Ananda and Seetha Devi top teams
Ananda College Colombo and Seetha Devi Girls’ School Kandy lifted the Boy’s and Girls’ titles respectively at the SLSHA Inter-School Under-16 Division ‘A’ Hockey Championship for boys and girls, concluded at Edward Park in Matale last Tuesday.
The Anandians posted a thrilling 1-0 win over fancied St. Aloysius’ College Galle in the boys final which was closely contested. After a scoreless first half, midway in the second session centre forward Gayan Sasmina sealed victory for Ananda when he found a gap in the St. Aloysius defense to give his side victory with a solitary goal of the game. Duminda Perera and Ajith Manjula controlled the final with Indika Jayawardhana officiating as the Third Umpire.
On the way to the finals Ananda beat Darmadutha College Badulla 2-1 and St. Aloysius’ Galle outplayed St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa 4-3 on penalties in the respective semi-finals.
St. Joseph Vaz College had the consolation of winning the third place defeating Darmadutha Badulla 4-3 on penalties after a nil-all draw at fulltime.
In the Girls’ final Seetha Devi Girls’ School Kandy overcame Holy Family Convent Wennappuwa 4-3 on penalties after the game ended in a 1-1 at full time, to annex the title. Narendra Dunuweera and S.N. Jayasinghe controlled the final. In the semi-finals Seetha Devi Girls centre forwards Dilhani Roshani scored four goals and Paboda Divyanjali struck two, to beat Sri Sumangala Girls’ School Panadura 6-0 while Holy Family Convent Wennappuwa outplayed Sri Sangamitta Girls National School Matale by 1-0.
Sangamitta Girls Matale won the third place playoff, defeating Sri Sumangala GS Panadura 3-2 on penalties after the game ended in a 2-all draw at full time.
The four-day tournament was organised and conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Association (SLSHA) and a total of 47 teams — 23 in boys and 24 in girls — across the island taking part.
- L.D. Chandrasiri, Matale Sports
Individual Awards
Boys Segment
Best Player: Kushan Rathnasooriya (St. Aloysius College Galle)
Best Goalkeeper: Janura Perera (Ananda College Colombo)
Girls Segment
Best Player: Ranmini Sanjana (Holy Family Convent Wennappuwa)
Best Goalkeeper: Hesangi Ranmali (Seetha Devi Girls’ Kandy)
Boys award winners (from left): Janura Perera (Best Goalkeeper), Kushan Rathnasooriya (Best Player) and girls winners (from left): Hesangi Ranmali (Best Goalkeeper) and Ranmini Sanjana (Best Player)
Girls champions Seetha Devi Girls Kandy
Boys champions Ananda College