Maris Stella down De Mazenod to grab Futsal Carnival crown
Maris Stella College Negombo won the Under-19 Chox Cup Championship, beating De Mazenod College Kandana1-0, in a thrilling final at the fifth St. Joseph’s Futsal Carnival at Darley Road last weekend.
Ashen Jeevantha, who launched Maris Stella to a stunning win, was named the Man-of-the-Match. De Mazenod in their excellent run to the final beat traditional soccer powers Zahira College Colombo and St. Benedict’s Colombo. Besides their star-crossed outcome in the Under-19 category, De Mazenod College had to be content with a second runner-up title in the Under-17 category. The Under-17 Chox Cup title was won by Zahira College Colombo.
Other winners in the Chox Cup division were Bomiriya Central College and Royal College Colombo. Bomiriya Central beat Veluwana College to win the Under-15 Chox Cup while Royal beat Zahira Colombo to win the Under-13 Chox Cup.
Holy Cross College Kalutara pocketed a double in the Yougard Kotmale Plate Championship winning the Under-19 and Under-17 titles. Holy Cross beat St. Peter’s College Colombo in the Under-19 final while their Under-17 team beat St. Anthony’s College Katugastota to claim a double. The Under-15 category was claimed by the Standard Chartered Academy who beat Loyola College Negombo as St. Peter’s College beat I-Gate College to clinch the Under-13 title.
Dharmaraja College Kandy beat President’s College Kotte to win the Under-19 Bowl Championship as St. Benedict’s College overcame St. Sylvester’s College to clinch the Under-17 title in the same category. The Under-15 Bowl champions Uva College Badulla beat De Mazenod College Kandana to hand their third runner-up title of the tournament. Hosts St. Joseph’s College Colombo beat Trinity College Kandy to win the Under-13 Bowl title.
Zahira College Colombo beat one of their traditional rivals, St. Benedict’s College to win the Saucer championship as Royal College had the delight of claiming the Under-17 title by beating Hewavitharana Maha Vidyalaya. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa overcame D.S. Senanayake College to win the Under-15 title as De Mazenod eventually won their main title in the Under-13 Saucer category beating Colombo International School.
Besides the main tournament, Old Josephians, led by Peter Asirvatham, beat Old Benedictines by 1-0, for the fourth successive year. Kasun Jayasuriya, who scored the winning goal, was named Man-of-the-Match.
The fifth Josephian Futsal Carnival was organised by the Soccer Advisory Committee of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo. The successful event attracted over 40 schools, including heavyweights of the game, from all provinces. The tournament was held for all age groups starting from the Under10s all the way up to the Under19s. Cup, Plate, Bowl and Saucer trophies were awarded in the Under13, 15, 17 and 19 age groups and all the participants in the Under-10 and 11 age groups received medals. Overall more than 3000 footballers took part in this one-day tournament which had more than 300 matches.