NEI/WIAA Network Game of the Week: #3 Camas (6-0) @ Union (5-1): By Jordan Johnson

 

*This game is being featured as a Game Of The Week and you can find the online broadcast at WIAANetwork.com . When the game ends it will be archived and available to view within the hour. This is a free service presented by PlayOn! Sports.

#3 CAMAS (6-0)

 

QB

Reilly Hennessey 6-3 185 Jr


Hennessey is ranked as one of our top junior QB’s in the state of Washington. He has a huge upside, and a legit frame and is ranked #4 on our Top QB list for the class of 2014. Thus far he is 93-150 for 1473 yards, with 13 Tds/5 Int’s. Reiley is a baller and I was super impressed with his play a few weeks back against Skyview. The kids just a very good athlete and is a legit dual threat QB.

 

RB

Nate Beasley 5-11 175 Jr
Vincent Huber 5-11 195 Sr
Jason Vailea (FB) 6-2 235 Jr
John Norcross (FB) 6-2 225 Sr


Beasley is one of the top junior RB’s in the state. He runs hard and is very effective catching the ball out of the backfield. He has 15 total tds (10 rushing, 5 receiving), and has accumulated 845 all purpose yards (570 rushing, 275 receiving). Huber has good speed and has found the end zone on multiple occasions, while the Papermaker fullbacks blow people up all day if given the opportunity.

Norcross went off two weeks ago scoring 5 Tds and showing that he is equally dangerous on the offensive side of the ball. Vailea is a only a junior and a team leader, and is one of the best underclassmen in the entire state. I can’t tell you how impressed I was with Beasley’s ability to excel and hit holes hard, the kid is super legit and ranked our #4 Junior back in Washington.

 

WR

Zach Eagle 5-9 170 Jr
Connor Maloney 6-1 180 Sr
Jack Beall 6-2 175 Sr
Cole Roberts 5-8 155 Jr
Dustin Krecklow 6-1 175 Jr
James Price 6-1 175 Jr


Hennessey has been able to find a mixture of targets through the air and out of the backfield with Beasley. Zach Eagle is the real deal and is a threat any time he gets the ball. We have added him to our top junior “Slot/ATH” list and he will also be ranked as a top DB state wide. He is one of the top two way junior threats in Washington. Maloney and Beall have both gotten in the end zone as of late and are good size targets for the talented Jr QB to throw to.

 

OL

Drew Clarkson 6-4 275 Jr
Chris Durrett 6-2 270 Jr
Alex Walker 6-2 230 So
Nick Langer 6-2 200 Sr
Matt Walser 6-2 260 Jr
Troy Patterson 6-1 215 Sr
Chase Lea 5-8 210 Sr


The Camas O line has done a phenomenal job thus far creating time for Hennessey. They are very effective and play to their strengths. Beasley doesn’t have to go between the tackles all the time, so as long as they stay athletic and healthy they will be good. Clarkson has been awesome and has been one of the better lineman in Washington and Durrett is one of the top kids in WA both offensively and defensively.

 

DL

Chris Durrett 6-2 270 Jr
Jason Vailea 6-2 235 Jr
Luke Minder 6-2 230 Sr
Alex Walker 6-2 230 So
Thomas Hudson 5-9 205 Jr


The Papermaker line has been pretty dominant as they have two of the top junior lineman in the state of Washington leading it. Durrett is ranked as a top junior lineman, and is a beast inside. He projects at the D1 level and creates match up problems all over the place. Vailea is more of an athletic strong man, with a LB body. He has a non stop motor and was a second team all league DL last season. The Camas defensive front is so very fast just makes things happen. They have some of the best coaching in the region, and a very impressive and fairly young team.

 

LB

John Norcross 6-2 225 Sr
Nick Gadbaw 6-1 205 Sr
Michael Digenova 6-2 210 Sr
Colton Dowd 6-2 205 Sr
Troy Patterson 6-1 215 Sr
Austin Kaphammer 5-10 190 Jr
Young Ethar 5-8 165 Jr


Norcross is a beast and extremely underrated on a state wide level. He was a first team all league backer and the conference defensive player of the year as a junior. He provides the Papermakers much needed experience in the middle which has only helped better the play of his teammates. Gadbaw and Digenova have both been playing well. The Camas backers have legit size and fly to the ball, making this one of the top defenses in the state of Washington. This may be the fastest and most productive group in the state, based on their performance against Skyview a few weeks back.

 

DB

Zach Eagle 5-9 170 Jr
Connor Maloney 6-1 180 Sr
Michael Johnson 6-0 170 Jr
Dustin Krecklow 6-1 175 Jr
Stephen Jesmer 5-9 165 So


Eagle is everywhere and one of the most talented two way athletes in the state. He has multiple picks on the season and should be considered one of the most dangerous kids on the field whether its O or D. Maloney and Johnson have both stepped up as of late and done a great job locking it down for the Papermakers.

