The usual pomp and pageantry that’s usually the hallmark of schools sports competitions as veritable source of unearthing budding talents was clearly in short supply Tuesday at the dilapidated Otuocha Stadium as a gale of ‘walk-overs’ took center stage on the first day of the two-day Zonal elimination games got underway.
Willie Obiano Primary School kicked open the tirade of walk-overs when their supposed opponents, St Mark’s Secondary School, Nzam, failed to show up for their U14s Boys Football showdown.
That was soon followed by Community Secondary School, Ifite-Ogwari, who could not show up for their scheduled Girls U18 clash against CKC Umuem, Anambra, thus, paving way for CKC Umuem, Anambra to seal their place in Wednesday’s Zonal finals.
The bug of withdrawals by hitherto registered schools would equally spread to the Volleyball event as Community Secondary School, Ifite-Ogwari, were walked over by Aniekwena Secondary School, Awkuzu, because they came way too late for their scheduled Girls U18 Volleyball contest.
That was not all that was the shortfalls of the elimination games. Confusion over twisted fixture ensured that the Boys U18s Volleyball contest between Ifite-Ogwari Secondary School and Aniekwena Secondary, Awkuzu could not hold.
Though both teams were on ground for the spiking contest, one of the fixtures presented by one of the schools games master had the fixture correct while the other games master had a fixture that did not have any opponent for his school.
But even while the Coordinator, Dumnoel Okeke, got in touch with the Anambra State Sports Commission Headquarters to unlock the deadlock, with the two schools open for a clash, absence of a Volleyball Court at the Stadium forced the game to be put on hold, at least, till Wednesday, the final day of the elimination series.
The duo of Community Secondary School, Nmiata, and Community Secondary School, Omasi, did not show up for their U18 Boys Football match, with both teams potentially out of the competition, according to the Zonal Coordinator, Dumnoel Okeke.
But on the brighter side of things at the sunny Otuocha Township Stadium on Tuesday, Iyiora Primary School went down 0-2 to Premier Primary School in the U12 Boys Football category.
Similarly, Iguedo Community Primary School defeated Community Primary School, Igbakwu 1-0 in the Boys U12 Football Category.
Michael Tansi Secondary School, Aguleri, edged past Aniekwena Secondary School, Awkuzu 1-0.
ASSDC Media/Sab
