A leaderboard brimming with school soccer records hangs in the locker room at Auburn Riverside, where players from both middle and high school teams often glance with hopes of, someday, seeing themselves.
One name has monopolized the program’s offensive record books over four years, when Samiah Shell first stepped onto the field as a Raven. The senior forward’s name is now commonplace on the locker room wall, pasted over those she surpassed.
Shell is the school’s all-time leader in goals, assists, and points. How many records does she own, to be exact?
“Like, all of the offensive ones,” said Ravens head coach Paul Lewis, chuckling at Auburn Riverside High School on Tuesday.
“It’s crazy.”
Shell is a “true offensive terror,” a dominant and fearless scorer who simultaneously led the program in assists four years straight. She stacked 80 goals and 59 assists in four years at Auburn Riverside, and was recently named a High School All-American.
“Samiah’s always said, ‘bring it,’” Lewis said. “‘It’s not just me, it’s the rest of us.’
“She’s OK with being the provider. You want to stop (her) from scoring? (She) can bend the defense out of shape so that other people can have free runs. … (She’s) dangerous, but she’s looking to get other people involved.”
Shell is The News Tribune’s All-Area high school girls soccer player of the year.
“It’s definitely a huge honor to know that I’ve (accomplished) this much over the last four years,” she told The News Tribune on Tuesday. “But, most of all, I can’t just give credit to myself. I wouldn’t be here without my teammates. I’m definitely grateful for my seniors (during) my freshman year, and my underclassmen right now.”
Shell was the driver of Auburn Riverside’s potent attack, possessing the keys to the offense and able to step on the gas in a moment’s notice.
Opposing coaches schemed for the senior forward, and many were left scratching their heads. Lewis watched regularly as opponents assigned their best athlete to Shell out of necessity. Others tried double-teaming her.
One 4A coach described Shell as a “big goal scorer” and “team leader.” One 3A SSC coach described: “Impressive to watch!”
But Shell’s identity remains defined more by her selflessness – a distinct ability to share the ball when defenders ultimately flocked her way.
“I’m grateful for that,” she said, referencing opposing defensive schemes. “It makes me a better player.
“I’d get annoyed, like, ‘they’re man-marking me, or they have two players on me.’ But the thing is, it helps me think more outside the box. It challenges me a lot more.”
Shell’s name several times over on the locker-room leaderboard created a tradition among younger Ravens: to chase down the star forward’s lofty numbers.
Caitlyn Riggs, a sophomore forward, peered to the board earlier this season.
“I’m gonna try to catch Samiah,” she later told Lewis, excitedly. “Someway, somehow.”
Shell helped propel Auburn Riverside to five straight league titles and two district titles in four years. Her 23 goals as a senior ranked 11th in the state among all classifications and tied Ridgeline’s Preslie Young for most in 3A.
An 18-2 overall record earned the bracket’s second seed, but Auburn Riverside ultimately fell in the state quarterfinals when No. 7 Roosevelt prevailed, 2-0. Considered an upset, the Rough Riders galloped to the championship match and eventually fell to top-ranked Bellevue on Nov. 19, 1-0.
Shell was the “party starter” through Auburn Riverside’s final win of 2022, a 6-0 rout over Lakes in the tournament’s opening round. She logged a hat trick in her final high school win, using confidence to be as creative on the ball as any forward Lewis has coached.
“Not many players have the opportunity to score three goals in a state game,” Shell began. “But again, credit to my teammates for those balls. I wouldn’t have got those goals without them.”
Shell won’t be going far. A University of Washington commit for over a year, the senior opted for what she described as a “top dream school” while keeping options open.
“You know when you go someplace and (feel) like you’re at home? It really felt like (that), not because I was home, but because of the community, the culture, and the coaches,” she said. “I wanted to stay in the PAC-12.”
Shell leaves behind a solidified legacy and tradition to be followed. Her records linger, untouched, for now.
“There are kids that have said before, ‘I’m always going to be able to say that I played with Samiah Shell,’” Lewis said. “I mean, older kids. Because they know she’s a special talent, and a special person.”
