompson pins Josh Helm.

 

Wrestling

Tanner Craig gets ready to pin Calvin Bahl.

Camas has an opportunity to win its first 4A Greater St. Helens League wrestling championship if it can beat Battle Ground Wednesday, Jan. 17.

The Papermakers are also hosting the district tournament Saturday, Feb. 3.

“Let’s not get complacent. Let’s strive to do better,” Malychewski said. “There’s a reason why they had that paddle for 10 years. We have to build off this for years to come.”

This was a night to remember for Camas Papermakers, young and old. Craig summarized the history made perfectly.

“We knew we needed to get those four pins. We were all hoping and praying,” he said. “It happened. It was the craziest day of the year.”

Wrestling Photo Gallery

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Rivalry Night in The Warehouse: Camas Girls Hang on to Defeat Union by 2

By Dan Trujillo

What started out as a 20-0 smashing turned into a nail-biting 46-44 victory for the Camas girls against their rivals from down the road Tuesday.

“Our goal is to start out super strong and get that comfortable lead in the beginning,” said senior guard Jillian Webb. “But, I think we got too comfortable in this game and almost let it slip right through our fingers.”

Webb delivered three 3-pointers out of the gate. Haley Hanson and Marianna Payne also attacked the rim, and Jordyn Wilds drained a three of the her own to give the Papermakers a 20-0 advantage before the first buzzer sounded.

“Before the game started, I told Haley I was feeling it,” Webb said. “She told me to bring it right away. I wasn’t kidding, I guess.”

The Titans clicked in the second half, and bombarded the Papermakers with six 3-pointers. Union rallied within two points in the final minutes of the game, but Camas never relinquished its advantage.

After the final buzzer, Webb pumped her fist in the air.

“I felt like I was going to throw up. I was so anxious,” she said. “It was just us having faith in each other. ‘We got this. Don’t let it slip away.'”

As the game got physical, the Papermakers turned it up a notch. Maggie Wells delivered tough baskets and foul shots for 3-point plays. Courtney Clemmer played relentless in the paint, grabbed rebounds and made foul shots.

Payne devoured the Titans on the boards. At one point, she missed a foul shot but got to the ball first off the rim and put it right back up for two more points.

Basketball

Maggie Wells powers in two points and earns a foul shot. “Don’t sleep on her,” said teammate Jillian Webb. “She always has something up her sleeve.”

“I take the physicality as a boost,” she said. “I like the intensity. It makes me work a lot harder.”

Although she is just a sophomore, Payne is a force on the floor. Every day, she’s learning what it takes to be a varsity basketball player from the seven seniors on the team.

“Off the court, I love to cheer for them because they are so nice and they’re really helpful,” Payne said. “On the court, I do as much as I can to provide for my team.”

On Tuesday, Camas learned not to take Union lightly. This rivalry is only just beginning.

“No matter how big the lead, just keep playing hard all four quarters instead of just the first quarter,” Webb said. “Be a four-quarter team. Play hard the whole game, not just when we want to.”

Frustrating night for Camas boys

No matter how many times the Papermakers got within one point of their rivals, the Titans buried them again.

Union made eight 3-pointers in the game, including five by Tyler Combs, to defeat Camas 70-61.

Isaiah Sampson propelled the Papermakers 24 points and 14 rebounds, but Camas could never regain the lead after losing it in the second quarter.

“I just wanted to dominate. I knew that’s what I needed to help the team,” Sampson said. “They were getting to the rack easy. We changed it up, but started giving them space and they started knocking down threes. We just have to be ready for anything.”

The Titans charged ahead by 12 in the fourth quarter. Ben Cooke and Tre Carlisle kept hope alive for the Papermakers with 3-pointers. Camas cut the deficit down to three in the final 10 seconds, but couldn’t get any closer.

Basketball

Tre Carlisle drains a 3.

“We’re a hard-nosed team,” Cooke said. “We’re going to keep battling no matter the output, no matter the deficit, no matter the score.”

