Dual-threat Campau fuels Timberline in shutout win over rival North Thurston

When Timberline High School and crosstown rival North Thurston meet each season, there are always two elements guaranteed. The side that starts slowest usually doesn’t succeed. The side that comes out strong wins.

In this meeting, the 54th between the two Lacey schools, it was the Blazers (6-2) who came out slower than they planned. Penalties created setback after setback, and they managed just two first-half touchdowns.

However, the break seemed to rejuvenate senior quarterback Hunter Campau, and, in turn, sparked a fire in his teammates which led to a 35-0 rout of North Thurston on Friday night at South Sound Stadium in Thurston County’s oldest rivalry game.

“We just weren’t disciplined in the first half,” Timberline coach Nick Mullen said. “That’s all. This (rivalry) is strange because, in the first half one of us will play bad. That was us this game.”

North Thurston (2-6) marched down the field on its first drive, and running backs Jase Marcott and Eddie Martinez shared the rushing load to push the Rams just inside the red zone.

On the next play, Rams quarterback Keeton Maggard ran a play action and rolled right. He was hoping to find Gabriel Waldrop. Instead, Blazers safety Nephi Vimoto jumped the route, intercepted the ball just inches off the ground, and took it all the way back for an 80-yard score.

After Vimoto’s pick, the slowness set in. Both teams traded punts until the final minute of the first half.

Campau and Timberline running back Jaden Gorman led the drive, each ripping off long runs. Campau broke free for a 22-yard run that gave the Blazer’s a first down at the North Thurston one. Gorman finished the drive with a touchdown, giving Timberline the 14-0 lead with just seconds remaining in the half.

“Oh, all credit to the linemen,” Campau said. “We came in wanting to be the more dominant team, especially up front. In this (rivalry) game, the team that does that wins.”

For Campau, this game was personal.

This was the last time he was going to face the Rams. The consensus was, Timberline’s first half was forgettable and unacceptable.

The senior quarterback took that to heart. First, he took responsibility for the lackluster effort. Then, he did something about it.

With seven minutes, 15 seconds left in the third quarter, Campau took the ball from under center, tucked it, and took off to the left side. He broke free for a 42-yard run, his longest of the game, and gave the Blazers first-and-goal from the from the 2. He earned his first touchdown of the game on the next play.

“The first half was my fault,” Campau said. “I didn’t play my game, and didn’t play well at all. In the second half I challenged my offensive line to be more physical and they came through in a big way.”

Two minutes later, Campau did it again. He found yet another North Thurston hole on the left side of the line, and sprinted 36 yards for the score and a 28-0 lead.

With the game in firm control, with 4:41 left in the fourth quarter, it was only fitting that Mullen left his senior quarterback in the game, and Campau continued to play as if the game was close.

Campau ran the read option, kept the ball, and immediately looked left. Once again, the senior found an open path to the end zone and took advantage. He ran for 18 yards, the score and the win.

“He’s great,” Mullen said, “He scares me sometimes with his reads and his play sometimes, but he’s usually always right. Really special player.”

After Mullen finished his postgame speech, he was shown the stats. Each coach huddling over the stats had a different outburst of excitement.

When they finally broke, Mullen shouted: “Guess how many Hunter had today.” Different players threw out a variety of different guesses.

When Mullen announced the senior quarterback ran for 165 yards, the team roared and mobbed Campau in celebration. He also threw for 103 yards on 7 of 11 passing. All Mullen could do was turn and offer an impressed grin.

“Thing is,” Mullen said, “he does this kind of stuff all the time. You know he’s going to do amazing things, drive you crazy doing them sometimes. But, you know he’s going to be there and give it his all every time. That is a guarantee.”

The Blazers have now won six of the past seven meetings, including shutting out the Rams the past two seasons. North Thurston still holds a 28-26 lead in the all-time series.

T – Nephi Vimoto 80 interception return (Mason Joubert kick)

T – Jaden Gorman 1 run (Joubert kick)

T – Hunter Campau 2 run (Joubert kick)

T – Campau 36 run (Joubert kick)

T – Campau 18 run (Joubert kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Passing: T – Campau 7-11-103. NT – Keeton Maggard 6-17-2-48.

Rushing: T – Campau 22-165; Jaden Gorman 6-50; Stanton Hayes 5-40; Noah Cunningham 4-16; Jamin Fa’alogo 3-7. NT – Eddie Martinez 12-37; Jase Marcott 13-19.

Receiving: T – Trevor Joubert 1-19; Cunningham 1-18; J.J. Graham 1-17; Izaiah Jerenz 2-14; Max Aunese 1-9. NT – Armani Tonuao 1-21; Marcott 2-12; Josue Ochoa 1-8; Zablon Lamp 2-7.

This story was originally published October 19, 2018 at 11:56 PM.