BERBICE zone winners in this year’s Scotiabank/Pepsi Schools Football Academy, Berbice High School (BHS), last Wednesday afternoon received their rewards at a simple presentation ceremony held at the Scott’s ground.

BHS male and female teams came out winners in that zone, having defeated Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) and New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary (NAMS) 1-0 and 3-0 respectively, when the final was held last Saturday.
Tournament Coordinator Lawrence ‘Sparrow’ Griffith was on hand to make the presentation to the respective winners, but before doing so he informed the gathering that a national championship, involving the zone winners of Berbice, Linden and Georgetown will be held next Sunday at the Ministry of Education ground.
“That will be a Champion of Champions clash, since we aim to arrive at an overall champion for the tournament, with the top three finishers receiving trophies and medals, and added to that an All-Star team in both male and female categories, will be selected for special training,” said Griffith.
He also told the gathering which included teachers and students from the four top schools that the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will be looking to field a team in the CONCACF Under-17 Female Football tournament, later this year.
While BHS took home the top prize in both categories, BEI’s Ayanna Kellman was named the Top Goalscorer in the female category with her four goals, while Shameer Arrindale, who got a brace in BHS’ win over NAMS increased his tally to six, for which he was named the Top Goalscorer in the male category.
The Best Male Goalkeeper was Joel Davis of BHS, with Jada DeJonge receiving such honour on the distaff side, while both BEI and NAMS received trophies for their runner-up positions.
Meanwhile, the Georgetown zone winners will be known tomorrow, when the finals in both male and female categories will be contested at the Ministry of Education ground from 11:00hrs.
The females will start the action rolling when New Campbellville Secondary and Tutorial High meet in what can best be described as a replay encounter, since they both met in the preliminary round, from which the former emerged victorious, 1-0.
However, Tutorial have vowed to turn the tables around and a keen and exciting encounter is expected with Natiffa Marville and Sheekela Fraser taking up the fight for Tutorial against New Campbellville’s Cindy McPherson and her support crew.
A new development transpired in the male category, where Christ Church, who played with seven players and came from behind to defeat Lodge Secondary School 4-1 at the same venue last Saturday, found themselves being disqualified for playing an overage player.
That player is none other than Jovanty Best, who scored the go-ahead goal for Christ Church, after Kadeem Blackman had nullified Shaquille Grovesnor’s 3rd minute goal for Lodge.
It therefore means that the much anticipated matchup between Charlestown Secondary and Lodge will finally take place, as these two will meet in the male final from 12:30hrs tomorrow, with Omari James, Anthony Bartholomew, Brian Prince and Jamal Mingo leading Charlestown’s charge.
Certainly, Lodge will be looking for an improved performance and to this end will be relying heavily on Grovesnor, Kevin Boters, Ryan Hackett, Shemar Smith and Edward ‘Bo’ Favorite to see them to the title, since they have no one else but their ‘fairy godparents’ to thank for the gift, following their surprise loss to Christ Church in the semis.