adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
PETERHOUSE College were crowned champions of the Conference for Heads of Independent Schools in Zimbabwe (CHISZ) soccer tournament in Gweru over the weekend. The Marondera-based school beat Harare’s St George’s College 1-0 in the final at Midlands Christian College to take the trophy to Mashonaland East.
Munashe Mandaza scored the solitary goal for the new champions. Peterhouse coach Cliff Tswatswa was named coach of the tournament while the team’s goal minder Rodney Mutuke was voted the tournament’s best goalkeeper.
Other individual honours went to Ken Dhora of St George’s, who was crowned player of the tournament, while Tatenda Mupakiri’s exploits in the group stages scooped him the golden boot accolade with six goals.
Tswatswa could not hide his joy after winning the tournament and attributed their success to hard work.
“It’s an exciting feeling to win the tournament, especially during a season that saw us failing to beat St John’s College three times in four meetings. “Coming into the tournament, I thought there were some other favourites, but football is a funny game as they were nowhere near the semi-finals,” said Tswatswa.
Peterhouse overcame Gateway College 4-3 on penalties in the semi-finals after the match had ended in a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time. St George’s also beat Kyle College of Masvingo 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the teams had deadlocked 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Masiyephambili of Bulawayo were the plate winners after edging Hillcrest College 2-1.
A CHISZ select team that will play against Malawi and Zambia select schools next month was also chosen at the end of the tournament.
The CHISZ soccer tournament began in 2000 with four schools at Lomagundi College. Dynamos forward Farai Mupasiri, a former Lomagundi College pupil, is a product of the tournament.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter