39th Sub-Junior State Kho-Kho Championship
Dharashiv vs Satara and Thane vs Pune in Boys’ semifinals; Solapur vs Thane and Dharashiv vs Sangli in Girls’ semifinals
Mumbai / Sports Reporter Bal Toraskar
Championship reaches peak excitement in Wadala
The 39th Sub-Junior (Under-14) Boys’ and Girls’ State Kho-Kho Championship and Selection Trials, organised with the approval of the Maharashtra Kho-Kho Association and jointly hosted by the Mumbai Kho-Kho Association and Shri Samarth Vyayam Mandir, Dadar, has entered a thrilling phase at the Mumbai Physical Education Mandal ground, Wadala. After intense league and pre-quarterfinal matches, the tournament has now reached the semifinal stage, promising high-quality and closely fought encounters. In the boys’ category, Dharashiv vs Satara and Thane vs Pune will clash in the semifinals, while in the girls’ category, Solapur vs Thane and Dharashiv vs Sangli will battle for a place in the final.
Dharashiv register double impact with dominant wins
Dharashiv produced commanding performances in both boys’ and girls’ sections. In the girls’ category, Dharashiv defeated Nashik 34–15, winning by 19 points. The victory was built on strong contributions from Arohi Patil (unbeaten 2.20 min and 2.50 min defence, 4 points) and Eeshwari Sutar (2 min defence, 6 points). Nashik’s resistance came from Gayatri Pendhar (2.10 min and 1.40 min defence, 2 points) and Sambhavi Shinde (1.30 min and 1.40 min defence), but it was not enough. In the boys’ category, Dharashiv outplayed Ahmednagar 25–18, winning by 7 points with one inning to spare. Prafull Vasave (3.10 min defence, 2 points) and Suraj Kakade (unbeaten 1 min and 0.40 min defence, 8 points) starred for Dharashiv, while Sumit Rathod (1 min defence, 4 points) fought a lone battle for Ahmednagar.
Pune overcome Sangli in a tight contest
In a closely contested boys’ match, Pune defeated Sangli 28–20 to secure a 5-point victory. Pune maintained pressure throughout the match, with Soham Deshmukh (3.30 min defence, 6 points) and Kartavya Dandekar (unbeaten 1.20 min and 1.10 min defence, 4 points) playing key roles. Sangli’s challenge was led by Shubham Mane (unbeaten 2.40 min and 2 min defence, 6 points) and Soham Padale (1 min defence, 2 points), but Pune held firm to seal the win.
Satara stun Ratnagiri with record-breaking margin
Satara delivered one of the most dominant performances of the tournament in the boys’ category, crushing Ratnagiri 37–08 to win by 29 points with one inning in hand. Satara raced to a massive 35–02 lead at half-time, effectively sealing the contest early. Varad Pol (5.50 min defence, 8 points) and Ayush Pangare (unbeaten 1.30 min and 1.10 min defence, 6 points) were outstanding, while Ratnagiri’s Shashwat Dorlekar (1 min defence) struggled against Satara’s relentless pace.
Solapur overpower Jalna in girls’ section
Solapur stormed into the girls’ semifinals with a commanding 28–05 victory over Jalna, winning by 23 points with one inning to spare. Solapur dominated through sharp attacks and strong defence, led by Riya Chavan (6.30 min defence, 4 points) and Shreya Yalmar (5.10 min defence). Jalna’s efforts from Samiksha Binniwale (1 min defence, 2 points) and Payal Ghushinge (2.10 min defence) could not stop Solapur’s charge.
Thane shine in both boys’ and girls’ categories
Thane displayed all-round strength by securing semifinal berths in both categories. In the girls’ section, Thane defeated Pune 27–19, winning by 8 points, with Gauri Rode (2.20 min defence, 8 points) and Shravani More (2.20 min defence, 4 points) delivering match-winning performances. Pune’s challenge came from Aradhya Geete (1.25 min, 6 points), Aparna Wardhe (2.20 min, 2 points) and Purva More (1 min and 1.40 min defence, 2 points). In the boys’ category, Thane outplayed Solapur by 8 points, with 1.50 minutes remaining. Thane’s success was driven by Aaru Gatel (unbeaten 2 min and 1.20 min defence), Ganesh Rathod (unbeaten 1.30 min and 1.10 min defence, 4 points) and Aryan Mulik (1.30 min defence, 4 points). Solapur’s resistance from Yash Kadam (1.10 min defence, 8 points) and Sarthak (1.15 min and unbeaten 1 min defence, 2 points) fell short.
Semifinal line-up promises high-voltage clashes With Dharashiv, Thane, Pune, Satara, Solapur and Sangli showcasing consistent and aggressive play, the semifinal stage is set for high-voltage encounters. Fans at Wadala can now look forward to thrilling contests as the championship moves closer to crowning its state champions.
