KUALA LUMPUR: Six teams will battle for the Division Two Junior Hockey League (JHL) title beginning today with no clear favourites.
Division Two, 20 teams divided into three groups, will see the top two teams in each group battle in Group X and Group Y, with the champions playing in the final while the second placed teams play for the bronze.
The three teams in Group X are KL Vipers, MSSPP-PSHA Jnrs and MSSPP-PSHA while in Group Y are TBSS Tampin, Anderson PHA and MBMB Warriors.
KL Vipers are a new team, while last season the final was between SSTMI Juniors and Sabah Sports School Resilient. Sabah won 3-1, and both the teams gained promotion to Division One this year.
So, the six teams will not only be fighting for the Division Two title, but also promotion into the higher division next season.
From Division One, Old La Sallians Association of Klang (Olak) and Perlis Young Lions will be relegated to Division Two next season.
Friday: Division Two -- Group Y: Anderson PHA v MBMB Warriors (National Stadium Pitch II, 5pm); Group X: KL Vipers v MSSP-PSHA (National Stadium Pitch II, 7.15pm).
Saturday -- Division One: Pahang Thunderbolts v Anderson Thunderbolts (National Stadium Pitch, 5pm), Perlis Young Lions v SMKDBL-UniKL (Kangar, 5pm).
Division Two: Group X: MSSP-PSHA v KL Vipers (National Stadium Pitch II, 5pm); Group Y: TBSS Tampin v Anderson PHA (National Stadium Pitch II, 7.15pm).
Sunday -- Division One: SSTMI v Sabah SS Resilient (SSTMI, 5pm).
Tuesday: Old La Sallians Association of Klang v Sabah SS Resilient (Pandamaran, 5pm), PJCC Tigers v BJSS Thudnerbolts (PJCC Stadium, 5pm).
STANDINGS
DIVISION ONE
P W D L F A Pts
SSTMI THUNDER 9 8 1 0 49 4 25
ANDERSON THUNDER 8 6 1 1 21 8 19
PAHANG THUNDER 8 5 1 2 18 16 16
SMKDBL-UNIKL 8 5 0 3 20 16 15
BJSS THUNDER 8 4 2 2 34 13 14
PJCC TIGERS 8 3 2 3 17 17 11
SSTMI 8 2 1 5 12 22 7
SABAH RESILIENT 7 2 0 5 14 33 6
PERLIS 8 1 0 7 10 30 3
OLAK 8 0 0 8 7 43 0