Matale St.Thomas Under 16 Hockey Team emerge Champs

M.H.Yakeem 

St.Thomas College Matale emerged Champions with a 3-nil win against Ananda College Colombo in the final of the under-16 Boys All Island, division ” A ” Schools Hockey Championship 2023, organised and conducted by the Sri-Lanka Schools Hockey Association, under the guidance and supervision of the Ministry of Education, hosted by Polonnaruwa Royal College, played at the Royal College Polonnaruwa ground recently. 

In their league matches played, they beat Prince of Wales College Moratuwa by 2 goals to 1, Panadura Royal College by 3 goals to nil, and Vidyartha College Kandy by 3 goals to nil. Being Champions in their group and qualifying for the Knock out stage, they beat St. Aloysius College Galle by 3 goals to nil in the pre-quarter, St. Thomas College Mount Lavinia by 2 goals to nil in the quarter-final and Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa by 1 goal to nil in the semi-final.

Qualifying to the final of the Cup Championship, they beat Ananda College Colombo by 3 goals to nil to emerge as Champions in the ” A ” division of the under 16 Schools all Island Hockey Tournament 2023, where the tournament was held for the first time in Polonnaruwa. Captain of Matale St Thomas, College, Sineth Wasalage was adjudged as the Best Player of the Tournament while M.B.M.D.M.B. Basnayake was adjudged as the best Player of the final.

Matale St. Thomas College has a rich name in the history of Hockey, which has produced many national caps Principal Dammika Hewawasam’s immense contribution and his generous support have been able to keep the name of the College going as in the past. MIC/Head Coach, Palitha Wasalage, who is also an ex-national Hockey cap along with Assistant Coach Chandana Ranathunga’s guidance will be a tower of strength to the youngsters.

The team comprises D.S.M. Wasalage ( Capt. ), M.B.M.D.M.B. Basnayake ( V. Capt.), A.G.M.Y. Premakumara, M.B.M.N.A.B. Basnayake, H.A.G.K. Hettiarachchi, W.M.Y.B. Wijethunga, D.S.P.B. Senanayake, B.R.A.M. Rajakaruna, M.W.W.S. Bandara, D.M.S.M.B. Dissanayake, H.M.A.D. Jayasekera, J.M.S.D.S. Jayasundera, P.G.P.S. Pushpakumara, H.A.Y.B. Thissera, P.M.S.K. Rathnayake, H.M.G.V.R. Herath, H.M.U.C.P. Herath, N.M.G.H.B. Kahawaththa, M.H.M.N.K. Bandara, L.R.M.P.S. Karunarathna

Caption