M.H.Yakeem
St. Thomas College, Matale stickers emerged as the runner up at the under 20 All Island Schools games Hockey tournament 2023, losing to Kingswood College, Kandy by 3 goals to 2 in keenly contested final, organised and conducted by the Ministry of Education, played at St. Peter’s College ground, Colombo-04 on Friday.
St.Thomas College, Matale stickers got qualified to the final beating St.Thomas College, Mount Lavinia in a nail biting finish, on penalty strokes ( 8/7 ) in the quarter final and Vijaya College, Matale by 1 goal to nil in the semi final.
Making way to the final, Dineth Madushanka scoring the goal for the Matale Thomians, saw them holding the Kingswoodians to a 1 all draw at half time. In the second half, Kingswoodians getting 2 more goals and Thimira Wijesooriya scoring for the Matale Thomians, made it to read as 3 goals to 2, where the game too ended at the same score. Though the Matale Thomians losing the game, the players and the MIC Palitha Wasalage, who is also a talented Hockey player had to be satisfied by the result, with the game ending in a thriller.
The tournament was organised and conducted by the Ministry of Education, under the direction of the Director of Sports, Upali Amaratunga. Deputy Director of the Kegalle Zonal, M.D. Wasantha Kumara along with Indrawansa Herath, as the Technical Officer was appointed, to oversee that the tournament to be run smoothly.
23 Teams from 9 Provinces got qualified to play at this tournament, out of the 23 teams, 17 teams took part. The teams are Kingswood College Kandy, St John’s College Jaffna, Sandalalankawa NS, St. Thomas College Matara, Dharmadutha College Badulla, Richmond College Galle, Parakramabahu NS Polgahawela, St. Joseph’s College Colombo, Joseph Vaz Wennappuwa, St. Thomas College Mount Lavinia, Uva College Badulla, St. Thomas College Matale, Vaddukodai College Jaffna, Vipulananda Central College Kalmunai, Vijaya College Matale, Ananda College Colombo, St. Aloysius College Galle.
Lahiru Weerasooriya, T.K. Heendeniya, I R.K. Wilwalaarachchi, S. Abeykoon, Abeetha Fernando, Ishan Kulatunga, Kusal Thilakasiri, D.J. Prakash, T.M.S.D. Aberathne, T.M.M D. Abeyrathne, was assigned to officiate at this tournament, while H.M.C.H. Bandara and A.H.M. Hanafi as Technical Officers.
St.Thomas College, Matale stickers comprise of A.U. Dissanayake, D.B. Wasalage, A.H. Weerasinghe, A.U. Wasalage, U.S. Nanayakkara, W.M R.T. Wijesooriya, N.A. Weerasooriya, D.H. Rathnayake, K.R. Jayasena, M.D. Herath, N.N. Rathnayake, A.B. Gamagedara, O.B. Dissanayake, D.M.B. Basnayake, M.P. Liyanage, S.M. Wasalage, N.A.B. Basnayake, N. Jayasinghe
Caption
The Runner Up, St Thomas College, Matale Hockey team with the Deputy Director of the Kegalle Zonal, M.D. Wasantha Kumara, MIC Palitha Wasalage and Head Coach.