Royal College emerge champions at Western Provincial Hockey tournament

Champions Royal College Under-20 Hockey team: 

Standing from left: Anuk Kaveeja, Geesath Bathisha, Thevjan Weerasekara, Vice-Captain Rivisha Marambage, Coach Damith Panditharatne, SGM and Assistant Principal Riyaz Aluher, Principal Thilak Wattuhewa, TIC Chithran, Coach Lushantha Perera, Captain Sihath Dasanayake, Kevindu Dharmarathne, and Minol Fernando 

Front row from left: Yusuf Shihar, Ashvin Wettasinghe, Ruvi Perera, Muadh Mueen, Stefan Anthonypillai, Aathif Faleel, Haazim Dhailamy, Rumal Jayasinghe, Nehan Wijesekara, Akash Dashendra, and Lithum Karunasiri. 

A single series penalty stroke goal by Yusuf Shihar helped Royal College, Colombo to emerge champions by beating their arch rivals S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia in the final of the Under-20 Western Province Hockey tournament held on Sunday at the Royal College Grounds. 

Both the final and five-series penalty strokes followed by the game ended in a draw before the winner was decided through a single series penalty stroke.  

Both teams made some nail biting moves during the final with Royal dominating the first half while S. Thomas’ dominating the second half. 

Royal goal keeper Stefan Anthonypillai made some excellent saves at the goal post in quick succession for the team to resist a strong STC attack in the second half. 

Royal players faced it tough at the final as they had to play three games including the quarter final and semi final on the same day, while S. Thomas’ College played only two games including the final on the day. 

The 5-series penalty stroke series ended in 1-1 draw with STC’s Dann netted the goal while Yusuf levelled it in a nail biting last penalty stroke for Royal. 

In the single series penalty stroke, Dann missed the goal while Yusuf made no mistake to sound the board and win the championship for Royal College for the first time in six years. 

Royal College, led by Sihath Dassanayaka with Rivisha Marambe as his deputy beat Asoka Vidyalaya Maradana by 7-0 in the pre-quarter final, won against Nalanda College by 1-0 in the quarter final, and defeated defending champions St. Joseph College by 2-0 in the semi final.

Royal team is coached by former national sticker and Air Force player Damith Panditharathne with the assistance of Lushantha Perera, a former Anandian who has produced some excellent hockey players in Colombo in the recent past. 

S. Thomas’ College beat St. Peter’s College by 1-0 in the pre-quarter final, won against Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa by 4-1 through penalty strokes after 1-1 draw in the quarter final, and edged out strong Ananda College in penalty strokes after 3-3 draw in the semi final.

St. Joseph’s College won the third place match against Ananda College through penalty strokes after a 2-2 draw. 

In the girls’ category, Janathipathi Balika Vidyalaya beat Musaeus College by 4-1 with the winner decided through penalty strokes following a scoreless draw. Bishop’s College outclassed Vishaka Vidyalaya by 5-0 to win the third place.