Kelantan school wins title

By PERCY D’CRUZ

Kelantan’s SMK Hamzah Machang pulled off two major upsets defeating both the defending champion and last year’s runners-up en route to emerging as champions of the nine-day National Under 15 School Centres of Hockey Excellence Tournament.

Twelve state hockey centres were in the competition fray with the exception of representatives from Sabah and Sarawak in the tournament held at the Bukit Serendit Hockey Stadium recently.

Kelantan’s SMK Hamzah of Machang are all smiles as champions of the National Under 15 Schools Centre of Hockey Excellence held in Malacca.

Pre-tournament favourites SMK Anderson of Ipoh, Perak, which beat Malacca’s St David’s High School 4-2 on penalty flicks following a 1-1 draw in extra time, were again tipped to meet in a repeat of the 2005 final.

However, the east coast side of SMK Hamzah had other ideas. Banking on their hard running brand of hockey and superb fitness, they overcame the Ipoh side in the second round and the hosts in the final to take home the title for the very first time.

In the preliminary round group matches, SMK Anderson drawn in Group A as expected completed their three fixtures on an unbeaten note. They defeated Pahang’s SMK Seberang Temerloh 2-1, Negri Sembilan’s SMK Dato Mohd Taha, Gemencheh 3-2 and Terengganu’s SMK Padang Midin 2-1.

St David’s also showed sterling form in Group B winning all three preliminary round matches with ease including a 2-0 win over eventual champions SMK Hamzah Machang. In their two other outings, the home side beat Kedah’s SMK Khir Johari Sungai Petani 4-0 and SMK Syed Hassan Kangar of Perlis 6-0.

Perak’s Jasdev Singh Dhillon being helped out from the pitch following an injury sustained in their third-placing match against Johor.

In Group C, Johor’s SMK Sultan Abu Bakar displayed top flight hockey form to win thrice in as many matches. The southern state side beat Kuala Lumpur’s SMK Tinggi Setapak 1-0, Penang’s Free School 4-1 and SMK Tengku Ampuan Rahimah of Selangor 5-0.

The top two teams of each of the three groups advanced into the second round. In the play-offs, the six teams were divided into two pools of three teams each.

SMK Anderson, SMK Hamzah and SMK Tinggi Setapak were listed in one pool while St David’s, SMK Sultan Abu Bakar and SMK Seberang Temerloh made up the other pool.

Again, a league format was adopted with only the pool winners moving into the final while the second placed teams squared off for the third and fourth placing match.

Following the second round matches, SMK Hamzah Machang which notched a slim 1-0 win over SMK Anderson along with St David’s topped their respective pools to earn the right to play in the final. Second placed teams SMK Sultan Abu Bakar and SMK Tinggi Setapak qualified for the third-fourth placing game.

Backed by a large vocal home support, St David’s began their final quest in earnest. Their strike force comprising Dedyari Jumaidi, Amirrullah Zainol and Muhammad Rasydan showed flair and dash to dominate exchanges. On the other hand, SMK Hamzah Machang relied heavily on speedy breakaway raids on the flanks and timely interceptions to keep the home side at bay.

Pint sized Kelantan keeper Mohd Fadilah Moktar leading his defence out in the face of a penalty corner charge by Malacca.

Ten minutes into the second half during an attack on the right flank, nippy Mohd Amirudin Yunan rounded a hesitant St David’s defence to beat keeper Mohd Hanafi from close range for a solitary goal final victory. Johor’s SMK Sultan Abu Bakar overcame SMK Anderson the 2005 title holders 3-1 to finish third.

OTHER AWARD PRESENTED

Exhibition of basic hockey skills

1. Penang 2. Malacca 3. Negri Sembilan.

Most Promising Player

Mohd Rasydan Saiful (Malacca).

Top Scorer

Mohammad Ezwan (Johor) 5 goals.

Tournament’s Best Player

Mohamad Sabri (Perak).

Player of the Final

Mohd Fadilah Mokhtar (Kelantan)

Tournament’s Best Goalkeeper

Shhahrul Azaddin Auskarzie (Johor).

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