adminMidlands Correspondent
MASHONALAND West’s Cornway College are this year’s winners of the M and H Under-17 soccer tournament which ended at Kwekwe High School yesterday. Cornway beat Mashonaland West representatives Mavhuradonha 7-6 on penalties in the final after the match ended in a stalemate to win their first ever national silverware in football. Twelve schools namely winners Cornway, Mavhuradonha, Churchill, Prince Edward, Gifford, Mzingwane, Gutu, Gaza, Chemanza, Mavela, Amaveni and hosts Kwekwe High School took part in the football extravaganza.
On their road to the final Cornway topped Group D standings which also had Harare giants and defending champions Prince Edward and Mzingwane before beating Mzingwane 1-0 in the quarter-finals to proceed to the semi-finals while Mavhuradonha won Group A by goal difference after all the teams finished level on three points.
Other teams in the group included former champions Churchill and Matabeleland North representatives Mavela.
Mavhuradonha stormed into the semi-finals after beating Mashonaland East representatives Chemanza 1-0 in the quarter-finals to set a date with Prince Edward whom they beat 4-3 on penalties after the team had finished the match deadlocked nil all.
On the other hand Cornway shrugged off the challenge of Churchill High School after edging the Harare giants 1-0 to reach their first ever M and H Tournament final.
National Association of School Heads (Nash) provided $5 000 prizemoney.
Tournament sponsors M and H Educational Supplies pledged $10 000 for prize money to be availed soon.
Winners Cornway College won the right to dominate the team to represent the country in the Confederation of Southern Africa Sport Association Games to be held in Maseru, Lesotho, later this month.
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo