DUDLEY High School’s Under-16 side created history after securing a place in the Southern Zone quarter finals with a hard-fought victory over Gospel High School 14-13 in round five of the competition.
The Dudley boys showed resilience throughout the encounter and looked in control for much of the match before Gospel produced a late scare.
In the final minute, Gospel crossed over for a try to narrow the deficit. However, the conversion was unsuccessful, allowing Dudley to cling to their lead and celebrate a memorable win.
The result sees Dudley advance to the quarter-finals, a significant achievement for the U16 grade and a boost to their hopes of progressing to the prestigious Deans competition.
Team manager Eneriko Senileba said the team had prepared well for the decisive fixture and knew qualification was on the line.
“We told the boys this was a must-win game because we wanted to qualify for the quarterfinals,” he said.
“Our preparation this week was very tough and the boys responded well. Everyone worked hard and gave their best.”
Senileba described the quarter-final berth as a major milestone for the side and credited the players for their teamwork and determination.
“This is a big achievement for us.”
Despite the victory, Senileba believes there are areas the side still needs to improve before next weekend’s quarter-final clash.
“We need to improve our line of defence, our kicking and out attack. We will reset on Monday and start preparing again.”
Dudley will now shift their focus to the knockout stage, hoping to continue their impressive run and take another step towards the Deans qualification. The U19 competition saw Ratu Sukuna Memorial School defeat Namosi Secondary School 29-9, while Nabua Secondary School held off Assemblies of God High School in another closely fought battle.
The U16 Raluve competition also produced quality contests. Ratu Latiniara College defeated Suva Grammar School 27-17, while Nabua Secondary School and Lomary finished in a 19-19 draw. Dudley High School progressed via default as CMF didn’t turn up.
