Royal, Lumbini and Vidyarathana emerge Volleyball champs
Royal College, Colombo, Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya, Colombo and Vidyarathana College Horana emerged champions in the Boys Under 20, Girls Under 20 and Boys Under 16 and 18 categories respectively at the 11th Blue Gold and Blue Western Province Invitational Schools Volleyball Championship 2017 concluded at the Royal College Complex Indoor Stadium last Sunday.
The young spikers failed to give their best in the preliminary rounds on a wet ground hampered by heavy rain experienced throughout the week. The organizers wisely staged the finals in the indoor courts of the Royal Complex.In the Under 20 Boys finals Royal College, Colombo scored a fighting victory over Bandaranayake College, Gampaha 3-2 in a close match. Lads from Gampaha got off to a sound start as the won the first set 25-22 and Royal bounced back in style to win the 2nd and 3rd sets 25-11 and 25-18. Bandaranayake College, changing the pattern of play to win the all important 4th set 25-21. In the final set Bandaranayake College set off to a good start winning the first two points and although they were just few points away from making an upset, Royal put up an exceptional performance in the latter part of the set to clinch the match with a 15-12 win.
Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya trounced Agamathi Balika Vidyalaya, Panadura in an easy 2-0 win in the Girls Under 20 finals. Vidyarathana College, Horana defeated Royal College, Colombo to be victorious in the Boys Under 18 finals and the Kandy lads Under 16 team clinched a double by defeating Royal College 2-0 in the Boys Under 16 finals too.
- Lakshman Ranasinghe; Pix by Priyantha Wickremarachchi
Final Results:
- Boys Under-20: Royal College, Colombo beat Bandaranayake College, Gampaha 3-2 (22-25, 25-11, 25-18, 21-25, 15-12)
- Girls Under-20: Lumbini Madya Vidyalaya beat Agamathi Balika Vidyalaya, Panadura 2-0 (25-11, 25-16)
- Boys Under-18: Vidyartha College, Horana beat Royal College, Colombo 3-1 (25-23, 25-23, 29-31, 25-16)
- Boys Under-16: Vidyarathana College, Horana beat Royal College, Colombo 2-0 (25-18, 25-20)
Individual awards
- Boys Under-20: Best Setter: Hasindu Heshan (Royal College, Best Attacker: Chathura Praneeth (Bandaranayake, Gampaha), Best Defender: Hasanga Bandara (Royal College), Best Player: Champika Wickremasinghe (Royal College)
- Under-20 Girls: Best Setter: G.S. Himaya (Lumbini MV), Best Attacker: B.D.R. Balasooriya (Lumbini MV), Best Defender: Dilshani Wasana Mendis (Agamathi Balika), Best Player: Uthpala Nethmini (Lumbini MV)
- Boys Under-18: Best Setter: Damitha Niluksha (Vidyarathana, Horana), Best Attacker: Chamod Kalitha (Royal College), Best Defender: Bhanu Prashan (Vidyarathana, Horana), Best Player: Ravinda Parakrama (Vidyarathana, Horana)
- Under-16 Boys: Best Setter: Pasindu Shalika (Vidyarathana, Horana), Best Attacker: L.B.S. Lakshan (Royal College), Best Defender: R.D. Nimendra (Vidyarathana, Horana), Best Player: H.C.T. Perera (Vidyarathana, Horana)