Eastside won impressively over Camas this weekend, taking a game between two of the strongest teams in the state of Washington, and perhaps more than that.
This game was tabbed by the Boys HS National Championships Committee as part of a play-in series involving Eastside, Camas, and Rainier. All three had applied to the championship, and the play-in option is often afforded to teams who are set to play each other anyway.
Already Eastside had beaten Rainier 29-5, and while Camas had not played the Highlanders, they had played, and beaten, Liberty, and Liberty had tied Rainier. So certainly the result between these two would decide something, with Eastside likely to clinch a place at the national tournament with a win.
From the opening whistle, the Eastside Lions established their dominance, swiftly encroaching into Camas territory. The crowd had barely settled when Kai Holec, Eastside's formidable prop, powered over for the opening score following an attacking lineout-and-maul. No. 8 Lewis Chambers curved a spectacular conversion from the sideline, setting the tone for a really strong Eastside performance.
The Lions' relentless pressure was epitomized by the thunderous runs from Etu Lolohea, Julian Notoa, and Chambers, who tore through the field with a blend of power and agility. Under the orchestration of scrumhalf Noah Clark, Eastside played with a rhythm and fluency that Camas struggled to counter.
03.17.2024HS Boys
The scoring continued as Parker Jackson, seizing a mid-field penalty, sliced through the defense to score under the posts. Camas showed their resilience, launching into the Eastside half. But they were up against a Lions defense led by Lawson Barton, Tristan Esterhuizen, AJ Tanupo, and Julian Notoa, who proved very difficult to break through.
So it was that Eastside scored next. A well-executed lineout move saw lineout force Austen Chen and Kai Holec combine to set up Chambers to thunder over.
The closing stages of the first half offered a glimmer of hope for Camas, as they capitalized on an offside penalty to take a penalty goal and make it 19-3. But that would be the final points of the day for Camas.
The second half was a continuation of Eastside's control of play, with Kellen Eskridge scored on a well-executed scrum move, and then converted his own effort. Etu Lolohea scored through shear power, while reserve wing Jerry Fleming chased down Eskridge's pinpoint kick for a highlight try.
The finale was as dramatic as it was emphatic. A defensive scrum on the Camas 22 saw hooker Dane Padgett steal the ball against the head. Eskridge's tactical kick, chased down by Clark, culminated in a swan dive over the line, a fitting end to an impressive display of rugby from Eastside. Final score, Eastside 45 Camas 3.
Eskridge was very impressive in playing perhaps his best game for the Lions. Head Coach Chris Stone praised his team's defense, and surely the Eastside defensive front was the best part of their showing on the day.
Next up for Eastside is a clash with Northern California power Granite Bay, who are making a tour to the Pacific Northwest.
