Bandarapola MV netball team felicitated
Bandarapola MV, Matale who came out on top in the Division ‘B’ Under-19 category and then secured the second slot in the Under-17 age category at the 27th Milo All Island Schools Netball Championship 2018, were honoured in recognition of their achievements at a ceremony held at their school last week. The event was organised by the principal staff and parents union of the school.
The Under-19 team led by Dimalshika Ariyasena, beat Rathmalawinna MV, Balangoda (16-10) in the final to record their fourth consecutive title win at a national level competition. In the Under-17 competition Bandarapola MV lost to Holy Family Convent, Kadawatha (1218) in the final. The team was led by Himali Thennakoon.
Bandarapola MV emerged Under-16 and Under-17 champions for three years in the 24th, 25th and 26th Milo Schools Netball Championships held in the years 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The school deserves all credit for being the first and only school from the Matale District so far to win a major title for four consecutive years (2015 to 2018) in the Milo Trophy Schools Netball Championships. Entering the fray in 2014 this school has already bagged four championship titles, four runners up positions and two third places in this competition.
Four players from Bandarapola MV also had the honour of winning the Best Player award on five occasions since 2015, namely: Malsha Weerasinghe who won the Best Player award twice in 2015 as a player of the Under15 team and then as the captain of the Under-17 team in 2017 while Upeksha Chathurangani and Anuradha Rathnayake were named Best Players in the Under16 and Under-18 age categories respectively in 2017. This year Rashini Ariyasena won the Best Player award in the Division ‘B’ Under-19 age category.
Speaking on the occasion W.G. Madduma Bandara, Principal, Bandarapola MV, Matale said “We are very proud of our children who brought honour and fame not only to their school but also to the entire Matale District. This is a great achievement for a lesser known school in sports like ours situated in the interior of Matale which started playing netball eight years ago in 2010 under the guidance of schools sports advisor cum coach Krishni Siriwardhana. Since then they have performed exceptionally well in the zonal , provincial and national level competitions thus displaying their skills in the sport Ms. Siriwardhana deserves all credit for motivating and moulding the team into a champion outfit and I am delighted that this school with a limited number of
students and resources has overcome many obstacles to bag a total of 10 national level victories during the last six years and the school can now boast of possessing talented and skilled netballers who have put the name of the school in the schools netball arena as a force to be reckoned with.”