Rathmalawinna MV Balangoda win for fourth consecutive year
Text and pix by L. D. Chandrasiri - Matale Sports
The lasses from Bandarapola MV Matale who came out on top in the division 'B' schools (schools having less than 1000 students) U- 19 age category and then secured the second slot in the U- 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.
Their U- 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 U- 17 competition Bandarapola MV lost to Holy Family Convent Kadawata 12- 18 in the final. The team was l ed by Himali Tennakoon. Bandarapola MV emerged U- 16 and 17 champions for three years in the 24th, 25th and 26th Milo Schools Netball Championships held in 2015, 16 and 2017.
The school deserves all credit for being the first and only school from the Matale district so far to win major title for four consecutive year 2015 - 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 this school also had the honour of winning the best player award on five occasions since 2015 Malsha Weerasinghe won the best player award twice in 2015 as a player of U- 15 team and then as the captain of the U- 17 team in 2017 while Upeksha Chathurangani and Anuradha Hansima Rathnayake were named best players in the U- 16 and U- 18 age categories respectively in 2017. This year Rashini Dimalshika Ariyasena won the best player award in the division ' B' U- 19 age category.
Speaking on the occasion the principal of the school W. G. Madduma Bandara said “We are very proud of our children who brought honour and fame not only to their school but also to 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 8 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 sports in uncertain t e r ms Ms. K r i s h n i Siriwardhana deserves all credit for motivating and molding the team in to a champion outfit. I am delighted that this school with limited number of students and resources has overcome many obstacles to bag a total of ten national level victories during the last six years and the school could 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'.