Regional and district finals will decide champions across Guyana from October 22 to 24, as the ExxonMobil Under-18 Schools Football competition, organised by the Vurlon Mills Football Academy (VMFA), enters its fourth weekend with a packed schedule of boys' and girls' matches nationwide.
The title deciders span Region One, Region Three, East Bank Demerara, East Coast Demerara and Georgetown South, with further fixtures scheduled in Essequibo, Berbice and Georgetown North, according to Kaieteur News.
How the weekend opens in Region One
Action begins on Thursday, October 22, when Santa Rosa Secondary face Waramuri Secondary in a boys' encounter at Santa Rosa from 10:00 hrs. The winners advance to meet Hosororo Secondary in the Region One boys' final at Coomacka on Friday, October 23, at 11:30 hrs. North West Secondary and Waramuri Secondary contest the girls' final at the same venue from 10:00 hrs.
On the East Bank of Demerara, Friendship Secondary meet Diamond Secondary at Providence on Friday from 14:00 hrs. The winners return on Saturday, October 24, to face Dora Secondary in the boys' final at 13:00 hrs.
East Coast and Georgetown finals
Plaisance hosts the East Coast finals on Friday. Annandale Secondary take on President's College in the girls' final at 13:00 hrs, followed by Hope Secondary against Golden Grove Secondary in the boys' final at 14:00 hrs.
The Georgetown South finals will be played at Tucville on Saturday. Dolphin Secondary meet Charlestown Secondary in the girls' final at 14:30 hrs before Dolphin's boys face New Central High at 15:30 hrs.
In Georgetown North, Queen's College hosts simultaneous boys' and girls' matches on Saturday. At noon, New Campbellville Secondary face Chase's Academic Foundation in the girls' competition, while Chase's boys meet Christ Church Secondary. Two more matches kick off simultaneously at 14:00 hrs, with St. John's College facing New Campbellville Secondary in the boys' competition and Cummings Lodge taking on Marian Academy in the girls' competition.
Region Three, Two, Five and Six schedules
Saturday's Region Three finals will be staged at Friendship Park. Vreed en Hoop Secondary face West Minster Secondary in the girls' final at 13:00 hrs before Vreed en Hoop's boys meet DeWillem Secondary at 15:00 hrs.
In Region Two, three matches are scheduled for Queenstown on Saturday. Charity Secondary face Cottonfield Secondary in the boys' competition at 10:00 hrs, followed by Charity against Aurora Secondary in the girls' competition at noon. Aurora's boys then meet Abram Zuil Secondary at 14:00 hrs.
Region Five's programme sees Bygeval Secondary and No. 8 Secondary meet in a double-header at the No. 5 Ground on Saturday. The girls' match begins at 13:00 hrs, with the boys taking the field at 14:30 hrs.
All Saints hosts three Region Six fixtures on Saturday, beginning with Canje Secondary against New Amsterdam Secondary in the girls' competition at 11:00 hrs. Lower Corentyne Secondary face New Amsterdam Secondary in the boys' competition at 13:00 hrs, followed by Berbice Educational Institute against Tutorial Academy at 15:00 hrs.
What the competition means for Guyanese football
The scale of the tournament, which stretches from Santa Rosa in the northwest to Berbice in the east, reflects a deliberate effort to take organised football to schools in every region rather than concentrate development in Georgetown. News Room Guyana reported that the packed three-day schedule from October 22-24 will see title contenders battle for regional and district silverware.
Corporate sponsorship is doing the heavy lifting here, and that is worth stating plainly. A privately funded academy, backed by ExxonMobil, is delivering competitive sport to dozens of secondary schools across ten regions. No state programme has matched this reach in recent years, and the model deserves recognition: private investment, transparent fixtures and open competition.
Guyana Times noted that regional and district titles will be on the line when the competition continues from October 22-24, with finals scheduled across the country.
VMFA has encouraged parents, teachers, students and football supporters to come out and support the participating schools as the competition continues under the theme