Cooke was thrilled to see Sampson take over the game from the start. He scored six points out of the gate, including a dunk that sent the fans into a frenzy.

“I see that every day in practice,” Cooke said. “He’s a big time player. He’s going to do big things and he’s going to go big places.”

After frustrating losses to Skyview and Union at home, Camas looks forward to the rematches: Jan. 19 at Skyview and Jan. 26 at Union.

“Those games are definitely circled on the schedule,” Cooke said. “This left a bad taste in our mouth, but we’ll keep working and get that win the next time.”

The Camas basketball teams host Battle Ground in The Warehouse Friday. The boys tip off first at 5:30 p.m., followed by the girls at 7 p.m.

Photo Gallery

Photos by Dan Trujillo

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To learn more, visit www.chs.camas.wednet.edu

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Lees Lead Washougal: Abby Honored for 2nd State Title, Tanner, Scott Excel

By Dan Trujillo

The Lees wrestling name will hang on the walls of the Joe Brown Gymnasium at Washougal High School forever.

Before the Panthers beat Mark Morris 54-27 in a league duel Thursday, head girls coach Heather Carver and the community honored Abby Lees with a 2017 state championship plaque. Her younger brother, Scott, climbed up the ladder and hung it next to Abby’s other banner from 2015.

Abby Lees earned a record of 105-6 for Washougal. She wrestled in four state finals matches at the Tacoma Dome and won two titles.

“Wrestling is like our family heritage,” Tanner Lees said. “We have a mat in our living room we can use all the time.”

“It’s what keeps our family together,” Scott Lees added. “When we get home, sometimes our dad might get us in a headlock and start teaching us.”

Tanner and Scott Lees are climbing their own ladders. The brothers wrapped up 2017 with Washougal River Rumble championships. Tanner finished in fourth place at state last season and hopes to win it all this year. Scott also wants to wrestle at the Tacoma Dome, in February, and bring home a medal.

 

Lees

Scott Lees turns his opponent into a pin fall predicament.

Scott and Tanner pinned their opponents from Mark Morris Thursday. Tanner Klopman, Andrew Hopple, Jason Powell, Jeffrey Wells, Mason Armstrong, Dakota Andleman and Bryce Williams also won their matches for Washougal.

As a team, the Panthers finished in first place at the Washougal River Rumble. They racked up 205 points to win the 13-school tournament. Centralia took second place with 159 points.

Cole Pass clinched the 126-pound championship for Washougal. He beat Centralia’s Dayvi Gaspar 6-1 in the final match.

Scott Lees defeated Castle Rock’s Elijah Bell 12-7 in the 132 title match. Tanner Lees pinned all four his opponents to finish first at 152 pounds.

Hopple took second place at 145 and Andleman earned second at 285. Jonathan Wells, Blake Webb, Klopman, Powell and Armstrong reached the third- and fourth-place round. Gus Shelley and Williams got to the fifth- and sixth-place rounds.

On Jan. 12 and 13, the Washougal boys and girls wrestling teams will compete in the Clark County Championships, at Skyview High School.

 

Lees

Jason Powell drives his opponent into the mat.

 

Lees

Andrew Hopple pins his opponent.

 

Lees

Tanner Klopman (right) locks up with a Mark Morris Monarch in the last match of the evening. The Panthers manhandled the Monarchs 54-27.

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Rockin’ The Warehouse: League Begins With a Bang for Camas Basketball

By Dan Trujillo

Camas High School basketball players, coaches and fans have been waiting months for the first league doubleheader of the season.

Papermaker basketball fans, young and old, came to The Warehouse Wednesday to see the next chapter in the Camas, Skyview rivalry.

“The crowd was awesome,” said senior Tre Carlisle. “I want that every game. Even louder.”

“Every time the band comes, they double the size of the crowd. And then when you add all the noise, it definitely changes the atmosphere,” said head boys coach Ryan Josephson.

The Camas boys rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to get within two before time expired, but the Storm held on for a 53-51 victory to remain undefeated.

