St. Marks Girls Triumph at Mpumalanga Provincial U15 School Sport Championships

This past weekend at Thulamahashe New Stadium, the St. Marks girls’ football team showcased a stunning display of skill and teamwork at the Mpumalanga Provincial U15 School Sport Championships. The team from Mbombela, representing the Ehlanzeni district, faced off against champions from Bohlabela, Gert Sibande, and Nkangala, securing decisive victories in all their matches.

St. Marks dominated the tournament, recording two-nil wins against both Moduping and Cabangani, and a three-one victory over Dikgabo. This outstanding performance led them to be crowned the champions of the tournament, a result that many anticipated given their robust showing.

The success didn’t stop with team accolades. St. Marks also saw seven of its players selected to represent the province at the national finals set to take place at Sturrock Park in Gauteng from August 8 to 10. The selected players include Whitney Havene, Kamogelo Moropane, Lizzy Khoza, Sinothando Mabaso, Dimpho Khoza, Thandolwethu Khumalo, and Angel Zitha.

Adding to the school’s triumph, one of its shining stars, Ntsila, clinched the top goal scorer award with an impressive tally of six goals in three matches, alongside being named player of the tournament.

Raymond Chauke, the football manager at St. Marks, expressed his joy over the team’s victory, attributing it to the collective effort of the school management, the supportive parents, and the talented players. “First of all, we want to thank the departments of culture, sport, recreation, and education. I also want to thank the parents for trusting us with the development of the girl child through sport,” Chauke remarked. “This victory is a motivation for us to keep on working hard. It’s such a great feeling to be crowned the champions of Mpumalanga. This is our first year with the girls soccer team, after focusing primarily on boys soccer for the past 20 years.”

In the boys’ section of the tournament, Sibhulo claimed the championship, with their own Sibusiso Zitha and Tshepiso Ndlovu from Mahlale receiving the top goal scorer and player of the tournament awards, respectively.

St. Marks’ victory not only marks a significant achievement for the school’s newly established girls’ soccer team but also sets a high bar for future competitions, proving that they are a formidable force in school sports.