BY SONNY SUNTLY PAHLA
VICTORIA FALLS – Hwange District showcased its absolute dominance in youth volleyball over the weekend, sweeping the entire podium in the boys’ category and securing a historic victory at the Matabeleland North Under-17 Volleyball Provincial Championships.
Hosted by Hwange District at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School in Victoria Falls, the tournament brought together schools from all seven districts of the province. The event put the spotlight on the rapid growth of the sport in the region, largely driven by grassroots development and recent high-profile tournaments.
Boys’ Category: Pure Dominance and History for Mkhosana
The boys’ tournament turned into an all-Hwange District affair, culminating in a historic milestone for Mkhosana Adventist Secondary School (affectionately known as Amasabata). Mkhosana clinched the Gold medal, securing their maiden appearance at the national finals.
The podium was a clean sweep for the host district, demonstrating the immense depth of talent currently being nurtured in Hwange:
- Gold: Mkhosana Adventist Secondary School (Hwange District)
- Silver: Marist Brothers Dete (Hwange District)
- Bronze: Mosi-oa-Tunya High School (Hwange District)
Girls’ Category: Somvubu High Takes Crown
In the girls’ division, Bubi District’s Somvubu High School rose above the competition to claim the provincial crown. They fought off strong challenges from Umguza and the host district to book their ticket to the nationals.
- Gold: Somvubu High School (Bubi District)
- Silver: St James Girls High (Umguza District)
- Bronze: Mosi-oa-Tunya High School (Hwange District)
The Fruits of Local Investment
Speaking after the tournament, the Matabeleland North Volleyball Chairperson expressed immense pride in the standard of play, attributing the host district’s sweeping success to deliberate developmental structures and recent exposure to elite volleyball.
“Hwange showed pure dominance and growth,” the Chairperson noted. “As a developmental lover of volleyball, I am incredibly happy with these results. The Zimbabwe Open Tournament we hosted over Easter gave our local community a massive boost. More coaches, players, and students benefited from witnessing that level of professionalism firsthand, and we are seeing the fruits of that growth right now.”
The Chairperson also issued a rallying cry to corporate partners and local leadership to continue backing the sport. “We are growing this sport code, and stakeholders need to see that their investments are yielding real results. As we keep pushing, our immediate need is resources—specifically training balls across schools—to ensure better preparation and ball endurance for our athletes.”
Road to the National Finals
There is no time to rest for the provincial champions. The national finals are just days away, scheduled to take place from June 17th to 19th at Gokomere High School in Masvingo Province.
Matabeleland North will be represented by its two newly crowned regional champions:
- Girls Representatives: Somvubu High School
- Boys Representatives: Mkhosana Adventist Secondary School
All eyes will be on Mkhosana’s “small army” as the debutants look to carry their provincial momentum onto the national stage and prove that Matabeleland North is fast becoming a powerhouse in Zimbabwean volleyball.
