The Ananda College old boys created a major upset at the annual New York City Sri Lanka Schools Alumni Rugby Tournament organized by the STC-NYC Foundation on April 19th at the Fairleigh Dickinson University Football Stadium.
The annual event brings together all of the major Sri Lankan schools for the SriLankan Airlines Trophy and was won by Ananda College beating S. Thomas’ College in a tense final by 12-0.
The Anandians led by dynamic Lakshan Wickremaarachchi, a senior member of the Ananda 1st XV team in 1990 included stars such as Vidura Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka basketball fame as well as Yugantha Karunaratne, a former Sri Lanka, CH&FC and a former captain of the Ananda 1st XV, Delan Abdeen a former Sri Lanka Schools, CH&FC and Ananda 1st XV, Pramuka Abdeen (Havelocks and Ananda 1st XV) and Surinda Jayaweera (Havelocks and Ananda 1st XV). The team was coached by Channa Wickremaratne a former Ananda 1st XV colorsman. The Thomians were led by Amila Madulaarachchi a former Sri Lanka Schools and a STC Rugby Captain and included former Thomian colorsmen Stefan Van Twest and Sachin David.
In two hard fought semifinals, the Anandians beat the highly fancied St. Peters team, the reigning US West Coast Champions led by diminutive Priyan Katugampola and including current Sri Lanka star Shenal Dias as well as former St. Peters rugby stars Reshan Cooke and Davin Fonseka. The Thomians defeated the reigning US East Coast Champions Trinity led by former Trinity 1st XV winger Cheruka Weerakoon and included all former Trinity 1st XV players of the caliber of Himesh Goonathileke, Kishan Ellapola, Michael Weerasuriya and Sean Wanigesekera.
Teams from Isipathana, Zahira, St. Josephs, International Schools and Nalanda participated in a highly competitive tournament that showcased other former Sri Lankan rugby legends such as Sudesh Abeysinghe and brought together many Sri Lankans living, studying or working in the US. The Annual event is organized by the STC-NYC Foundation, a private, nonprofit charity registered in the USA that was set up by old Thomians living in the New York region in 2010. Prakash Thevanayagam, an Old Thomian and a board member of the foundation said “The event is not just a highly competitive rugby tournament but an important community event that brings together all Sri Lankans from all walks of life living in the USA. Events such as this, not just creates a little bit of Sri Lanka for all of us who live far away but also helps raise important funds that are then pledged to worthy projects in Sri Lankan schools with a particular focus on educational development and helping underprivileged kids in Sri Lanka”.
The guests of honor at the event included the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Dr. Palitha Kohona, the Warden of S. Thomas’ College Dr. Indra de Soysa and Mr. Dillan Ariyawansa, Head of SriLankan Airlines in the USA and Canada. “SriLankan Airlines is proud to support this event for the third consecutive year and I thank the STC-NYC foundation for organizing each year such an extraordinary rugby tournament that not only brings together the Sri Lankan community living in the USA but also supports a lot of worthy projects in Sri Lanka” said Mr. Dillan Ariyawansa.
