Matale girls and boys bag hockey titles

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen

Matale Schools underlined their supremacy at schools hockey when Sangamittha Girls College and Zahira College won the girls and boys hockey championship at the Royal College Astro turf in Colombo.

On their way to the championship title Girls College defeated Visakha Vidyalaya Colombo after a tough battle. The match itself ended in a scoreless draw. In the penalty shoot out which followed Sangamittha edged out their opponents 4-2.

The final produced exciting hockey in the field with both teams going hammer and tongs to win the plum. The Matale school took a little time in settling down as the Astro turf was alien to them as the one at the Nandamithra Ekanayake Hockey Stadium is no longer in use as it had outlived its period of usefulness to the point that it was dangerous as the ball rose up at un-predictable levels. The turf mat also blown up for the wind.

Sangamittha Girls College had been winning this championship in the past but Visakha Vidyalaya had entered the final after a lapse of 16 years.

St. Anthony's Girls College, Kandy won the third place by defeating the giant killers of this tournament Girls High School, Pandirippu from the Northern Province. It must be recalled that in the very first match of the tournament the Pandirippu girls created the biggest upset in the history of this championship by defeating the top favourites Seetha Devi Balika Vidyalaya 2-1 and this was no fluke as their win came through field goals. Though lacking a little in skills, they countered the strong points of Seetha Devi Girls College with long hits and brilliant steps. They were in possession of the ball inside the scoring range of the semi circle only on three occasions and scored twice with hard drives. Their superior fitness also played a decisive role.

Nawanjana Ekanayake of Sangamittha Girls College was adjudged the Best Player of the final for her brilliant stick work when she attacked when necessary and defended her team's territory when the necessity arose.

Zahira College, Matale, last year narrowly missed the title by losing in the final to Royal College but this year made sure that they did not go home second best when they beat St. Aloysius College. Galle 2-1 in the final after leading 1-0 at lemons.

St. Aloysius College became the first school from the Southern Province to enter the final of this tournament rising above some of the top schools from Kandy, Matale and Colombo. The Zahirians first scored through Mohamed Mubhasheer. St. Aloysius College equaliser came early in the second half off the stick of S. Sandaruwan. Towards the close the Zahirians scored their winning goal through centre forward M.L. Aseer Ahamed. Mohammed Farhan of Zahira College was adjudged the Best Player of the final.

Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa clinched the third Consolation trophy by defeating St. Thomas College, Matale 4/3 on penalty strokes after a scoreless game.