Harmony
High School from Virginia is the under-19 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup Free
State champion. They beat 2011 provincial champions, Dr Reginald Cingo
Comprehensive School, 2-0 in the final in Welkom last Saturday. Both teams will compete in the National
Finals happening in Bloemfontein from 2 – 6 October.
Harmony
is comfortably the most successful team in the competitions history. In 2010 the school finished the National
Finals in second position winning R700 000 and they were 2011 National champions,
taking home the R1 million prize.
All
17 players in the current school team are also part of the Harmony Sports
Academy funded by Harmony Mines and situated in Virginia about 8 km away from
the school where all players stay in the boarding house.
Team
manager Hector Mokhali says participating in the SKMSC is important because it
gives the players a platform to be seen and be scouted by the professional
football clubs.“The tournament has also meant a lot for us because the prize
money we have won has improved our sporting equipment, not just football but
for other sporting codes at the school as well,” he says.
Coach
Pitso Mokoena singles out captain, Themba Dhladhla, as one of his key players.
He was part of last year’s team, so he is experienced and is a very committed
player as well as a good motivator.
Dhladhla
says losing is really not an option for them because they have to maintain the
standard set by the school in this tournament. “There is a lot of pressure on
us but I believe the commitment shown by the team so far and the experience we
have will work in our favour on the national stage.”
So
far Harmony High School and Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School will face
Lindelihle Senior Secondary School and Mnceba Senior Secondary School from the
Eastern Cape, Benny Sports Development Academy and Mammoka High School from
Limpopo, Rietvale High School and Langberg High School from Northern Cape, East
High College of Excellence and Lindile Secondary School from Mpumalanga at the
National finals in Bloemfontein later this year. The other provinces still have
to select their representatives.
Sanlam
Business Development Manager in Welkom, Shadrack Lenong says: “Sanlam
understands the value of development and the opportunity it gives youngsters to
achieve what they hope for. We believe that the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup
creates opportunities that have a positive impact on the youth, and provides
exposure to scouts for talented players.
FREESTATE RESULTS
Participating
schools:
Pool
A - Harmony High School (Lejwaleputswa Region); HTS Louis Botha Technical High
School (Motheo Region); Moketa High School (Thabo Mofutsanyana Region).
Pool
B - Concordia High School (Lejwaleputswa Region); Ipetleng Secondary School
(Xhariep Region); Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School (Fezile Dabi Region).
RESULTS
Harmony
High School 2 vsMoketa High School 0, Concordia High School 1 vsIpetleng
Secondary School 0, HTS Louis Botha Technical High School 3 vsMoketa High
School 0, Ipetleng Secondary School 1 vs Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School
2, Harmony High School 2 vs HTS Louis Botha Technical High School 0, Concordia
High School 1 vs Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School 1.
FINAL
Harmony
High School 2 vs Dr Reginald Cingo Comprehensive School 0
