Familians K’gala netball queens for the eighth successive year
Holy Family Convent Kurunegala emerged the Milo schools netball queens for the eighth successive year when they emerged overall champions at the 24th Milo All Island Schools Netball Championship concluded at the Bernard Aluvihare Stadium in Matale.
Sri Siddartha MMV Eppawala the All Island Division ‘A’ U16 champions.
The Familians who fielded five teams in the three age groups of Under 14, 16 and 18 was the cynosure of all eyes in the tournament and they kept up to their reputation as they had the honour of qualifying to the finals in all the three age groups.
In the process they went on to bag the under 14 and 18 titles and secured a second place in the under 16 category which was sufficient for them to clinch the title for the eighth successive year.
Apart from emerging the overall champions the lasses from Holy Family Convent bagged two of the three most outstanding players awards with Dilusha Gallage taking the Under 14 and Devini Dimalsha Herath the Under 18 while Shanika Ekanayke of Sri Siddartha MV Eppawala took the Under 16 award.
The Familians was first crowned netball queens in the year 2008 when it was held in their hometown Kurunegala and then retained it by winning in 2009 at Anuradhapura and followed it up clinching the title in (Matale), 2010 (Matara) (2011), Polonnaruwa (2012), Piliyandala (2013) and Beliatte last year.
Holy Family Convent Kurunegala the All Island Division ‘A’ U14 champions.
Kolonnawa BV who stole the limelight on day two in the U18 category with some giant killing performance met their waterloo when they were soundly beaten by Holy Family Convent Kurunegala in the semi final encounter. The players to win the most outstanding players award in the Division ‘B’ category were H.M. Bhagya Mudithamali of Rathmalavinna MV (Under 14), Sandani Malsha Weerasinghe of Bandarapola MV Matale (Under 16) and Anuradi Hansima Ratnayake of Bandarapola MV Matale (Under 18).
Meanwhile in the Division ‘B’ category Rathmalavinna MV emerged the Under 14 champion while Mahara Kanishta Vidyalaya the Under 16 champion and Yatihena MV Malwana the Under 18 champion. Dilani Perera of Visakha Vidyalaya Colombo who received 6712 votes was selected as the most popular Milo netball player of the tournament which was conducted by sponsors Nestle Lanka Ltd.
Results:
Division ‘A’ Semi Finals:
U14 – Maliyadeva BV beat Musaeus College 10/9. Holy Family Convent Kurunegala beat Sir John Kotelawela MV Kurunegala 14/12.
U16 – Sri Siddartha MMV Eppawala beat Kalutara BV 16/10. Holy Family Convent Kurunegala beat Pannala National School 14/5.
U18 – Holy Family Convent Kurunegala beat Kolonnawa BV 32/14. Maliyadeva BV beat Kalutara BV 24/18.
Finals:
Division ‘A’ – U14 – Holy Family Convent Kurunegala beat Maliyadeva BV 12/6. U16 – Sri Siddartha MMV Eppawala beat Holy Family Convent Kurunegala 11/10. U18 – Holy Family Convent Kurunegala beat Maliyadeva BV 25/20.Division ‘B’ – U14 – Rathmalavinna MV beat Yatihena MV Malwana 13/10. U16 – Mahara Kanishta Vidyalaya beat Bandarapola MV Matale 15/9. U18 – Yatihena MV Malwana beat Bandarapola MV Matale 20/15.