Thursday, February 18, 2016

3 Thunderbolts and UniKL check into quarters

THREE Thunderbolts and UniKL Young Guns have checked into the quarter-finals in Division One of the Junior Hockey League.
  But the League title will only be decided Friday when double champions SSTMI Thunderbolts and SSP-MSP Thunderbolts play in Kuantan.
  The other Thunderbolts qualified for the knock-out are Bukit Jalil Sports School.
  SSTMI have been under the Tenaga Nasional sponsored and run Thunderbolts programme for the last 10 years and have nailed four consecutive doubles thus far.
  However, Pahang Sports School and BJSS only came under Thunderbolts this season but have shown tremendous progress.
  UniKL is the lone lion, but will find it hard to defend their two slivers won last season.
  The fourth Thunderbolts, Anderson, are playing in Group B of Division Two and after 16 points from seven matches they too look set to play in the TNB Cup quarter-finals.
  The Division Two format is a little complicated as two teams each from the three groups will play another round divided into two groups and the top-two teams qualify for the quarter-finals.
  SSP-MSP Thunderbolts received a big blow to their maiden title quest when they were held to a 3-3 draw by Olak Tigers on Wednesday.
  Now SSP-MSP must beat SSTMI today, then hope UniKL Young Guns too beat SSTMI on Sunday -- and SSP-MSP beats Politeknik on Sunday to lay their hands on the League title.
  For SSTMI to claim their fifth consecutive League title, all they have to do is beat SSP-MSP today -- which is an easier passage.
  The Girls JHL, with 14 teams divided into two groups, starts Friday.
   FRIDAY -- Boys' JHL: Division One: SSP-MSP Thunderbolts v SSTMI Thunderbolts (Kuantan), SSTMI Juniors v PJCC (SSTMI), BJSS Thunderbolts v Nur Insafi (National Stadium).
  Division Two: Group A: Azlan Shah Science v Perlis Young Lions Jnrs (K. Kangsar), Kedah Jnrs v Matri (Sg Petani); Group C: Malacca Hurricanes v MSN-PHT (Malacca), TBSS Tampin v SM Sains Johor (Seremban II).
  SATURDAY: Division Two: Group A: USM Penang v Azlan Shah Science (Sg Petani); Group C: MSN-PHT v Sabah Sports School (Malacca Pitch II), Malacca Hurricanes v Pahang Hockey Academy (Malacca Pitch I), SMKDBL Jnrs v TBSS Tampin (Batu Pahat).
   SUNDAY: UniKL Young Guns v SSTMI Thunderbolts (National Stadium Pitch II), SSTMI Juniors v Nur Insafi (STMI), SMKDBL Young Guns v PJCC (Batu Pahat), Olak Tigers v BJSS Thunderbolts (Tun Razak), SSP-MSP Thunderbolts v Politeknik Malaysia (Kuantan).
  GIRLS' JHL -- Friday: Group A: Selangor Girls v Tun Hussein Onn (Ministry of Education), UniKL Young Guns v Southern Girls (National Stadium Pitch II, 7pm), SSTMI Thunderbolts v SMK Za'ba (SSTMI, 7pm)
  SUNDAY: UniKL Young Guns v Tun Hussein Onn (National Stadium Pitch I), Selangor Girls v Southern Girls (Ministry of Education).
  NOTE: Matches start at 5pm unless stated.


DIVISION ONE

                 P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts

SSTMI TNDER'      7 7 0 0 34   9  21
SSP-MSP-TNDER'    7 5 1 1 34  12  16
UNIKL YOUNG GUNS  8 5 1 2 23  16  16
BJSS TNDER'       7 5 0 2 25  13  15
POLITEKNIK        8 3 1 4 13  15  10
OLAK TIGERS       8 3 1 4 20  27  10
SMKDBL YOUNG GUNS 8 2 1 5 15  20   7
PJCC              7 2 0 5 9   15   6
NURINSAFI         7 1 2 4 11  31   5
SSTMI JRS         7 0 1 6 6   32   1