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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

PROVINCIAL finals for the country’s premier secondary schools soccer tournament, COPA Coca-Cola are on today and tomorrow, with 208 schools battling for 20 slots at the national finals to be played next month.

The winners of provincial championships will represent their province at the national finals to be held in Mashonaland West Province. The national finals host schools are Rimuka 2 High for the boys’ finals and Jameson High for the girls.

The boy’s category of the Under-15s will have 104 schools, with the same number competing countrywide.

Arthur Maphosa, the National Association for Secondary Heads (Nash) president said all is set for the provincial championships of the 31st edition of the COPA Coca-Cola.

“The stage is set and these should be interesting provincial championships. Like we said during the launch of the tournament in Masvingo, every participant has a responsibility to safeguard the name of the association and above all of the sponsor by ensuring that schools field right aged players. Age cheats dent the tournament and as such, vetting will be strict at the provincial finals,” said Maphosa.

In Matabeleland South, the girls’ schools are battling it out at Mzingwane High School.

The boys will check in later today for vetting with the games played tomorrow.

Inyathi High school will play host to Matabeleland North girls and boys’ finals, with Bulawayo schools converging at Gifford High School tomorrow.

In Midlands, St Paul’s will host the girls with Njelele High School being home to boys’ finals.

Masvingo Provincial finals will be played tomorrow and Saturday and Masvingo Christian College.

The other provincial venues are Oriel High (Harare), Bumba Secondary School (Manicaland), Rimuka for Mashonaland West boys and Jameson for the girls, while Mashonaland Centrals’ venues are Hermaine Germainer (boys) and Chipindura (girls).

Murehwa will be home to Mashonaland East boys while Hurungwe will plays host to the girls.

-@ZililoR