The Camas girls turned an 18-0 start into a 63-14 victory. The Papermakers held Skyview to just one field goal in the first half, and led 27-3 at the break. Hannah Booth, Haley Hanson, Brooklyn Pauscha and company hit a bunch of 3-pointers in the onslaught.

Basketball

Hannah Booth led an offensive outburst by the Camas girls basketball team against Skyview. The Papermakers blew the Storm out of the building, 63-14.

The boys game featured a series of scoring barrages by both teams. Camas jumped out to a 9-3 lead on threes by Ben Cooke and Carson Bonine. Skyview tied the score and then took an 8-point advantage.

The Papermakers reclaimed the lead before halftime. Jack Glikbarg ignited the offense with two threes, another basket and a foul shot for a 3-point play to make it 28-25 Camas.

“My brother told me, ‘If I wear his shoes, I have to shoot,'” Glikbarg said. “I was feeling good this game. It was fun.”

Glikbarg led the Papermakers with 13 points. He showed no fear attacking the basket, drawing fouls and clapping his hands together.

“That’s his trademark,” Carlisle said.

“He has an endless motor,” Josephson added. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the first quarter or the fourth quarter.”

Basketball

Jack Glikbarg nets a three from up top.

Skyview had the momentum going into the fourth quarter. Slowly, Camas chipped away on baskets by Bonine, Carlisle and Glikbarg.

Down by three with 11 seconds left, the Papermakers took an open shot from behind the 3-point line, but the ball rolled in and out of the basket. The Storm increased their lead to five at the foul line. Cooke beat the buzzer with a final 3-pointer, but Camas still lost by two.

Josephson had some questions going into the final quarter. Did Skyview just get hot at the right time or was Camas giving up?

“The great thing is, our guys didn’t show that. They battled right to the end,” Josephson said. “That’s what I’ve known about these guys since they were sophomores. They have always had that resilience.”

Now, he’s curious to see how the Papermakers handle this adversity after winning their first eight games of the season.

“I hope this fuels their fire again, and reminds them that they are the dark horse in the league,” Josephson said. “They’re nobody’s league favorites. They have to show up every day, put in the work and battle to beat these teams.”

Basketball

Tre Carlisle challenges a defender.

 

Basketball

Isaiah Sampson tries to shoot over a few Skyview defenders.

 

Basketball

Jordyn Wilds drives to the hoop for Camas.

To learn more, visit www.chs.camas.wednet.edu

 

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The Bea 1000: Washougal Basketball Player Surpasses 1,000 Points

By Dan Trujillo

All for Washougal stood up and hollered when Beyonce Bea eclipsed 1,000 points and 600 rebounds in her high school basketball career Wednesday.

“It felt amazing,” she said. “It was really nice to do it at home. That’s what we all wanted, because the fans and my teammates made it happen and helped me get to this point.”

But more importantly to Bea, the Panthers defeated Hockinson 79-67 to improve to 3-0 in league play.

“The fact that it was a home game against a tough league opponent that we all love to beat … that just made it more special,” she said.

Bea came into the game 27 points shy of 1,000. She finished with 33 points, shooting 11-for-16 from the field and 11-for-14 from the foul line. She also racked up 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 4 blocks.

“Her teammates found her when she was open. They kept feeding her the ball. She was hot,” said head coach Britney Knotts.

Once Bea got to one thousand in the fourth quarter, Knotts called timeout so she could give the Panther a ball signed by her teammates and coaches.

Bea

Beyonce Bea takes home the game ball and another one signed by her teammates and coaches. The Washougal High School junior ranks fourth all-time with 1,006 points.

“It was amazing,” Knotts said. “I’ve never had a player reach a thousand. Those are things you hear about.”

Skylar Bea also had a big night for Washougal. The freshman collected 15 points and 8 rebounds. McKinley Stotts added 9 points and 5 rebounds. Ashley Gibbons netted 8 points. Kiara Cross chipped in 4 points, 6 assists and 9 rebounds.

Beyonce Bea is already the best rebounder in school history. She ranks fourth in career scoring with 1,006 points. Krissy Bassett holds Washougal’s all-time record with 1,351 points, followed by Alyssa Blankenship (1,241) and Kim Rink (1,169).

