adminTakudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
NGEZI Platinum dominated the annual Northern Region 2015 awards after Evans Katema and coach, Clifton Kadurira, were voted soccer star and coach of the year respectively. The duo were rewarded by the Northern Region at a colourful ceremony held in the capital last night. Katema had to contend with Herentals’ Edgar Mhungu, who was voted first runner-up and Mushowani Stars’ Tendai Mutandi.
The three were outstanding throughout the season and were well rewarded for their efforts with Katema the biggest winner as he walked away with a Toyota Corolla and $400 in cash.
The Toyota Corolla is courtesy of World Navi, who have partnered the region for the past two years. Mhungu, who was influential in Herentals first year in the league walked away $350 richer for being the runner-up while Mutandi pocketed $300 for being the third best player in the league.
The cash prizes for the players were sponsored by Walter Magaya’s Prophetic Healing Deliverances (PHD) ministries. Innocent Sokusi, also of Ngezi Platinum, won the top goal scorer of the year award and walked away $600 richer with the prize being sponsored by Supreme Panel Beaters.
Supreme Panel Beaters have been sponsoring the monthly top goal scorer award.
For Mutandi, it was the second year that he has come close to winning the top award.
Last year he was one of the 11 finalists when his former teammate, Zivanai Mhanda, won the award.
The eight other finalists each received $200.
Northern Region secretary-general, Sweeney Mushonga congratulated all those who made it and said he is happy that they have managed to maintain their standards of holding the awards ceremony.
“As the Northern Region we are happy that we have managed to hold the awards ceremony once again and we thank our sponsors who include World Navi, PHD ministries and Supreme Panel Beaters.
“The awards is a way of motivating the players to be competitive and that will help improve our league, which is improving each year.
“We thrive on the need to improve and we hope the awards can work as a way of improving the competition and we know they deserve better but we will work hard to get there.
“We are also pleased with the coverage form the media and this has made our league vibrant and we hope to continue with the same relations next year,’’ said Mushonga.
Online Reporter