Royal pip S. Thomas’ to clinch WP hockey title

Royal Under-20 Hockey Team: Standing (From left): Anuk Kaveeja, Geesath Bathisha, Thevjan Weerasekara, Rivisha Marambage (Vice-Captain), Damith Panditharatne (Coach), Riyaz Aluher (Senior Games Master and Assistant Principal), Thilak Wattuhewa (Principal), Chithral Maheepala (Teacher-in-Charge), Lushantha Perera (Coach), Sihath Dissanayake (Captain), Kevindu Dharmarathne, and Minol Fernando. Squatting (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

Royal College, Colombo edged out their traditional rivals S. Thomas’ College in a thrilling final of the Western Province Under-20 Hockey Tournament played at the Royal Grounds in Reid Avenue.

The final ended in a draw after full time and in the five-stroke penalty decider, the two teams ended at one each before Royal clinched the single-stroke penalty decider with Yusuf Shihar netting the match winning goal. 

Royal led by Sihath Dissanayake earlier overcame Asoka Vidyalaya (7-0) in the pre-quarter-finals, Nalanda (1-0) in the quarter-finals and St. Joseph’s (2-0) in the semi-finals.

S. Thomas’ had the better of St. Peter’s (1-0), Prince of Wales (4-1) on penalty strokes and Ananda also on penalty strokes in the pre-quarters, quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.  

Meanwhile, in the Girls category President’s Balika Vidyalaya emerged champions with a 4-1 win on penalty strokes over Musaeus College while Bishop’s College pulled off a convincing 5-0 win over Visakha Vidyalaya to take third spot. (MSA)