Teams set out to meet challenge at Junior West Zone championship

PUNE, 20th July 2024: Forwards Vishal Mandade from Nagpur and Sanika Mane (Kolhapur) will lead Hockey Maharashtra Junior Boys and Girls at the 2nd Hockey India Junior Men’s and Women’s West Zone Hockey Championship 2024 at Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh.

The boys’ team will engage in an all-play-all league format and will face-off against Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Rajasthan, Hockey Chhattisgarh, Hockey Gujarat, Goan Hockey. The top two boys’ teams will play the final.

The girls section has been divided into two groups and will play a league cum knock out basis with the top-two teams from each group aiming to make the semifinals. Hockey Maharashtra are placed in Pool-B along with Dadra & Nagar Haveli And Diu & Daman, Goa Hockey and Hockey Rajasthan as their rivals.

The boys’ team play hosts Chhattisgarh, while the girls’ team play Goa on Sunday 21st July 2024.

Ahead of their departure the teams underwent a 15-day selection-cum-conditioning camp under the watchful eyes of Olympians Ajit Lakra and Vikram Pillay at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium, Nehrunagar-Pimpri.

THE TEAMS

BOYS: Vedant Rahate (Mumbai - Mumbai); Sahil Vaidya (Wardha - Wardha); Gaurav Patil (Kolhapur); Gopal Metkar (Nanded); Ravi Bharadia (Mumbai); Harsh Rakshe (Mumbai); Chirstiano Corriea (Mumbai); Piyush Gaikwad (Satara); Shaun Demelo (Mumbai); Santosh Birajdar (Sangli); Ranjyotsingh Hazooria (Nanded); Shankar Kusale (Pune); Arjun Hargude (Pune); Vishal Mandade (Nagpur - Captain); Swayam Gangurde (Mumbai); Kartik Pathare (A'Nagar); Shubham Jadhav (Kolhapur); Ayan Pagedar (Pune).

Coach: Muthanna B.K (Mumbai) Manager: Aniket More (Kolhapur)

GIRLS: Vaishnavi Khandare (Kolhapur - Goalkeeper); Rishika Navalakha (Pune - Goalkeeper); Mahi Chaudhary (Pune); Gauri Kolpe (Sangli); Akansha Pal (Mumbai); Siddhi Gawali (Pune); Sanjana Khetawat (Pune); Archa Sasidharan (Pune); Asmita Ghotale (Sangli); Jyuthika Bodkhe (Nagpur); Savitri Boragalli (Kolhapur); Wilona Rodriques (Mumbai); Sayma Tamboli (Sangli); Sukanya Dawre (Pune); Tanushree Kadu (Yavatmal); Khushi (Mumbai); Sanika Mane (Kolhapur - Captain); Z Laldintluangi Z.Hmingchungnunga (Mumbai).

Coach: Vaishali Sul (Pune), Manager: Harsha Ingale (Yewatmal).