Bassett and Blankenship eclipsed 1,000 points when they were high school seniors. Bea is just a junior.

“I dedicate this to my parents and coaches,” Bea said. “They all have pushed me and they believe in me. Without them, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

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Camas Boys Swim Team Wins Wednesday’s Dual; Preps For Kelso Meets

Lacamas Athletic Club, Camas, WA — The Papermaker swim team hosted Battle Ground and Prairie High Schools at Wednesday’s dual meet, beating the competition but acknowledging they have more work to do, as a team, before next week’s Kelso meets.

They also made other news Wednesday: Camas has now qualified three relays for State, as well as Eric Wu in the 200m IM and 100m Back. Mark Kim also made a State cut in the 50m Free, and Jaden Kim in the 100 Fly.

“We’re adjusting after winter break,” said Camas co-captain, Finn McClone. “We didn’t look as good as we should. We’re in recovery from lack of winter training, although a few of us did double duty over the break.”

McClone, Eric Wu, and Dave Peddie put in extra swim training over the holidays to stay on track.

“As a team, we really need to fine tune our strokes,” said Wu. “And, Dave Peddie is an absolute workhorse. He’s very motivated, and he’s inspirational. We’ll be ready for the bigger meets.”

Plus, the boys tried something new Wednesday — Zach Macia sang the National Anthem as Jaden Kim and Dave Peddie held up the American flag.

“It was my own rendition,” said Macia. “I was inspired by Jake, Landon, and Luke to do it.”

Swim

Getting ready for the National Anthem. From left: Jaden Kim, Zach Macia, and Dave Peddie.

Swim Event Results

200m Medley Relay

  • 1st Place: Camas — Chris Xia, Jaden Kim, Eric Wu, Mark Kim (1:54.54)
  • 2nd Place: Battle Ground — Alex Curran, Marcelo Lombardi, Sam Anderson, Seth Colpitts (1:56.35)
  • 3rd Place: Camas — Josef Kiesenhofer, Dave Peddie, Jack Harris, Ben Taylor (2:06.17)

200m Free Relay

  • 1st Place: Finn McClone, Camas (2:02.28)
  • 2nd Place: Austin Fogel, Camas (2:09.05)
  • 3rd Place: Junha Lee (2:13.16)

200m IM

  • 1st Place: Eric Wu, Camas (2:15.12)
  • 2nd Place: Alex Curran, Battle Ground (2:25.30)
  • 3rd Place: Chris Xia, Camas (2:26.16)

50m Free

  • 1st Place: Mark Kim, Camas (25.05)
  • 2nd Place: Marcelo Lombardi, Battle Ground  (25.60)
  • 3rd Place: Ben Taylor, Camas (27.14)
Swim

50 Free Start.

100m Fly

  • 1st Place: Ben Jones, Prairie (54.94)
  • 2nd Place: Cameron Barnes, Battle Ground (56.14)
  • 3rd Place: Jaden Kim, Camas (59.06)

100m Free

  • 1st Place: Marcelo Lombardi, Battle Ground (56.94)
  • 2nd Place: Sam Anderson, Battle Ground (57.78)
  • 3rd Place: Junha Lee, Camas (58.80)

400m Free

  • 1st Place: Chris Xia, Camas (4:38.89)
  • 2nd Place: Colton Sadler, Prairie (5:01.08)
  • 3rd Place: Drew Forstrom, Battle Ground (5:25.41)

200m Free Relay

  • 1st Place: Battle Ground — Sam Anderson, Seth Colpitts, Alex Curran, Marcelo Lombardi (1:46.98)
  • 2nd Place: Camas — Austin Fogel, Ben Taylor, Luke Bales, Junha Lee (1:47.82)
  • 3rd Place: Prairie — Colton Sadler, Chase Clary, Nathan Tuck, Ben Jones (2:05.62)
Swim

Camas Co-Captain Finn McClone.

