KUALA LUMPUR: State sports school, SMK Datuk Bentara Luar gave Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) Thunderbolts a lesson in hockey before bowing out in a shootout in the Junior Hockey League (JHL) overall final today.
Playing at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, BJSS and Datuk Bentara Luar drew 2-2 in regulation time.
However, BJSS won 4-2 in the shootout to claim a double this season.
Amirul Haniff Mamat gave BJSS Thunderbolts a sixth-minute lead with his 15th goal of the season. However, Perabu Tangaraja equalised in the 40th minute with his eight penalty corner goal for Datuk Bentara Luar.
Danish Aiman gave BJSS the lead again in the 47th minute, but a strike from Haziq Haiqal for the Batu Pahat-based school in the 49th minute took the match to a shootout.
Amin Rahin, the national men's assistant coach, made a frank assessment of the JHL when he said the four Thunderbolts teams received a wake-up call this season.
"Thunderbolts teams were tested to the maximum by other clubs and schools in this year's JHL, and they must take it as a wake-up call.
"Others will soon overtake them at the junior level.
"And on the Datuk Bentara Luar team, they have had an artificial pitch at their school for 10 years and their steady rise is because of a systematic approach over the years by the school management," said Amin
who was once the nation's No 1 penalty corner flicker.
In the women's final, SSTMI-UniTen edged PJCC Black Widow 2-1 with goals from Khairunnisa Ayuni (25th) and Nur Shafika Sharuddin (55th).
Norshafiqha Ishak scored for Black Widow in the 46th minute.
RESULTS
Men's final: BJSS Thunderbolts 2 Datuk Bentara Luar 2 (BJSS win 4-2 on shootout);
Third-Fourth: SSTMI Thunderbolts 2 Pahang Thunderbolts 3
Women's final: PJCC Black Widow 1 SSTMI-UniTen 2;
Third-Fourth: PKS-UniTen 1 KLSS Wipers 2