Lokmanya Tilak Triumphs in U-17 Girls Hockey Tournament
Pune, 22nd February 2026: Sant Tukaram boys and Lokmanya Tilak girls emerged as champions in the Under-17 sections of the Fr. Schoch Memorial 2026 Inter School Hockey tournament. The event, powered by Bharat Forge Kalyani Group, took place at Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium, Nehrunagar-Pimpri, on Sunday.
The tournament is organized under the aegis of Hockey Maharashtra and is managed by ELAN (Ex Loyola Alumni Network) in conjunction with Loyola High School. This is the sixth year in succession that the tournament has been held.
In the girls' final, Lokmanya Tilak emerged as worthy and surprising winners after a thrilling match against St. Josephs, Pashan. The regulation time ended in a 1-1 draw, with Manvi Jagdale scoring for Lokmanya Tilak in the 48th minute and Anvi Rawat equalizing for St. Josephs in the 58th minute.
The match proceeded to a shoot-out, where Lokmanya Tilak demonstrated exceptional skill and precision. Arpita Konjare, Manvi Jawale, Priyanka Kokare, and Vaishnavi Parit all scored, with Manvi Jawale and Arpita Konjare each scoring twice. St. Josephs, Pashan, responded with goals from Anvi Rawat, Rhythm Kurkure, Angel Naidu, Ananya Nimhan, and Caelyn Nesamani, but ultimately fell short. Caelyn Nesamani and Rhythm Kurkure missed their efforts, while Lokmanya Tilak's Pushpalata Akhade also missed, but it was enough for Lokmanya Tilak to win 8-7 in the shoot-out.
St. Annes secured the third place by defeating Sant Tukaram 3-0. Ananya Thopte, Swaranjali Mane, and Radha Deshpande scored for St. Annes.
In the Under-17 Boys Final, Sant Tukaram triumphed over St. Patrick’s with a convincing 3-0 win. Prabhuddha Tupsakare scored two early goals in the 1st and 13th minutes, and Chaitany Devkar added a third in the 50th minute.
For the third-place match, Loyola High School dominated G.K Gurukul with a 5-0 victory. Skyler Raj was the standout player, scoring four goals in the 11th, 32nd, 37th, and 58th minutes, while Mark Das added a goal in the 25th minute.
The tournament highlighted the talent and dedication of young hockey players in Maharashtra, showcasing the future of the sport in the region.
