Hockey: Joseph Vas hold Christ Church College at Thomian Sevens Invitation

Joseph Vas College Wenappuwa held defending champions Christ Church College Matale to a scoreless draw to be declared joint champions at the second Thomians Sevens Invitation School Hockey Championship 2016 for boys’ Under-19 concluded at Edward Park hockey ground in Matale. 

The closely contested final ended with a blank scoreboard and even an introduction of extra time did not produce a result and the umpires had to declare the two teams as joint champions. 

S. Jayasinghe and S. Bernard controlled the final.

On the way to the finals Christ Church beat St. Thomas' Matale 1-0 while Joseph Vas College outplayed S. Thomas’ Mount Lavinia 1-0 in the respective semi finals. 

St. Thomas Matale had the consolation of winning the third place beating S. Thomas' Mount Lavinia by 2 goals to nil in the play off to bag the C.K. Hulangamuwa Memorial Trophy for the second runner-up.

The tournament conducted by Matale Old Thomians Hockey Association for the A.J. Wijesinghe Memorial Trophy saw 20 leading hockey playing schools from Colombo, Kandy, Matale, Gampaha, Galle, Badulla and Jaffna taking part. 

D.L. Bandara of Christ Church Matale was adjudged as the most outstanding player of the tournament. He received the Asian Hockey star Ranjith Wijekoon Challenge Trophy. 

In addition trophies were presented to the best player of quarter-final matches and consolation final and also to the up and coming player of the tournament. 

Quarter-final matches:

Christ Church vs Zahira Matale: Best player - M. Issac (Zahira Matale)

St. Thomas' Matale vs Vijaya Matale: Best player - S.P.B. Abeykoon (Vijaya)

Joseph Vas vs St. John's Jaffna: Best player - R. Sanjeevan (St. John's Jaffna)

S. Thomas' Mt. Lavinia vs St. Aloysius Galle: Best player - Kelum Srimal (St. Aloysius Galle)

Consolation final:

Best Players: T. Dela (S. Thomas' Mt. Lavinia), T.M.S. Kamaldeen (St. Thomas' Matale)

Final: 

Best players: D.L. Bandara (Christ Church Matale), Rvindra Sheron (Joseph Vas Wennappuwa)

Up and Coming Player: Hesara Hewawasam (St. Thomas' Matale)