The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
STAR-STUDDED Shoverland Pool Club was the toast of the Average and Masters Tournament as two of their players snatched first and second position at the end of the contest respectively.
A total of 79 players turned out for the Average and Masters Tournament held at Dangamvura Complex Giants Pool Club home ground last week on Saturday.
The exciting event which drew participants from Masvingo, Rusape, Marondera and Harare among other places, lived up to its billing as matches were marked by intense rivalry and exceptional precision with the stick.
However, it was Shoverland’s Clifton ‘Kedha’ Changunda who came out tops, while teammate, Godfrey Takumana settled for the second position at the end of the competition.
Godknows ‘Sir Gode’ Masona of the highly rated Rozvi Empire was third, while Snippers Pool Club’s Marvellous ‘Sir Villa’ Chigwada was fourth.
Fantasy Pool Club’s Edson Musaka was in fifth position, while a Harare player only identified as Gunners weighed in on sixth position.
Soul City’s Richard Churu was seventh and Moffat Masakara of Snipers was eighth.
The only female participant to partake in the competition, Ashleigh Kawogara of Old Mutual Mutare Pool Club, an exceptionally talented player in her own right, was knocked out in the last 16.
Mutare Pool League fixtures secretary, Lloyd ‘Hipstar’ Samanga, expressed satisfaction on how the tournament was conducted, being the first to be hosted by the eastern border city.
“We are really happy to have managed to host this exciting tournament and everything went according to plan. The turnout was not bad at all.
“As a league, we feel we are moving in the right direction and growing in leaps and bounds. Yes, there could be some mistakes, but we all learn from our mistakes as we seek to make our beloved game more exciting and more competitive,” he said.
The competition, which is meant for every player, apart from a few from the National Elite Pool Association of Zimbabwe (NEPAZ), featured most players from different clubs around the country who are regarded average.
Ideally, an average player is everyone who has never represented the country on any regional or international competition.
The Masters’ category saw players above the age of 40 competing on their own.
The matches were played on a Race to Five format.
Meanwhile, the Mutare Pool League matches will continue this weekend at various venues in the city on Sunday as the battle for the title is fizzling into a two-horse race between seemingly fading giants, Rozvie Empire and ambitious Shoverland.
