VHA HOCKEY LEAGUE

UNDER-14 INTER-SCHOOL TOURNEY

Sawan ’tricks again

Swaminarayan, Jingle Bell And SFS Enter Last 8

Nagpur: Sawan Chavhan gave another spirited show and scored his second hat-trick of the tournament to help Swaminarayan High School register a come from behind comfortable 5-1 victory over South Point School, Omkar Nagar in the Under-14 Inter-school Hockey League at the Hislop College ground here on Friday. Sawan scored four of the five goals scored by Swaminarayan.

After a stunning 4th minute strike by Virendra Singh enabled South Point School take the lead, players of Swaminarayan School switched to an all offensive play.

Sawan, who has been in good form throughout the tournament, drew parity for his team in the 14th minute with a power-packed hit from the right flank.

A minute later, making most of their first penalty corner, Sawan sounded the board to take Swaminarayan School into lead.

After the change of ends, Swaminarayan School continued their attacking play with Sawan leading the charge. He scored Swaminarayan’s third goal in 22nd minute to complete his second hat-trick of the meet.

Sawan then made it 4-1 in favour of Swaminarayan with a push from the right flank in the 30th minute. Teammate Piyush Sharma made it 5-1 in the 36th minute. With this thumping victory Swaminarayan School with two wins, one loss and a better goal scoring average collected six points to book their quarterfinal berth from pool ‘A’.

The other team from pool ‘A’— Ramesh Chandak School, with six points in their kitty, will have to wait for the result of St John’s and South Point School match to know their fate.

In another interesting battle, Jingle Bell’s High School pipped Modern School 2-1 to garner seven points and qualify into the last eight.

After a barren first half, Furkan Khan of Jingle Bell drew the first blood in the 26th minute. But Modern School equalised in the 35th minute through Yash Kapur.

Jingle Bell scored the winner in the dying moments of the game through a move initiated by Abhishek Singh along with Furkan. Abhishek netted the goal from the centre in the 47th minute to take his team victory.

A fine all-round play by Dinanath High School helped them halt St Francis de Sales School for a goalless draw. Though SFS played a draw, they booked their quarterfinal berth from pool ‘D’ with seven points.

Saraswati Vidyalaya edged out Jaibai High School 1-0 to register their first victory in the meet. Yagya Tiwari’s solitary goal in the 44th minute was the only commendable performance of the encounter.