Story by Iman Hashim/Red Sports. Photos by Jerald Ang/Red Sports.

Muhammad Shamirza (#9) of Queensway in action. (Photo 1 © Jerald Ang/Red Sports)

Muhammad Shamirza (#9) of Queensway in action. (Photo 1 © Jerald Ang/Red Sports)

Bedok Sports Hall, Monday, April 11, 2016 — Queensway Secondary (QSS) saw off Woodlands Secondary (WDL) in two straight regu matches (2–0, 2–0) to claim the National B Division Sepak Takraw Championship title.

In the semi-finals, Queensway had beaten Naval Base Secondary while Woodlands had defeated Fuchun Secondary.

The teams played best-of-three regu matches – with each match being decided by best-of-three sets.

For the first regu, Queensway fielded Muhammad Shamirza (#9), Darmiziey (#10) and Rifqi Amani (#13) while for Woodlands, Mas Hidayat (#4), Muhammad Zaki (#9) and Muhammad Hafeez (#10) played first.

The first set started out very tight, with both teams consistently cancelling each other’s lead. At 9–9, a time-out was called. The scoreline remained tight until 13–13, before Darmiziey (QSS #10) gave Queensway the 14–13 advantage with an effortless roll spike.

Queensway then failed to keep the ball in play following a Woodlands serve, which meant that the scores were level again at 14–14. What followed was a brilliant rally between both teams, which culminated in Darmiziey (QSS #10) hitting another great overhead spike to give Queensway the 15–14 advantage.

Queensway went on to edge the first set 16–14, after Woodlands failed to prevent the ball from going out of bounds on their side.

Coming out on top in that tense first set seemed to allay any nerves that the Queensway team had, as they found it slightly more comfortable in the second set.

The second set began with Queensway taking a quick 3–0 lead thanks to a series of successive Woodlands serving errors. Darmiziey (QSS #10) continued to impress with his spikes – he finished off a move after being set up by teammate Rifqi Amani (QSS #13) to eventually clinch the set 15–12.

It meant that Queensway had the early upper hand in the tie, taking the first regu match 2–0 (16–14, 15–12).

For the second regu, Muhammad Irsharudin (#1), Danishzuan (#7) and Muhammad Ridhwan (#14) played for Queensway while Danial Heryanto (#5), Mohamad Shafique (#6) and Mohamad Nur Hafiz (#8) stepped up for Woodlands.

The first set saw Queensway taking a commanding 5–0 lead first before Woodlands rallied back all the way to 7–7, with Woodlands’ seventh point coming after Mohamad Shafique (WDL #6) amazingly blocked a spike attempt by Muhammad Irsharudin (QSS #1) at the net.

Queensway then pulled away again at 10–8, but Woodlands refused to give up the fight, coming back again to equalise at 10–10, with their 10th point coming after Muhammad Irsharudin’s (QSS #1) attempted spike went wide out of bounds. The Queensway coach subsequently called for a time-out.

Woodlands then went on to take the lead for the first time in the set, extending it to 12–10. Alas for them, Queensway pulled back to 12–12 and then snatched back the lead again at 13–12 with a spike by Muhammad Irsharudin (QSS #1).

The see-saw encounter continued with Woodlands drawing level again at 13–13, with Mohamad Shafique (WDL #6) once again blocking a spike attempt by Muhammad Irsharudin (QSS #1) at the net. However, a subsequent over-hit serve by Woodlands gave Queensway the 14–13 advantage before a spike by Muhammad Ridhwan (QSS #14) clinched the first set 15–13 to Queensway.

The second set saw Queensway lead 5–4, 6–5, then 7–6, as Woodlands refused to throw in the towel, pulling back each time Queensway took the lead. Queensway, however, eventually pulled away to 13–7, with their 13th point coming after Danial Heryanto (WDL #5) failed to recover a sharp serve by Muhammad Ridhwan (QSS #14).

Queensway then went on to wrap up the set 15–9, after a perfect three touches by the team – with Muhammad Irsharudin (QSS #1) finishing off the move with yet another effortless spike. It meant that Queensway also comfortably took the second regu match 2–0 (15–13, 15–9), sealing the final win in two straight matches.

On his team’s victory, Queensway captain Muhammad Ridhwan (#14) commented, “It is a very great feeling. I’m very proud of my team because we worked well as a team – even the substitutes supported us. It’s great because now with this victory we get recognised by more of our schoolmates and teachers, that we have made history for the school.”

Score By Regu
Queensway vs Woodlands
1st Regu: 2–0 (16–14, 15–12)
2nd Regu: 2–0 (15–13, 15–9)

Queensway Roster
Muhammad Irsharudin (#1), Ahmad Syufi Mikail (#2), Muhammad Faiz (#3), Muhammad Yusuf (#4), Mohammad Hafiszul (#5), Zahier Afiq (#6), Danishzuan (#7), Mohammed Yunos (#8), Muhammad Shamirza (#9), Darmiziey (#10), Mohamed Nafis (#11), Muhammad Syi’aruddin (#12), Rifqi Amani (#13), Muhammad Ridhwan (#14), Muhammad Aiman Aqil (#15)

Woodlands Roster
Ahmad Qudrat B Rahmat (#1), Muhammad Azrin B Sukaimi (#2), Muhammad Aiman Nabil B Izam (#3), Mas Hidayat B Rahmat (#4), Danial Heryanto B Zuraini (#5), Mohamad Shafique B Ramlee (#6), Muhammad Farhan B Salim (#7), Mohamad Nur Hafiz B Mohamad S (#8), Muhammad Zaki B Mohamed Yusli (#9), Muhammad Hafeez B Abdul Aziz (#10), Adyrudyanto B Zuraini (#11), Mohamad Syafiq B Mohamad Ruzi (#12), Muhamad Imran B Abdul Jalil (#13), Farish Safiy B Mohammad Faizal (#14), Mohamad Zachary Danial (#15)

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