100m Back

  • 1st Place: Eric Wu, Camas (1:02.57)
  • 2nd Place: Alex Curran, Battle Ground (1:04.01)
  • 3rd Place: Isaiah Ross, Washougal (1:06.24)

100m Breast

  • 1st Place: Austin Fogel, Camas (1:12.81)
  • 2nd Place: Mark Kim, Camas (1:14.41)
  • 3rd Place: Sam Anderson, Battle Ground (1:22.80)

400m Free Relay

  • 1st Place: Camas — Mark Kim, Austin Fogel, Finn McClone, Luke Bales (4:02.28)
  • 2nd Place: Prairie — Ben Jones, Nathan Tuck, Chase Clary, Colton Sadler (4:06.20)
  • 3rd Place: Camas — Jack Harris, Junha Lee, Josef Kiesenhofer, Dave Peddie (4:23.84)

 

Swim Meet Gallery

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PAC Coast Tournament: Papermaker Tanner Craig Earns 1st Place; Team 5th

Vancouver, WA — Camas wrestler Tanner Craig was down 3-0 against two-time Oregon state champion Joey Coste in the Finals match on Saturday at the Pacific Coast Wrestling Championship, but he was undaunted.

After the beginning of the second period, the mild-mannered Craig went into battle mode, turning the accomplished Coste into a pretzel, and winning the finals match 9-4.

“I just kept pushing, I knew I had a bigger gas tank than a lot of people I wrestle,” said Craig. “So I kept pushing, I ended up taking him down, and got some back points, which put me ahead by two, I kept pushing and got a take down. I knew I could outlast him.”

But, going into the match, Craig wasn’t so sure.

“It was a big deal for me to beat him,” said Craig. “He’s a two-time state champion, and I saw him wrestle last season. Going in, I thought I was going to lose to Coste, but then when I saw my name in the hole, I felt I could beat him.”

The win gives Craig a 30-1 record for this wrestling season.

Samuel Malychewski battled it out with Skyview’s Jackson McKinney and barely lost the highly anticipated finals match. Rylan Thompson placed second in his finals match, and Gideon Malychewski placed third at the tournament.

“I don’t know what drives Tanner,” said coach Cory Vom Baur. “But he goes 100 percent throughout every wrestling tournament. His dad was the same way, and he’s one of our coaches. He has good lungs, and he has a mindset about him where he knows he’s going to get his opponent tired, and that pays dividends. He’s a hard, hard worker.”

Vom Baur said the boys did well at PAC Coast, and that Samuel and Rylan’s matches were really close. The boys head to Bremerton for Gut Check, which is one the largest tournaments of the season.

To learn more, visit www.camaswrestling.com

Wrestling Images

 

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Camas High School Gymnastics Team Keeps Eye On The Prize

Camas, WA — On a cold winter day during Christmas break, as most people were on vacation, the Camas Gymnastics team was hard at work practicing their floor routines, beams, vaults and bars — all with their eye on winning the State championship this season.

The talented team, lead by experienced gymnastics coach, Carol Willson, hasn’t lost a district meet in five years, and placed second last year at State, against perennial winner, Woodinville.

“They’re just amazing kids,” said Willson. “They’ve been doing this since they were little bitty. It’s about talent and experience. Lots of experience. Hard work, and lots of social time.”

The 22-member practices at least five days week, two or more hours at a time, and most compete in all four events (floor, beams, vaults, and bars).

Catching her breath after a floor routine practice, Joy Marsh explained how team bonding is a big contributor to their success.

“Most of us compete together in club so we know each other well,” said Marsh. “We just get along with each other. Everyone works really hard — we’re a very focused team.”

Sophomore Lizzy Wing made a return to the sport after a four-year hiatus.

“I did gymnastics until I was 11, then I did competitive cheer, and took a break from that,” said sophomore, Lizzy Wing. “Then I did football cheer, and then I had nothing to do, so I thought I’d do gymnastics.”

And, they love having her on the team.

“She has a lot of talent and drive,” said Willson, of Wing. “We happy to have her.”

