Sports Desk: Shorecrest shines at district track meet

Boys 4x100 relay team. From left: Zach Ridenhour ,
Satchell McKee, Sammy Seliga, and Gabe Nelson

The Northwest District One 3A Track and Field Finals wrapped up late Friday night at Shoreline Stadium, too late for more than the raw results to be posted.

With the light of a new day, there’s time to give pats on the back, tell stories of persistence paying off and obstacles being overcome, and see what’s next for those athletes who qualified for this weekend’s State Championships.

On the boys side, Shorewood finished second behind boys (and girls) champion Edmonds-Woodway, while Shorecrest was fourth.

The Shorecrest girls finished second, with Shorewood coming in fifth.

Two senior Scots, in particular, seemed to epitomize the perseverance and dedication that only the greatest athletes possess.

Sammy Seliga was the lone junior (to three seniors) on last year’s 4x100 relay team that missed going to State by an eyelash.

He said, “I knew it was going to be a challenge just getting close to last year's success. But with some persistence and great coaching by the mastermind Coach C, we were able to find great success and now we are going to state! 

"This means so much to me because I knew our team last year should’ve made it to state easy, but we had bad luck on the worst day last year. This team has worked so hard to get to state that no matter the outcome I know we accomplished something that’s been driving me for the past year.”

Scots football fans will remember Seliga giving the Shorecrest faithful something to celebrate late in their last game when he ran an interception back the length of the field for the Scots’ only score, in a lopsided season-ending playoff loss to mighty Bellevue.

800 Champ Lauren Block (R) and second-place
finisher Livia Glascock.JPG

Lauren Block won the girls 800 Friday night for the third consecutive year.

Ho-hum, you say?

Hardly.

The University of Portland-bound runner nursed a foot injury during the winter that curtailed her preseason training by a good measure, and if that wasn’t enough, she was diagnosed with mononucleosis on March 20.

On top of that, she then spent three days in the hospital with pancreatitis.

Friday night she broke to the lead in the first 100 meters and never looked back, beating second-place teammate Livia Glascock by nearly six seconds. 

Block came up two seconds short of setting the school record, but she’ll get at least one more crack at it next weekend at State.

Block reflected on her HS track career that is rapidly coming to a close.

“My sophomore year, I was really excited about winning the 800 for the first time. I knew after that year that I wanted to defend my title for the next two years, but it wasn’t something I was completely sure could happen until I did it last night. 

"In the hospital, I wrote down the two things I still wanted to do this season despite having mono: win districts in the 800 and get the school record. Hopefully, I get my second goal next week, but it feels good to have at least achieved one of them so far.”

Block and Glascock on the Victory Stand

Here’s a list of all the SC athletes (and their events) who will compete at State next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Mount Tahoma HS.

GIRLS:
Dahlia McAllister - Long Jump / 4x200 Relay / 4x400 Relay
Eloika Schemmel - Triple Jump / 400m / 4x200 Relay / 4x400 Relay
Kiana Lino - Discus / Shot Put
Lily Visser - 1600m / 3200m
Lauren Block - 800m / 4x400 Relay
Amanda Kagarabi - 4x200 Relay
Christine Hoffman - 4x200 Relay (Alt.)
Livia Glascock - 800m / 4x400 Relay
Lorelei Starr - 4x200 Relay / 4x400 Relay
Morgan Leavitt - 100 Hurdles
Yemisi Bolonduro - 4x400 Relay (Alt.)

BOYS:
Spencer Thurman - 1600m / 3200m
Erik Luu - 1600m /3200m
Reed Adjibly - 400m / 4x400
Amdane Aboudou - 110 Hurdles / 300Hurdles / 4x400 Relay
Gabe Nelson - 4x100 Relay
Ian Mortensen - 4 x 400 Relay
Rafe Kruse- 4 x 400 Relay
Sammy Seliga- 4x100 Relay
Satchel McKee- 4x100 Relay / 4 x 400 Relay
Zachary Ridenhour- 4x100 Relay
Hunter Quick- 4x100 Relay (alt.)