HFC extend all-island netball reign
View(s):Holy Family Convent Kurunegala maintained their supremacy to be named Netball Queens for the sixth year running at the 22nd Milo 
All-Island Schools Netball Championship, which ended last Monday after three days of competition at the Piliyandala Central ground.
The Holy Family Convent netballers, who first entered the spotlight in 2008 as Netball Queens at their hometown of Kurunegala, continued their run in Anuradhapura, Matale, Matara and Polonnaruwa before retaining it for the sixth time at Piliyandala on Monday. The winners reached the semi-final stage in all three age categories, the Under-18, 16 and 14. They won the Under-16 and 14 age groups while securing third place in the Under-18 age class, which was won by Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya who beat Musaeus College in the final.
In addition to winning the overall championship, Holy Family Convent also claimed two of the three individual awards on offer, when their players, Udara Nawinna and Amanda Tennakoon, were named the Most Outstanding players in the Under-16 and Under-15 age categories respectively. Sachini Rodrigo won the Most Outstanding Player award in the Under-18 age category.
Eventual Under-18 champions Kalutara BV beat Hillwood Girls School Kandy by 30-29 in a close semi-final battle to reach the final while losing finalists Musaeus beat Holy Family Convent by 30-28 in the other semi-final. In the Under-16 age category Gothami Balika Vidyalaya beat Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya by 17-15 in the first semi-final while ultimate winners Holy Family Convent outclassed Girls’ High School by 24-12 in the second semi-final. In the Under-14 age category Sri Siddartha MV beat Presbyterian Girls School by 18-10 in the first semi-final as eventual champions Holy Family Convent thrashed Ananda Balika Vidyalaya by 17-4 in the second qualifier.
In Division ‘B’ Ketapathwehera MV Kurunegala, Mahakeliya MV Kurunegala and Sri Sangaraja MV Keragala won the Under-18, 16 and 14 championships respectively. Malsha Ratnayake of Ketapathwehera LV was adjudged the Most Outstanding Player in the Under-18 category, while Dinithi Sandaken of Mahakeliya MV and Ashani Sewwandi of Sri Sangaraja MV were named as Most Outstanding players in the Under-16 and 14 age groups respectively.
In the semi-final clashes, Ketapathwehera MV, who went on to win the Under-18 Division ‘B’ championship, outsmarted Ranjan Wijeratne MV Buttala by 20-10 in the first semi-final as losing finalists Bandarapola MV
Holy Family Convent champions of Under 16
beat Dehigahalanda MV Ambalantota by 14-6 in the second semi-final. Under-16 winners Mahakeliya MV beat Walhaputhenna Vidyalaya by 17-9 in the first semi-final while losing semi-finalists Yatihena Vidyalaya beat Sirimalwatte Maha Vidyalaya Gampola by the same margin in the second semi-final clash. Losing finalists of the Under-14 age category Bauddha MV beat Walhaputhenna MV by 13-8 in the first semi-final as Ranjan Wijeratne MV Buttala lost by eventual winners Sri Sangaraja by 11-7.
The 22nd annual Inter-School Netball Championship for the Milo Trophy was organised and conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Netball Association with the
Under 14 champions Holy Family Convent Kurunegala
sponsorship of Nestle Lanka. Despite restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Education barring competitive tournaments for Under-13 age groups, the championship attracted over 2000 players representing in two divisions. According to statistics provided by SLSNA a total of 525 teams from Division ‘A’ and a total of 37 teams from Division ‘B’ registered for the three-day event which began on June 8 and ended on June 11.
The competition officially kicked off on April 30 and continued until the first week of June at 15 centres around Sri Lanka. Over 300 schools participated at centres located in Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Homagama, Galle, Matara, Kandy, Matale, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Ampara, Ratnapura, Badulla and Jaffna. Teams came under the categories of Division ‘A’ and ‘B’, under the age groups of Under-14, 16 and 18, and were pruned and sieved through the 15 centres into the final rounds at Piliyandala. – Naushad Amit
(Pix by Amila Gamage)
 Under 14 runners up Sri Siddhartha Vidyalaya Eppawela |
 Under 16 runners up Gothami Balika Vidyalaya |
 Under 18 champions Kalutara Vidyalaya |
 Under 18 runners up Musaeus College |
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