23rd National Inter-Regional Schools and Colleges Sports Festival

The young Girls of the Ashanti Region swept aside all opposition to beat their much fancied Greater Accra Region counterparts 1-0 in a sensational penalty stroke competition to clinch Gold in the girls’ division of the hockey competition of the 23rd Annual Inter-Regional Schools and Colleges Sports Festival held in Ho.

With the earlier 0-1 defeat to Ashanti during the preliminary rounds of the competition on their minds, Greater Accra dominated the game right from the blast of the whistle seeking revenge. Ashanti maintained a calm composure on the grass surface while the girls from Greater Accra found the going tough during the latter part of the first half. Ashanti dominated proceedings in the second half and although they created some descent scoring chances, they were unable to convert them.

At the end of a stalemate regulation time, the penalty stroke competition was evoked to determine the winner. Both goalkeepers were outstanding but it was Ashanti Region that managed to put the ball behind the Greater Accra Region goalie to win the game 1-0 and be crowned champions for 2003.

In the Boys division, Greater Accra Region warded off a fierce challenge from Brong Ahafo Region (BA) with a 4-1 penalty stroke competition win to clinch Gold. Brong Ahafo looked set to repeat their 2-1 win over the Greater Accra Boys during the preliminary stages of competition with some near flawless display on their favourite grass surface. The Greater Accra Boys, who were used to playing on the artificial turf, found the going tough as they did during the first match. They however refused to be overawed by the BA boys or be frustrated by the difficulty of playing on grass. The Accra boys maintained a calm composure and sold out a beautiful game to the crows that witnessed the final match.

The grueling game ended 0-0 at full time and a Penalty Stroke competition was therefore used to determine the champions for 2003. Greater Accra goalie Jerome Conduah was outstanding, saving 3 of 4 BA penalty strokes while the Accra boys showed great technique by putting 4 balls past the BA goalie to spark off a wild celebration.

Volta Region won bronze in the girls’ competition beating Central 1-0, while Ashanti won bronze in the boys division beating Central 1-0.

Esther Ofori Adobea of Ashanti was voted the best player and Deborah Gyasi of Greater Accra, the most promising player in the girls’ division while George Aseidu of Greater Accra and Robert Aryeetey of Eastern were voted the best player and the most promising player respectively in the boys’ division. For their awards, the best players received an FIH inscribed hockey stick and a ball each while the promising players received an FIH inscribed hockey stick each. Each Region also received a packet of 6 balls to support their hockey development programs.