Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MUTARE’S netball powerhouse, Santa Queens, turned on the heat to humiliate opponents with very wide margins in their recent bubble, and are now aiming at nothing less than a podium finish when the curtain comes down on the 2026 Rainbow Netball League season.
The FreightZone-bankrolled team is in its third year in the elite netball league.
A club that evolved from a pastime activity during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown era to a competitive elite league outfit, Santa Queens now has players being selected for national duty as the trio of goal defence, Perisinevi Tabviroona, goalkeeper, Elizabeth Mushore and goal shooter, Enesi Chavarika are currently with the national team.
In their debut season, the club finished eighth, before finishing on the fourth position last year.
This year, Santa Queens, have already cemented third position even though they can still do better.
The Mutare-based netball team will play against prisons outfit, Khami and Golden Valley at White City in Bulawayo in their next bubble set for this weekend.
In their recent past bubble, Santa Queens flexed their muscle to outplay competitors by wide margins after thumping Belvedere 110-10 in a match which their goal attack, Felistus Mavhuna, was named player of the match.
Santa Queens went on to maintain their dominance in that bubble when they trounced ZRP Vixen 95-12, and their goal shooter, Chavarika, was also named player of the match.
In the last match of the bubble against White Angels, Santa Queens won 113-6, and again their wing attack, Auxilia Zindi, was named player of the tournament.
In an interview, Santa Queens team manager, Stanley Chiwambutsa, expressed satisfaction at the progress that the club has made since its formation.
Chiwambutsa was quick to highlight that there is need for corporate partnership from business entities in Manicaland in order for the club to maintain its standards of competitiveness.
“The project is going on very well as shown by continuous improvement. We have three players in the national team, and that is testimony to the progress that we have made.
“We are now competing for honours. We, however, really need sponsorship from other willing individuals and corporates so that we can able to maintain its standards of competitiveness,” said Chiwambutsa.
Santa Queens eyes podium finish
