By Charles Hamaker
Tukwila, WA – Another chapter in the storied rivalry of the Seattle Seawolves and San Diego Legion was written, and it was glorious for Seattle. The Seawolves started the first half with a bang, and the second half was all Seattle. Outside of the last 20 minutes of the first half, San Diego looked like they were lost at sea. With the win Seattle advances to the Western Conference Final, just two weeks after being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Yet, Seattle is currently on the road to a third MLR Shield.
Ross Neal fights for a ball in the air (Photo Mel Levin)
Put your best foot forward
Coming into a game like this, with all the circumstances, a good start would do wonders for Seattle. And boy, did they get a good start. After the Legion scored a try just three minutes in, the next 17 minutes was all Seattle. AJ Alatimu converted a penalty kick, the Seawolves scored a try off of a scrum, AJ Alatimu converted another penalty kick, and Duncan Matthews scored a try. At the hydration break, Seattle had jumped out to a 20-7 lead. San Diego’s lead after their third minute try was the only lead they had all game.
Duncan Matthews scores a try (Photo Mel Levin)
Alatimu clinical
Seattle Flyhalf AJ Alatimu, the MLR leader in successful goal kicking, was on point with his kicks. In the Seawolves biggest game of the season, Alatimu delivered when called up, converting five penalty kicks and four conversion kicks. While Seattle as a whole should be credited for drawing eight penalties on San Diego, Alatimu helped his team take advantage of those penalties by converting every kick. For a team playing with house money and on the road to another title, things like converting kicks is very key.
AJ Alatimu was perfect on his kicks (Photo Mel levin)
In the hunt for #3
With the romping victory, the Seawolves will now travel down to Houston to take on the SaberCats. Seattle was originally scheduled to play Houston on this date, but with the Giltinis disqualified from the playoffs, the SaberCats took the highest seed. The Western Conference will be decided between two teams that were playing for their lives against each other back on May 27th, a game that Seattle barely won.
Seattle will play in the Western Conference Championship, which takes place on June 18th with a 4PM PST kickoff at Aveva Stadium. The SaberCats will be coming off of one week's rest, but the Seawolves are the team that has barreled into the postseason hot. If Seattle is able to advance, they will battle either Rugby New York or the New England Free Jacks, two teams they lost to earlier in the season.
Photos by Melissa Levin! Thank you Mel!
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