Young Pioneers' English School, Imphal East upset RM School, Imphal West by 4-3 goals to claim the U-15 Boys title of the State Inter School 40th JN Junior Boys Hockey Tournament 2023 organised by YAS Department at Hockey Stadium Khuman Lampak.
As for the U-17 Girls of the 29th edition of JN Hockey, Unacco School Meitram, Imphal West outplayed Wabagai High School, Kakching by 7-0 goals for the title.
By virtue of the wins, Unacco School, Meitram will represent Manipur in U-17 Boys & Girls while Young Pioneers' English School in U-15 Boys of the All India Inter School JN Hockey Tournament at New Delhi likely to be held in October this year.
Played earlier in the day, Unacco School, Meitram proved superior for Wabagai High School as L. Ritu Devi played the captain part well, hammering four goals while H. Henthoi Chanu and K. Eleena Devi fetched a goal each for the victory.
In the evening session of the U-15 Boys final, the match between RM School and Young Pioneers proved to be an interesting one as both played out their heart, witnessing some heated moment in trying to outwit each other for the podium finish.
Young Pioneers took the lead from Vishal Waribam in the 5th minute of play but Sommaya Kasar fetched the equaliser for RM team in the 7th minute to go neck in neck. Later RM School and Young Pioneers put in a goal each to level 2-2 goals in the first quarter of play.
However, in the third quarter, Young Pioneers took the lead with S. Neetil Singh and Th. Yaiphaba consolidated the margin with a goal each to have a larger say in the match. But RM pulled up their strength in the dying moments of the fourth quarter and Milan Athokpam managed to get one goal but proved not enough to save the match.
YAS Department also used the final occasion to mark the National Sports Day in commemoration of the legendary hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand Singh birth anniversary.
