Camas stops Skyview, 21-9, to set up another 4A GSHL football reign, 3 takeaways

CAMAS, Wash. - Never underestimate a team on a roll.

Especially one that has had a county rival's number for more than a decade.

* WEEK 7 WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

Ninth-ranked Camas did it again Friday night - beat Skyview. The Papermakers took a big step in capturing another 4A GSHL title with a 21-9 win over the No, 2 Storm at Doc Harris Stadium.

Beau Harlan scored on two touchdown runs, and the Papermakers made life miserable for the high-powered Skyview offense, forcing three first-half turnovers and not allowing a Storm touchdown until there was 2:43 to go.

Camas quarterback Jake Davidson was an efficient 11 for 15 for 138 yards and a touchdown pass. Harlan and Titan Brody combined to rush for 141 yards

Camas has now won 13 games in a row over the Storm, dating back to 2012.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

CAMAS DEFENSE IS SPECIAL

The Papermakers lost their season opener, but in a lot of ways, they sure did not feel defeated.

In fact, the Papermakers gained a lot of confidence that night. They knew they had something special, even in defeat.

They held the defending Class 3A state champions to one touchdown, an 8-7 loss to Yelm.

Six games later, they held the Skyview Storm to one touchdown — one meaningless touchdown in the closing minutes.

“Film. Studying. Physicality. We did it to perfection,” said Trenton Swanson, who had an interception Friday night.

Camas held Skyview to 84 yards of offense in the first half and led 14-3 at the break. Skyview went three-and-out on the first drive of the second half, and by the time Skyview got the ball back again, it was 21-3.

Skyview would put up more yards in the second half than the first, but only got a touchdown with 2:47 remaining in the game.

The tone was set early in this one, too. Skyview blocked a punt after the opening possession of the game, and the Storm started at the Camas 17-yard line. The Storm made it to the 6-yard line, but four plays later they were kicking a field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Camas survived that sudden change, then dominated the rest of the night.

“The rankings don't mean anything. We knew that going into this game. We knew we were the better team,” Swanson said. “And we just did what we knew we were going to do. We executed, and we didn’t get into our own heads.”

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PAPERMAKERS GO OLD SCHOOL IN OFFENSIVE LINE

It was 14-3 early in the third quarter. Still anyone’s game. The next score would be crucial.

Had Skyview scored, oh, it would have been on, this game.

But if Camas could get the next touchdown, just maybe it would be lights out for the Storm.

That impressive Camas defense got a three-and-out stop of the Skyview offense on the first drive of the second half, and then it was time for the big guys to get after it for the Camas offense.

The Papermakers put together a 13-play, 87-yard drive that took five minutes, 33 seconds off the clock and added seven more points on the scoreboard.

There were a couple of pass plays early, but then the Camas coaches gave the order. Ground attack. Again and again.

In all, the Papermakers rushed 11 times for 63 tough yards. Beau Harlan capped the drive with a 14-yard touchdown run to make it 21-3.

Titan Brody had eight carries for 49 yards on the drive.

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SKYVIEW NEVER RECOVERED

“That’s Camas football right there. I love that,” said lineman Carson Osmus, who has announced his intention to sign with Washington State. “Let’s just run the ball at them. I’m really proud of my guys. We brought it together on that drive.”

Marc Jackson, the center, said it was tiring.

“But we have that dawg in us. We fought with all the energy we had to finish off the game. We ran it down their throats, all the way down the field, and scored another touchdown. We closed this game out. That’s what we do here at Camas.”

The guys up front:

Osmus at left tackle, Evan Paul at left guard, Jackson at center, right guard Jaxon Goode, right tackle Ethan Linerud, and tight end Nikko Speer.

Camas took the lead early in the second quarter when the line gave quarterback Jake Davidson the time to find Anthony Forner on a 26-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-down play.

“I love them. I wish I could give them all the food in the world,” Davidson said of the linemen. “Keep blocking for us.”

Skyview still has plans:

Up until last season, the four-team 4A GSHL had a history of having at least a couple of teams advance out of Week 10 to reach the state playoffs.

The Storm are disappointed in their performance Friday night, but coach Steve Kizer told his players that their goal of a long November playoff run is still there to achieve.

“We’ve got to get better," Kizer said.

“We played hard. We just made a bunch of mistakes we normally don’t make,” Kizer said. “Maybe it’s this place, but we didn’t do what we normally do. Give them some credit. Their O-line is great.”

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