Story and pictures contributed by reader Marvin Lowe
Delta Sports Complex, Thursday, May 22, 2008 – Victoria Junior College beat arch-rivals St. Andrew’s Junior College 1-0 in a rematch of last year’s final to capture the National A Division Girls’ Hockey Championship title.
Both teams had a good run towards the final, remaining unbeaten in all their matches. Everything looked set for a mouth-watering encounter for the two best girls team in A division Hockey. Both teams were evenly matched throughout the game till VJC finally managed to break the SA defense to emerge victors.
With the stadium packed to the rafters with supporters from both schools, the atmosphere was electrifying. Just shortly after the start of the match, a horrific car crash occurred just outside the sports complex. The car burst into flames and dark smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.
Both teams played a similar game, relying on their deft and quick wingers to outrun their opponents down the flanks. The first half was a close affair with both teams having equal number of chances. The heat of the midday sun also wore down the players as the game progressed and they looked forward to the half-time break for relief. SAJC earned a good chance shortly before half-time. Winning a penalty corner, they worked a shot directed at goal but failed to score in the end. Both team went into the break deadlocked at 0-0 with all to play for in the second half.
When the second half started, both team fought hard and were constantly battling for the ball in the midfield area. Neither teams could gain mastery. The score remained the same for much of the second half. With about 15 minutes left in the second half, VJC were awarded a penalty corner when a SAJC player was adjudged to have fouled. From that penalty corner, they earned a second consecutive penalty corner.
It was at this time that VJC’s Yusheng stepped up to the challenge. This was obviously a well-oiled VJC routine and SAJC should have noted that Yusheng had scored in previous games in similar situations. However they failed to charge her down and the ball was set up nicely for her and she duly buried the ball into the corner with a powerful shot. With this single goal, VJC changed the face of the game. SAJC tried hard to fight back but were unable to find a way past the VJ defense which was well marshalled.
When the final whistle blew, the VJC players huddled in celebrations while the SA players were left to comfort each other. In a genuinely gracious gesture of sportsmanship, Yusheng, the goal scorer, left the celebratory huddle and moved to comfort the SAJC goalkeeper, Joyene. It was a poignant moment as both players embraced each other.
VJC’s coach, Mr Seet, was extremely delighted and proud of his team’s performance. He felt that his team did extremely well and stood up to the SAJC challenge. “They stuck to the plans and strategies that we had. We knew we had to mark some of the key players of SAJC and they did so. We closed them down effectively and attacked as a team as well.” He singled out his captain, Laura, for her outstanding performance in the game. “She wasn’t feeling well during the game and she was vomitting during half-time. But she never complained and continued to lead by example. She showed leadership and character in the face of adversity.”
However, Laura was quick to point out that it was her team that spurred her on to continue fighting. “Without my team, I am nothing. They gave me a reason to fight on. Everyone played their part today. I am extremely proud of my team and I have never captained a better team than this.”
Ed’s note: If you recognise yourself or your team mates in any of the photos, feel free to leave the names behind in the comments section and we will update the captions accordingly. Thanks!
how i wish i was playing on that field too. well done to laura and rui and the team. go vj…and well done SA! way to go defencemen! you guys really fought a great game. wish i was there to see it!
marvin d’you have photos of the 3rd4th placings? which is of acjc and mi.
correction: photo 18 vice cap is ruiyin, not ruiyun (:
Hockey in A Div is a rather confined group, the good teams are all mostly made up for STC, Crescent and St.Nicks girls. Everyone basically knows everyone in the range, since they’ve got much history with one another.
Its really wonderful to see players from different secondary schools coming together to play this wonderful game of hockey in their respective junior colleges with their ex-rivals and against their ex-teammates and still remain as such good friends dispite match results. This shows that hockey teaches and gives you so much more than just a shiny piece of metal, there’s sportsmanship and friendship included.
Although i’ve only played hockey for 2 years, i can totally relate to the players feelings and emotions just by looking at the pictures. In a competition, there are always losers, but at the end of the day, winning isnt everything. Your friendship for teammates, old or new, will awalys be there because of everything you’ve went through with each other together.
Its a pity i missed the finals, SA and VJ are worthy teams deserving of the top 2 positions, (since i’ve played them before during this ADiv) so congrats to VJ for the win and its ok SA! Try again next year! (Just like how we are trying to get to top 4!)
At the end of the day, when you grow old and remeniscent your wonderful hockey journey… its the friends you make, the teammates you’ve had, the great times you shared on pitch, off pitch – that matters the most. 🙂
This is really the best i’ve ever seen for sportsmanship. Yes its also true friendship.
Yu Sheng was the captain of Crescent in ’06. She lead the ’06 team into the finals only to have lost out to St Nicks (captain Laura Tan) through penalties. VJC and SAJC players go a long way back. And it’s nice to see that many of them, if not all, never forgot their old team mates. Not only is that true sportsmanship, it’s also true friendship.
For the past few years, the STC and Crescent girls from the past and present come down to watch hockey finals because most of the hockey girls DSA to either SA or VJ or want to DSA there next year.
Danker (sp?) was Weizhen’s coach back in STC.
There’s quite a keen rivalry between Crescent and STC right? Who won B Div this year? It’s great to see such camaraderie amongst the players as well.
Also…does the SA coach also coaches Crescent or any of the other schools? I actually have another picture of Weizhen (#2-VJC) hugging the SAJC coach as well. It’s not up here cause there is too many photos already.hahaha. What’s the link there?
Yu Sheng went on to hug the rest of her Crescent team mates from SA too. I saw her hugging SA captain, Nadrah right after the final whistle blew.
because we believe crescent hockey is forever (:
Just a correction, there are 6 St Nicks girls and 6 Crescent Girls from VJC.
Both teams were more or less made up of Crescent, St Nicks and STC girls. In SA, there were 7 Crescent girls, 5 STC girls and 2 St Nicks girls while in VJ there were about 7 St Nicks girls, 5 Crescent girls and 3 STC girls. I’m not really sure a bout the figures but it should be right. Most of them have played with or against each other at one point in time during C/B div.
6 players from vj are from crescent and 7 from sa are from crescent!
(:
not sure about st nicks girls though. anybody knows?
ahhh…that thought did cross my mind. Thanks for letting us know about their background! Any idea how many Crescent Girls were on the pitch that day? There’s also quite a large contingent of St Nick’s girls as well right?
photo 8 defender -polly
photo 15 team mate- teresa
photo 5- jillian forward SAJC
Oh my, photo 16 is such a tear-jerker *sniff*
Just a correction, it’s Joyene, not Joyenne. Anyway, both Joyene and Yusheng played together while in Crescent Girls’ School. Been playing together since 2004 and still playing together for Crescent Hockey Club. The picture was really really touching as I know both of them personally and know that they formed the rock of a very formidable defence when playing together. Kudos t both teams for a terrific game played.
wow that is an excellent show of sportsmanship shown by the VJC player comforting the keeper this is how sports should be played with sportsmanship and respect for the other players to Yusheng of VJ I applaud you. WELL DONE!
Photo 12’s VJC player is Wei Zhen, not Rui Yin. SAJC defender is Yu Ai
Wow that was touching. Do they know each other?