Willson said she’s excited about what’s happening with their team, as new athletes have joined the team. She’s also excited about the future.

“We have several girls in middle school right now that are really good,” said Willson. “We’d really like to win State, and these girls are driven. They’re focused. The future is bright.”

Their next meet is Saturday, January 6 at Naydenov in Vancouver. We will post details from those events.

Gymnastics Team Roster

This year’s team includes:

  • Shea McGee
  • Alyssa Shibata
  • Jacqueline Purwins
  • Madison Martin
  • Joy Marsh
  • Morgan MacIntyre
  • Michaela Lasher
  • Amber Harris
  • Kaitlyn Blair
  • Annika Affleck
  • Siena Brophy
  • Annie Danielson
  • Rachel Nicacio
  • Quyen Do
  • Hallen McCallum
  • Abby Martin
  • Grace Alonzo
  • Lyne McGee
  • Lizzy Wing
  • MacKenzie Merritt
  • Katie Stevens (Washougal)
  • Hannah Sturgis

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To learn more visit, www.chs.camas.wednet.edu

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The Rood Standard: Camas Goalkeeper Key to National Championship

By Dan Trujillo

Lauren Rood says pressure is a privilege.

“You can’t be afraid to fail,” she said. “You have to be able to look at failure straight on and say, ‘Not today. I’ve worked too hard for this.’”

The goalkeeper from Camas took pressure head on every single day as a member of the NCAA championship clinching Stanford University women’s soccer team. And the Cardinal passed with flying colors.

Rood collected 13 saves in 10 games. She allowed just two goals all season, which converts to a 0.22 goals against average. Stanford went 9-0 in the games Rood defended the goal, and the sophomore helped preserve seven shutouts.

“She was a major contributor. Her work ethic and dedication to the team was tremendous,” said head coach Paul Ratcliffe. “She had some big performances throughout the season that helped propel us to the championship.”

Rood made first career start on Aug. 20 against Wisconsin. Stanford won 1-0, and Rood secured her first shutout.

“I was beyond excited,” Rood recalled. “I told myself, ‘Get through the first five minutes. Get that first touch on the ball.’ Once I get that first touch, I’m locked in and I know that everything is going to be fine.”

She earned two saves in wins against Santa Clara, Sept. 17, and Arizona, Sept. 28. And then three saves in victories over Washington, Oct. 13, and Oregon State, Oct. 22. Between Sept. 21 and Oct. 29, Stanford played 788 minutes, 28 seconds without allowing a goal.

According to her player profile, Rood made a “miraculous save” to preserve a 1-0 lead late in the game against Washington. Following that performance, the Pacific-12 Conference selected Rood as Goalkeeper of the Week.

“As a goalkeeper, you have to wait and wait and wait and stay locked in,” Rood said. “It could be the 85th minute, or the final seconds of the game, when they get a breakaway. You have to be ready to save the ball. That’s why you train and why you play.”

Stanford clinched its third straight Pac-12 championship, but the women wanted to achieve more. Unfortunately, Rood suffered a concussion in training and was unable to contribute on the field. She never missed a practice or a game, and finally made her first postseason appearance Nov. 24, against Penn State. Stanford won 4-0, and Rood shared the shutout with Alison Jahansouz.

Rood

Stanford, CA – October 13, 2017: Stanford defeated Washington 1-0 during a women’s soccer match at Cagan Stadium. Photo by StanfordPhoto.

“My coach didn’t want to rush me back, or change the lineup, and I respected that,” Rood said. “Once I was able to start training again, I felt like I was back with the team.

“We pushed each other every single day, and we made each other better,” she added. “It was such a great atmosphere to be in. Every single day, you have to prove yourself.”

It all came to a head Dec. 3, when Stanford defeated UCLA, 3-2, for the NCAA championship, in Orlando, Florida.

“Our ultimate dream was to win the national championship,” Rood said. “That one moment was worth all the hard work that we put into the season.”

