Christianburg Wismar Secondary lived up to the expectations and won the seventh annual Milo Schools Football Tournament at the Ministry of Education ground Carifesta Avenue Sunday evening.
Captain Andre Mayers composed penalty in the 67th made the difference in the heated finale with former champions Lodge Secondary.
Apart from the big bragging rights and $500,000 purse to assist with school projects, the two schools have a history with the former winning in a previous tournament.
The Lodge camp was intent on making amends and the looked well on the way to achieving such with their intensity, however, the critical conversion evaded, and it meant heartbreak at the final whistle. The won $300,000 towards school projects.
Mayers spoke to the media after the match and explained that it was critical for him to lead from the front as captain and ensure the team sticks to the plan.
The Lindener added they wanted more goals but Lodge held their strengths in defence.
To little surprise, Annandale Secondary trounced their East Coast Demerara counterparts President’s College 5-0 in the third-place playoff.
Collin Henriques netted a hat-trick with goals in the 9th, 57th and 79th while ample support came from talented national player Omari Glasgow who had a brace (4th & 76th).
At the simple presentation ceremony, Co-Director of Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca congratulated all twenty-four teams that competed and applauded the continued efforts of the Ministry of Public Health to support through a campaign aimed at ending Gender-Based Violence.
Executive of the Guyana Football Federation Dion Inniss noted that tournaments such as these build towards the future and with Guyana qualifying for the Gold Cup, these players should be more motivated to lay their marker at the senior level when the time arises.
Mayers and Lodge’s Dorwin George were joint leading goal scorers (10 goals), while Christiansburg’s Jonathon Copeland copped Best Goal Keeper award; Most Discipline School Vergenogen Secondary, Best Coach Leon Bishop of Lodge Secondary; Most Supportive Teacher Beverly Spencer (Lodge) and Most Supportive Parent Kim Stephens (President’s College).
