Gateway defeat Thomians in football to retain title
Under-20 Encounter champions - Gateway College team with the officials
Gateway College defeated S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia 1-0 in a stiff game to retain the Neville de Alwis-Ralph Alles Challenge Trophy at the second annual football encounter played between the two schools at the Racecourse ground last weekend.
Gateway and S. Thomas’ won two each out of the four age group games, but winning the main game, which was played under lights as the ultimate event of the day, was sufficient for Gateway to retain the title they won last year.
Besides winning the main game, Gateway also won the Under-12 game, while S. Thomas’ easily clinched victories of the Under-16 and Under-14 games.
Gateway skipper Areeb Niyas was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of the Under-20 encounter, for his superlative performance in the main game, which gave his team a thrilling 1-0 win. His team mate Binitha Chandrasena claimed the Golden Boot award. D. Shivadharshan of S. Thomas’ won the award for the Best Goalkeeper.
Under-12 champions - Gateway College
S. Thomas’ beat Gateway 3-0 in the Under-16 encounter after dominating throughout the whole game. Thomians N.M.M. Perera was adjudged the Most Valuable Player and S.Y. Anthonisz won the Best Goalkeeper award in this category.
The Thomians continued their good performance in the junior category, also winning the Under-14 encounter 1-0. R.N. Jeshuran of S. Thomas’ won the Most Valuable Player award, while Gateway’s Nadal Senapala won the Best Goalkeeper award.
Gateway began the day with a astounding 2-0 win against S. Thomas’ in the Under-12 encounter, which kicked off the day’s proceedings at 1.00pm last Saturday. Gateway’s Shenuk Fernando was named the Most Valuable Player while S. Keshavinanjan of S. Thomas’ was the pick for the award of Best Goalkeeper.
Prior to the final game of the day, an Under-20 Girls’ Exhibition match between Gateway College and The Overseas School of Colombo was held. After a thrilling encounter, the game went down to the wire and the winner was decided by a penalty shootout. The Overseas School of Colombo eventually emerged winners slotting all five attempts of shots, while Gateway managed to net in only three kicks, resulting a 5-3 end.
The winning team’s Ritisha Mukherjee won the Golden Boot award while Emily Whight carried away the Best Goalkeeper award.
Under-20 champions -- Gateway, the captain Areeb Niyas and vice captain Rafaal Suhail with the Neville de Alwis-Ralph Alles Challenge Trophy
Chief Guest D.D. Jayasooriya, Sports Council Member of S. Thomas' College with the heads of schools
Under-20 Golden Boot winner Binitha Chandrasena of Gateway College
Under-16 champions - S. Thomas' College
Under-14 Champions - S. Thomas' College
Girls' Exhibition Encounter champions - The Overseas School of Colombo