Mount Si High School’s football team is safely back home this morning in the Valley, but sadly with their season having come to an end though. However, this community will be forever thankful for the run these boys made representing their Valley in the playoffs these last three weeks, a run that didn’t stop until the final whistle sounded yesterday.
Mount Si started out strong, but saw Camas, through tough defense and a strong effort from their top running back, take control and end up cruising to a 35-14 victory in the WIAA state 4A semifinal game yesterday afternoon at McKenzie Stadium in Vancouver. RB Jacques Badolato-Birdsell ran for over 130 yards and four touchdowns as the Papermakers advanced to the state title game next week, where they’ll meet Bothell, who beat Woodinville in the other semi yesterday at Pop Keeney Stadium in Bothell.
As noted, things started out well for the Wildcats, with Cole Norah running it a short distance into the end zone to open the scoring early in the first quarter. Camas quickly responded with an 80-yard hookup from QB Blake Ascuitto to receiver Jackson Clemmer then the Papermaker defense shut things down from there, holding the Wildcat offense at bay while Badolato-Birdsell did the rest. Mount Si had their chances, but missed opportunities also hurt the Wildcats.
A Kaleb Dalgleish interception of a Ascuitto pass late in the first half set up Mount Si’s final TD as it turned out of the season, a double-reverse play in which the ball ended up in the hands of senior receiver Brayden Holt who then ran it into the end zone for six. But Camas controlled the second half, and especially the fourth quarter, as its offensive line took charge and helped Badolato-Birdsell run with ease, getting tough yards while also chewing up valuable time. The junior finished it off with his fourth TD with a couple of minutes left in regulation, and while Mount Si made a valiant effort to score one last time in crunch time, it proved to be too late and as it was, that effort failed to materialize as Camas proved to be a very tough foe on neutral turf yesterday.
The Wildcats finish their season at 10-3.
Snoqualmie Valley Sports Journal 