Eastbank High School boys crowned champions
ALEXANDRA - Eastbank High are winners of the inaugural schools soccer tournament.
Eastbank High School senior boys’ soccer team are the inaugural winners of the Alexandra Schools Soccer Tournament.
The tournament was launched on 12 March and was sponsored by Region E’s Youth Forum and Sports Council in partnership with Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association, Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation and Gauteng Department of Education.
‘We are the champions’ rang out loud as the team hoisted the winners’ trophy joined by enthusiastic fellow students and teachers at Three Square Sports Grounds.
The semi-finals were contested by Realogile Secondary against Alex High, and Eastbank High versus Northview in front of about 1 000 students, teachers, locals, sports authorities and club representatives. The tournament also included a girls six-aside final between Realogile and Liberty College which was won by Realogile.
The boys final was played at high tempo from the first whistle with both teams trying to exert dominance, but Eastbank soon took control of the match with some exhilarating touches. Sensing danger, Realogile increased the tempo and matched their opponents with pace, skill and determination.
Eastbank’s dominance prevailed again resulting in their first goal at the quarter mark. It was 2-0 nine minutes before the break with the keeper caught out of position.
A drizzle affected smooth play at the start of the second half as Realogile tried to claw back. However, it was Eastbank’s strikers who where on top of their game scoring a third 10 minutes from full-time and a fourth just before the final whistle.
The MMC for Community Development Chris Vondo presented the trophies and medals for the tournament. “The tournament confirms the national sports ministry’s pronouncement on the revival of schools sports,” he said. “Our plan is to roll out schools soccer and start similar initiatives for other sporting codes in all Gauteng regions in September as feeder programmes for more competitive sports at national and professional levels.”
