TILAK High School has dropped out of the National Secondary Schools Hockey competition.

Lautoka Secondary Schools Hockey Association president Makelesi Mawi said she had received a notification that the U19 boys team will not be travelling to Levuka despite being one of the top four schools in their grade who qualified for the nationals.

“We are not sure why they have opted out but as is the process, the Xavier College team will now travel instead. All the schools travelling have confirmed their numbers and each of them continue their training,” she said.

The LSSHA won three grade titles last year with Nadi SSKMC the winners of the U19 Girls, Ba Provincial Freebird Institute for the U19 Boys, and St. Thomas High School for the U16 boys.

Mawi said it would be difficult to retain the title this year.

“I know that the Levuka Schools are preparing really well for this. The last time we played in Levuka they won almost all the grade titles and they have home advantage,” she said.

The National Secondary Schools Hockey competition is hosted on a rotational basis by three districts – Lautoka, Suva and Levuka.

Levuka will host this year’s competition.