All Camas Baseball Teams Sweep Hudson's Bay Over The Weekend

All three Camas High School baseball teams swept the competition in five games on March 24 under blue and sunny skies.

Varsity played their third game of the season at Hudson’s Bay, winning 8-2 and putting their season record at 2-1. Dylan White, Luke Minder and Tyler Hallead pitched.

Head Coach Joe Hallead was pleased with the results and looks forward to the next game. “They played well today,” he said. “It was great playing in this kind of weather.”

Junior Varsity had a double header with Hudson’s Bay in Vancouver and won both games: 16-0 and 10-6, respectively. These were their first two games of the season.

Drew Watson and Zach Johnson pitched the first game, while Chase Gallagher, Sean McClanahan and Jonnie Beets pitched the second.

“We had good hits in the first game, but the second game was rough,” said McClanahan. “I gave up a few runs on pitching, but we still won.”

Freshman McKinley LeFore pitches against Hudson's Bay.

The C Team also had a doubleheader at home versus Hudson’s Bay. Their first game, earlier this week, was rained out before the bottom of the first inning. They won both games on Saturday: 19-0 and 18-5, respectively.

Coach Terry Belland pitched everyone that wanted to pitch and gave his starters a rest for most of the second game. In the first game, McKinley LeFore, Chase Lea, Brennan Dyehouse, and Sam Johnson all pitched during the five-inning competition.

Drew McClelland, Chase Lea and Kyle Hoover took the mound in the second game. They made an amazing double play between second and first.

“We had some excellent pitching today,” said Belland. “Didn’t have very many walks and the kids played well.”

"Really ..."

Brendan Geigenmiller gets ready to throw to first base.

Sam Johnson pitches against Hudson's Bay.

Jace Bolton gets ready to hit.

Tristan Archer is "safe."

Annual Helen Baller "50s Theme" Spring Program Fills The Camas High School Gym

All 25 classes at Helen Baller Elementary gathered at Camas High School on March 23 for their annual Spring Program, which had a “Fabulous 50s” musical theme.

Led by PE instructor Amy Wing, the school celebrated their ninth consecutive program at CHS with entertaining routines featuring 50’s songs, poodle skirts, hulahoops, giant lollipops, basketballs, wheels and numerous other fun props.

Wing is noted for her ability to coach the kids and prepare them well in advance of the annual performance. The show packed the house leaving little seating space while parents, family and friends were entertained for a little more than an hour.

Here are some images from the Annual Helen Baller Spring Concert held on March 23 at Camas High School. The event, orchestrated by Amy Wing, filled the entire gymnasium. A video recap is coming.

PE Instructor Amy Wing directs the students during one
of the performances at Friday's Spring Program.

Nico Bella Salon In Downtown Camas

Nico Bella Salon, in downtown Camas, is a full-service salon with a talented and amazing staff. Watch this fun commercial and become familiar with Nico Bella Salon ...

Unique Pacific Northwest Destinations: Historic Benjamin Young Inn at Astoria

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.

Weatherman Peebs Returns

Adam Peebles continues to develop his senior project at Camas High School by gathering weather data from several weather monitoring devices around his home. Adam asked Lacamas Magazine to assist him with some of the production of his project. He's been working hard so support him by watching this weekly forecast.

Todd Norrish Memorial Fund Set Up To Benefit Local Family After Tragic Loss

An Opportunity to Help a Family Who Already Gives Much to Camas

In case you want to reach out and help those in need in our very own community, there has been a fund set up to help support the Norrish Family (the father of Mika and Josie - whose father was killed in the plane crash last week. Both are students at Camas High School).

Donations can be made at any U.S. Bank to the Todd Norrish Memorial Fund. This is an opportunity to make a difference right here in our community to our very own kids! Thank you!

Nico Bella: Beauty, Elegance, Style

This is part of an ongoing series on Camas businesses. Nico Bella Salon is a full-service salon owned by Wendee Hanlon, who continues to give back to the community she lives in. The 7-minute video reviews the salon's history, its team and several happy clients.

Columbia River Swim Team Performs Well at Senior Sectionals; Prepares for Major Santa Clara Invitational This May

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.”