 

(Camas QB Reilly Hennessey is quickly becoming one of the best 2014 QBs in the state with the 6-0 Papermakers)

 

UNION (5-1)

 

QB

Nolan Henry 6-1 175 So


Henry is one of the top QB’s in the entire NW for the class of 2015. He is the cousin of St Louis Rams QB Kellen Clemens, and a leader in every sense of the word..So far Henry has played like a senior and projects as a high level D1 kid. His role has been to manage the game, which he has done very well. He has thrown 5 Tds and 0 Int’s in 6 games, with the emphasis being on him not turning the ball over. He has been very efficient hitting on almost 70% of his passes going 69/104 for 967 yards. He is ranked our #2 QB state wide for the Sophomore class, and is one of my favorite kids on the planet.

 

FB

Alex Berfanger 5-9 180 Sr


Berfanger’s a two way stand out that is able to contribute on both sides of the ball, but he is still young, so he will have to really step up against one of the best defensive fronts in the entire region.

 

RB

Leon Siofele 5-11 200 Jr
James Munson 5-8 195 Sr


Siofele returned from an injury sustained last season, and has looked like the back of the future.. He has rushed 84 times for 522 yards and 13 Total Tds as he is ranked as one of our top backs in Washington. He is a big strong kid that will get the biggest test of his life against Norcross and company.

 

WR

Trent Cowan 6-4 205 Sr
Bryce Evans 6-2 185 Sr
Treve’ Ensley 5-10 175 Sr


All three of these kids go both ways and are some of the top athletes within the conference. Cowan is one of the better two way players in the state and has a scholarship offer to Idaho as an athlete/punter. He has really stepped his game up as of late, hauling in 39 passes for 558 yards and 3 Tds on the season. Evans and Ensley are two of the most underrated players in the NW, and provide solid targets for Henry. The receiving core is a definite strong point.

 

TE

Michael Merfeld 6-4 230 Sr
Taala Letioa 6-0 215 Jr


Merfeld is a beast and will be a much needed player against a very physical team. He is a talented kid that can move.

 

OL

Connor Wong 5-11 210 Jr
Mason Proudfitt 6-2 220 Sr
Matt Reeves 6-1 220 Sr
Aaron Anderson 5-11 250 Jr
Tate Nelson 6-1 220 So
Kameron Brant 6-0 225 Sr
Josh Lee 5-11 235 Jr


The Titans are still pretty light up front, but if any group has overachieved it has been the offensive line. They have protected Henry against some very big and talented teams such as Jesuit and just continue to get better. Tate Nelson is a remarkably talented sophomore that has really stepped up. They will be challenged this week, just as they were at Jesuit.

 

DL

Michael Merfeld 6-4 230 Sr
Dennis Mamontov 5-10 235 Sr
Nick Henderson 6-0 300 Sr
Taala Letioa 6-0 215 Jr


The Titans will have to win this battle if they want to have a chance. They must be able to wrap up and handle the bigger backs, while keeping Beasley in check which can be a chore. If they are blown off the ball its going to be a long night. Henderson and Merfeld will need to go off.

 

LB

Alex Berfanger 5-9 180 So
Leon Siofele 5-11 200 Jr
Kevin Grimsted 5-9 195 Sr
Paul Gladkov 5-11 205 Sr
Tate Nelson 6-1 220 So
Matt Reeves 6-1 220 Sr


Union has some very talented underclassmen, but it may be very tough for the LB’s to deal with the Camas offense. The Union LB’s are good, but the Papermakers bring the thunder, and some of the young Union players will have to make sure tackles and fight off a nasty Camas group.

 

DB

Trent Cowan 6-4 205 Sr
Bryce Evans 6-2 185 Sr
Treve’ Ensley 5-10 175 Sr
Caleb Browning 5-10 155 Jr
Ethan Beniga 5-6 140 So


Cowan is a baller and will team with the usual suspects in Evans and Ensley. Hennessey isn’t going to beat this group deep, but he has done a good job picking people apart. The Union DB’s are extremely talented, and will have to come up and stop the run like they did in the second half against Jesuit.

 

Outlook:


This Camas team is super legit. In my opinion they have the best chance of any team other then Skyline of winning a 4a state title. What’s crazy is that they are still a young group much like Union, and will have many of these athletes for the next few years. Junior standouts (Beasley, Hennessey, Eagle, Durrett, and Vailea) provide outstanding talent with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Norcross being a difference maker. Beasley is a threat to take the ball to the house at any time, and may be the most dangerous kick returner in Washington other then Tatum Taylor.

Union is very similar in talent, with top sophomore QB Nolan Henry leading the way. The perimeter kids have consistently won their battles, and they are going to provide a stiff a test for Camas, much like against Skyview. I think it will come down to Union being able to stop the Camas Run, and specifically Beasley. His break away speed, and big game mentality are what make him special and the Titans will have to go on lock down mode against him.

The Titans showed they could play with anybody in the second half against the nationally ranked Jesuit Crusaders. I expect this game to be very close as Union should be a top 10 team at the 4a level. Both schools are young, but I will give Camas a slight edge in the end, simply due to a few game breakers and a defense that can flow to the ball as quick as anybody.

 

(When the 2015 QB Rankings come out you can expect to see Nolan Henry’s name near the top)

 

ADVANTAGES:

 

QB Even
RB Camas
WR Union (Slight)
OL Camas
DL Camas
LB Camas
DB Even

 

PREDICTION:

#3 Camas 31 Union 22