39th Sub-Junior Boys & Girls State Kho-Kho Championship
Thane, Pune and Sangli dominate in Boys; Dharashiv, Sangli and Pune lead in Girls as tournament opens in style
MumbaiSports/ Reporter Bal Toraskar
With the approval of the Maharashtra Kho-Kho Association and under the joint organisation of the Mumbai Kho-Kho Association and Shri Samarth Vyayam Mandir, Dadar, the 39th Sub-Junior (Under-14) Boys and Girls State Kho-Kho Championship and Selection Trials began in an impressive manner at the Mumbai Physical Education Board ground, Sahakarnagar, Wadala, Mumbai. On the opening day, Thane, Pune and Sangli asserted their dominance in the boys’ section, while Dharashiv, Sangli and Pune took early lead in the girls’ category, setting the tone for a highly competitive championship.
Thane Outclass Jalgaon (Boys Category)
In the boys’ category, Thane registered a commanding victory over Jalgaon, winning 39–10 and clinching the match by one inning and 29 points. Thane’s win was powered by consistent performances from Sai Dhondkar (2.45 and 2.20 minutes defence), Sachin Hule (2.20 minutes defence and 6 points), Arun Garel (2.50 minutes defence and 4 points) and Abhay Sawant (3 minutes defence and 2 points), who maintained pressure throughout the match. For Jalgaon, Pritam Pawara (1 minute defence) put up a lone resistance.
Pune Register Big Win Against Latur (Boys Category)
Pune displayed an all-round performance against Latur, winning the match 44–08 by one inning and 36 points. Pune players Kartavya Gandekar (3 minutes defence and 2 points), Soham Deshmukh (3 minutes defence), Om Wagh (3.20 minutes defence), Shriraj Tangde (1.55 minutes defence and 6 points) and Vedant Gaikwad (unbeaten 2 minutes defence and 8 points) played a key role with their balanced attack and defence. Shriram Kadam (1 minute defence and 2 points) tried to fight back for Latur.
Sangli Crush Sindhudurg (Boys Category)
In another one-sided boys’ match, Sangli defeated Sindhudurg by a massive margin of 54–04, winning by one inning and 50 points. Sangli’s strong showing came from Daksh Jadhav (6.05 minutes defence and 4 points), Shubham Mane (4.45 minutes defence and 4 points) and Samarth Jali (14 points). Gaurang Malandkar (1 minute defence) was the lone contributor for Sindhudurg.
Sangli Overpower Latur (Girls Category)
In the girls’ section, Sangli defeated Latur 33–14, winning by one inning and 19 points after leading 26–06 at halftime. Vedika Tamkhade (2.25 minutes defence and 2 points), Shravani Mane (2.30 minutes defence) and Aradhya Patil (2.30 minutes defence and 8 points) ensured a steady win for Sangli. For Latur, Sayali Deshmukh (1.30 minutes defence) and Sanskriti Shinde (1.05 minutes defence and 2 points) showed determination.
Dharashiv Dominate Sindhudurg (Girls Category)
Dharashiv delivered a powerful performance against Sindhudurg, winning 53–10 by one inning and 43 points. Dharashiv’s victory was led by Mugdha Satpute (2.50 minutes defence and 6 points), Bhargavi Bagal (2.50 minutes defence and 4 points), Rahi Patil (1.20 minutes defence and 6 points) and Piyusha Palamalkar (2.50 minutes defence and 4 points). Ritika Parab (1 minute defence) fought hard for Sindhudurg.
Pune Beat Jalgaon Convincingly (Girls Category)
In another impressive result, Pune defeated Jalgaon 40–12, winning by one inning and 28 points. Pune’s strong performance came from Sai Garad (4.10 minutes defence), Supriya Kare (3.25 minutes defence and 4 points), Prapti Deshmukh (2.30 minutes defence and 10 points) and Aparna Vardhe (14 points). Sonali Khengat (1 and 1.25 minutes defence) contributed for Jalgaon.
Brief Results of Other Matches
Boys: Satara beat Hingoli by one inning and 22 points; Nashik defeated Dhule by one inning and 9 points; Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar beat Nanded by one inning and 2 points; Solapur defeated Parbhani by 20 points.
Girls: Nashik beat Beed by one inning and 16 points; Satara defeated Hingoli by one inning and 42 points; Thane beat Parbhani by one inning and 10 points; Nanded defeated Ratnagiri by 7 points with 30 seconds remaining; Solapur beat Raigad by one inning and 30 points.
Clear Signals from Day One
The dominant performances by strong teams on the opening day clearly indicate that the upcoming rounds will feature fast-paced, closely fought and high-quality matches, making the race for the state title increasingly exciting.
