Shadow and KHC win HAS hockey tournament
KUCHING: Shadow and Kuching HC won the Hockey Association of Sarawak tournament at the Sarawak Hockey Stadium on Sunday.
Shadow B, with Sukma project players, took the six-a-side men’s title while KHC A won the sevena-side women’s title.
KHC A won after topping the round robin competition in the five team draw.
They fi nished with an identical three wins and one draw record with KHC B but won after scoring seven goals to B’s six goals.
Third place went to Sibujaya with Reunite taking fourth and SIGU fi nishing fi fth.
In the men’s draw, eight group winners from the 24 teams qualified for the playoff round.
Shadow B advanced af ter downing Warrior A 3- 2 while Shadow A moved on after edging past Unimas C 1- 0.
Former international Dangerous Lee Matthews’ Belia Gita A made the semis after squeaking past Tebakang 1- 0.
Sibujaya entered the semis after a 3-1 win over KHC.
Shadow B proved too strong for Sibujaya in the semis to win 2- 0.
Their teammates proved too much for Dangerous’s side to prevail 2-1.
Belia Git redeemed themselves to take third place when they beat Sibujaya 1- 0.
The final saw Shadow B winning over their fellow project players with the only goal of the match.
“We played acceptably well but we do need to improve in all areas,” said Mohd Izzat Afi fi, the winning captain.
The 21-year- old midfielder, who played in the Sarawak Sukma, is hopeful that they will improve to pose a strong challenge in this year’s TNB League.
HAS president Datin Mary Sadiah Zainuddin along with vicepresidents Lisa Ludong and Sunil Roy Chakraverty presented the winners with their medals.
“The HAS is pleased with the success of the tournament but it is the participation of the players that make it a success,” said Sunil, in his speech at the prize presentation.
He noted the gratitude of the HAS for the three days of ‘camping out at the stadium’ by secretary Kangot Awan and his technical crew.
For next year, the former Sarawak player said that HAS would look into making the tournament either a two weekend affair or a four- day meet.