Stanislaus emerge champions in hockey tourney
St Stanislaus High School, Bandra and Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ambernath were engaged in an engrossing tussle for supremacy before the former managed to scrape through, winning by a close 2-1 margin in the boys final of the Ambernath Hockey Welfare Association organised eighth Joe Fernandis Memorial 9-a-side instant hockey tournament St Stanislaus’ ground.
This tournament was previousy played on a mud ground in Ambernath and for the first time the event was conducted on an artificial surface. Playing on their home turf, St Stanislaus held the upper hand and dictated term initially and took an early lead through Gilchrist Cabral’s penalty corner conversion in the sixth minute and went into the break with a slender 1-0 advantage.
Immediately on resumption, Stanislaus doubled the lead when they were awarded a penalty which was converted by Saurabh Mayekar.
Despite trailing 0-2, the Ambernath lads showed plenty of gumption and fighting spirit and managed to cut the deficit with their enterprising skipper Yash Yadav finding the target from a field effort in the 26th minute.
The Stanislaus boys received the ‘Champions’ trophy and the individual awards from Chief Guest Stanley and Velvina Thomas. Guest of Honour Anna Pereira presented the runner-up trophy and prizes to Kendra Vidyalaya lads. Yash Yadav was declared ‘Player of the tournament’ and received an award.
Earlier, in the semi-finals, Kendriya Vidyalaya blanked India Rush Hockey Club 2-0 with captain Yash scoring the first goal from a field effort in the fifth minute and the added the second when he converted a penalty stroke in the second-half.
In the second match, St Stanislaus stormed to a 2-0 win against Children Academy, Malad. Kris Albuquerque netted both the goals.