Matopo volleyball team ready for national finals

Volleyball
MATOPO High school Under-17 boys volleyball team is ready to represent Matabeleland South in the national finals slated for Saturday and Sunday at Mutare Boys’ High School in Manicaland.

MATOPO High school Under-17 boys volleyball team is ready to represent Matabeleland South in the national finals slated for Saturday and Sunday at Mutare Boys’ High School in Manicaland.

RONALD MOYO OWN CORRESPONDENT

The school sports director Handsome Ncube yesterday told Southern Eye Sport the team was well-oiled and geared for the competition.

Last years’ finals were played at Inyathi High and Matopo took position six in the tournament, but this time Ncube said the boys were ready for the new challenge targeting reaching the finals in the competition.

Matopo has represented Matabeleland South province in the national finals for the past five years in both Under-17 and Under-20 categories.

In this competition they will face nine teams that would have won in their respective provinces.

“Our preparations have been going on well. We have been training hard and playing friendly matches against some clubs in Matabeleland South. Our boys are raring to go. Our aim this year is to play in the final and if possible win the tournament. We have good talented juniors who also want to showcase their talents and we will try to motivate them so that they achieve something. The fact that there are individual prizes for players will keep our boys focused. We are also hoping to produce a number of national team players since there would be national team selection during the tournament,” Ncube said.

To make their way to the national finals, Matopo came first in the provincial competitions held at Mvuthu on May 30.

They finished the tournament without a defeat beating St Mary’s 2-0, Filabusi 2-1 and Mzingwane 2-0 in the group stages. In the semi-finals they won 2-0 against Gwanda High before dismissing Thekwane High by the same scoreline in the final.

Matopo will be banking on the experience of Mathew Msamanyanga and Mzingaye Hove who were selected to the Confederation of Schools Sports Association of Southern Africa Under-17 national team after showing a superb display.