Gospel High School has advanced to its first Vodafone Super Deans semi-final following a strong performance in the under-15 quarter-finals held yesterday. The school, located in Samabula, edged out Ratu Kadavulevu School with a closely contested score of 12-7 at Bidesi Park in Suva.
This impressive journey has seen Gospel rise from their initial zone placement, finishing third, and overcoming a challenging playoff match in Labasa to secure their place in the semi-finals scheduled for next weekend.
“We prepared well for the past two weeks. We went to Labasa, returned, and played clean and hard rugby. Starting in tier 2, we made our way up to tier 1, went through the playoffs, and now we’re here in the semis next week,” stated head coach Epineri Koroiveibau.
This marks a significant milestone for Gospel as they venture into unfamiliar territory. Koroiveibau acknowledged the traditional strength of RKS in reaching Deans quarters and semis but encouraged his team to believe in their own potential. “We told our boys that they can also achieve that as long as we train hard, play hard, and enjoy ourselves.”
He expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from the school, parents, and alumni, highlighting the dedication of teachers involved in coaching. The effort put into preparing the team was evident in their performance against RKS.
In other under-15 matches, Queen Victoria School secured a 12-0 victory over Natabua High School, Suva Grammar School delivered a dominant 37-5 win against Holy Cross College, and Marist Brothers High School narrowly defeated Sigatoka Methodist with a score of 17-13.