Shoreline High Schools’ Lacrosse crew rolls into state playoffs with comeback win on Friday

Sammy Seliga races up the field
leading a Shorecrest fastbreak

The Shorecrest lacrosse team needed a second half comeback to top the Division 1 Roosevelt Rough Riders in a non-league matchup Friday night for their eighth win in their final nine regular season contests, setting the stage for a first round trip to the Washington State 3A Lacrosse Playoffs.

Again Shorecrest’s seniors led the way for the Scots. WesCo leading scorer Reed Tangeman started off the scoring in the first quarter with his 31st goal of the season, but it was fellow senior tri-captain Calvin Acker that was the first half story for the Scots.

Acker, who started his lacrosse playing days as a first grader in the North Seattle Lacrosse program, the same as many of his Roosevelt opponents on the field, gave an unfriendly welcome to his former teammates, scoring four first quarter goals to stake the Scots to a 5-1 lead. 

However, the early deficit didn’t faze the visitors, who came back to tie the score at 6-6 with four straight goals to close out the half, followed by two quick scores to take an 8-6 lead on the Scots early in the 3rd Quarter.

Calvin Acker launches a shot over Roosevelt High defenders

At that point, the third of Shorecrest’s senior captains, Sammy Seliga, along with junior Travis Zapalac, went on a four goal run to turn the game around. 

Seliga scored a key goal to stop the six goal streak by Roosevelt and Zapalac followed with three straight goals, two of which came off assists by Seliga, to take control of the game.

Following a 4th quarter goal by Roosevelt to cut the lead to one, Seliga registered his 5th assist of the night on a fast break pass to freshman attackman Otto Begus, who found the net for his second goal of the contest to close out the scoring and seal the 11-9 non-league victory.

The Scots, made up of high school players from both Shorecrest and Shorewood High Schools, take their 10-2 record to Snohomish High School on Wednesday night to challenge the Panthers in their first trip to the State Tournament since 2016. Gametime is 7pm.