COPA Coca-Cola boys Under-16 football tournament’s defending champions Dewure High School have said they are geared up for this year’s competition set for July in Gwanda.

The boys Under-16 and girls Under-17 football tournament was launched last Friday at a colourful event at the school in Gutu, Masvingo Province.

Being the defending champions, Dewure earned the right to host the launch to this year’s edition of the tournament. Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, Dewure coach Paul Mahutu said they are raring to go and preparations have been going on for quite sometime now.

“For this year, we hope to win again and we want to bring the cup back to Dewure High School. And I think we are having (some) good preparations. We are actually prepared, we are geared for the tournament.

Dewure will battle it out against the provincial winners for Bulawayo and Manicaland in Group A in the group stages at the national finals from July 22 to 24 in Gwanda.

Matabeleland South, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland North are in Group B. Group C consists of Masvingo, Midlands and Mashonaland Central while Gwanda High, who are the hosts for the boys, Mashonaland East and Harare make up Group D.

In the girls section, title holders Chidyamakono from Masvingo are in Group B together with Bulawayo and Matabeleland South.

Group A has Masvingo, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West while Group C features Matabeleland South, Harare and Mashonaland East.

Group D is made up of the hosting school for girls Colleen Bawn, Midlands and Manicaland.