On Oct. 10, the Stanford men’s soccer team outlasted Indiana, 1-0 in double overtime, to capture the NCAA championship, in Chester, Pennsylvania. Ratcliffe said this was the first time a Pac-12 college won two national soccer titles in the same season.

Before this blossomed into a championship season, Rood believes the seeds were planted after a 3-2 loss to the University of Florida, three games from the start.

“It was a big wake up call for our team,” she said. “We have great players, but every single day, you have to show up and give everything you have in your heart. We never wanted to feel like that again. That was motivation every day.”

The women rebounded, finished the season 24-1 and rose the national championship. It was a season Rood will never forget. One that sets a new standard at Stanford.

“Embrace the moments you have every step of the way, even the bad ones,” Rood said. “Pressure is a privilege. You have to be able to manage those failures and turn them into success later.”

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Revolving Panthers Take the Lead: WHS Hoops Teams Both 2-0 in league

By Dan Trujillo

Jakob Davis will never forget what happened on Friday the 13th.

The sophomore caught his second first down for the Washougal High School football team in a big league game at Woodland. He tried to leap over the defender, but got flipped over and landed hard. Davis heard the snap and then felt the pain.

“It’s broke! It’s broke! It’s broke!” He shouted. His coaches and teammates could hear the agony. There was nothing they could do.

Davis dislocated his elbow. A few weeks later, he was back at practices catching footballs with one hand. His season was over, but Davis was determined to heal up and compete again for the Panthers very soon.

“I just love basketball,” he said. “I’ve loved it since I was a kid. I always want to keep playing.”

Once Davis was cleared, new head coach AJ LaBree welcomed him with open arms. All of the sudden, the Panthers had another weapon in the arsenal.

“He has a really versatile skill set,” LaBree said of Davis. “We’re excited to have him back out there, just to see some of the things he can do. I think he’s just going to get better as he gets more comfortable.”

In just his second game of the season, Davis scored 16 points to help Washougal defeat R.A. Long 80-53 Dec. 19. Troy Prince-Butterfield, Carson Adams and Moses McEwen also scored in double figures for the Panthers.

Panther

Jakob Davis takes a tough shot for Washougal and earns a trip to the foul line. Photo by Dan Trujillo.

Thursday’s home game against Ridgefield turned into a more difficult challenge. The Spudders rallied to within three points late in the game, before the Panthers pulled away for a 54-45 victory. McEwen rose to the occasion with deep threes, rebounds, blocks and 24 points.

“I’ve been in a slump, lately, so it was good to get out of that,” McEwen said. “When the shot clock’s running down, you can only do one thing, so it’s pretty easy to let it go.”

McEwen dropped four 3-pointers on Ridgefield, including the deepest one in the final minute of the game.

“When he’s got it going, it’s really pretty,” LaBree said. “He’s got a gorgeous looking shot. High arching. Soft falling. All that good stuff.”

Kade Coons and Prince-Butterfield also hit clutch threes for the Panthers. Adams, Coons and Davis came through with big rebounds and putbacks for foul shots.

“Some of those guys made a mistake before. For them to not be afraid, come right back and try to do the right thing says a lot about their character,” LaBree said. “You don’t mean to turn the ball over or miss a shot, but it happens. You have to come back from that, and that’s what they did. A little adversity never hurts.”

Washougal (6-4) hosts Prairie tonight in the last game of December. Tip off is at 7 p.m.

“Prairie is going to be the toughest team we have faced so far,” LaBree said. “We’re excited for our opportunity to see what that’s like and see if we can hang around for a while.”

Washougal Girls Win Again

The Panther girls basketball team peeled the Spudders 56-41 Wednesday, in Ridgefield.

Beyonce Bea led Washougal with 21 points and nine rebounds. Her sister, Skylar, added 14 points and 10 rebounds. McKinley Stotts chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Washougal (6-3) hosts Hockinson Wednesday, Jan. 3, and goes to Skyview Saturday, Jan. 6. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

Beyonce Bea is 27 points away from 1,000 for her high school career. The junior is already the school’s leading rebounder.

Panthers Image Gallery

Photos by Dan Trujillo

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