The clash of 2022 zonal champions Shama Senior High School and the 2023 winners, Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) pitched the first contest of the Western Zonal Championship as one which will be keenly contested. But, the Evergreen Shass of Shama made it easier than expected.

GSTS surprisingly, did not come to the table at all, after trailing at the bottom with just 7 points at the end of the contest.

Shama SHS took the lead at the end of the first round with a whopping 21 points, leaving St. Joseph’s SHS with 18 points, and St. Mary’s Boys and Ghana Secondary Technical School with 11 points, behind.

In an interesting turn of events, St. Joseph, St. Mary’s, and GSTS failed to make any progress in the second round. They rather chopped down their points to 7 each, after attracting deductions for failing to answer correctly in the speed race.

This allowed Shama SHS to extend its lead to 27 points.

At this point, it became obvious that the men had been separated from the boys. The applause from one side of the hall went dim, as students from the three other schools began to tiptoe out one after the other.

The clapping and cheering from the violet-uniformed Shama SHS students who nicknamed themselves the Evergreens grew stronger, making it difficult for the quiz master and coordinators to control.

At the end of the fourth and final round, Shama SHS booked a slot at the grand finale with 34 points. St. Mary’s Boys SHS came second with 20 points, St. Joseph SHS at third with 15 points, and “the giants of GSTS bottom with only 7 points.

Shama SHS will meet winners of the two contests between: Archbishop Potter Girls, Amenfiman SHS, Sefwi Wiawso SHS; and St. John’s SHS Adiembra SHS and Fiaseman SHS.