Chronicle Editor
Nkosilathi Sibanda, [email protected]
SOMVUBU High School, has shown that sport talent is abound in rural areas.
Based in Bubi District, Matabeleland North, the school made for a memorable showing on Saturday, as they reached the final of both the Under- 20 girls and boys in the Orap Zenzele Isuzu Cup Tournament at Gifford High School.
Somvubu secondary’s girls team beat Siyoka of Beitbridge 1-0. Somvubu girls won all the accolades on offer. The player of the tournament was the school’s Aaliyah Dube, who also shared the top goal scorer award with teammate Nolwazi Mathuthu after scoring five goals each. Goalkeeper Sandra Ncube registered a clean sheet.
The tournament was last held in 2019, before the Covid-19 virus. This year in the boys’ contest was Somvubu High, Hwange High, Manjolo High, Cyrene High, Embakwe High, Maboleni High and Fatima High Schools.
In the girls’ competition, school teams that participated were Sombuvu, Guwe, Siyoka, Townsend, Nkankezi, Mbalabala, Whata and Fatima.
On the road to the final, Somvubu girls beat Guwe 5 nil in the semis. Siyoka won 1-0 over Fatima.
The boys beat Embakwe 2-1 in the semi-finals, before settling for a nil all stalemate with Hwange in the final match.
On the girls’ win, Somvubu headmaster Khumbulani Sibanda said the team’s performance was a result of a talent development initiative started by the school in the past years.
“It is pleasing to witness how our girls’ teams are performing at all levels of competitions. This is a result of an investment in sport that we have done. From our plans, this has been all about choosing the right personnel in the coaching department and having the right resources.
“We have, over the years, been building on this project that has also seen our boys being attached to some teams where they get to develop their skills and be mentored. It worked well. Through a mutual agreement with Lobengula City Queens, our girls have been getting that valuable experience in the Division One league,” said Sibanda.
Gifford High School sports director, Collett Murombo thanked the sponsors and organisers for the successful hosting of the tournament.
“The tournament went well and we are thankful to the sponsors, Autoworld Isuzu and the Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress, Orap, for their commitment to nurturing young talent in football. We, as schools, will be forever indebted to this invaluable contribution,” said Murombo.
There were 16 teams drawn from Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Bulawayo Provinces.
Murombo said the tournament, which started in 2014, was a platform that brings together secondary schools from both rural and urban backgrounds. In the 2019 edition, Mosi Oa Tunya High School of Victoria Falls were winner in the boys’ competition, with Tongwe of Beitbridge taking the gold in girls’ contest.
-@NkosieLegend
Online Reporter