As part of the Zwickiade, two IGM teams competed in the Westsachsenstadion in Zwickau on June 5, 2024.
Captain Arne Uhlig led the 8th grade team: Sunny, Damian, Riccardo, Lisandro, Ben, Kamilla and Arne R., reinforced by Sascha from Year 7. In the first game, Waldenburg was defeated 3:0. This was followed by narrow defeats against Pestalozzischule Zwickau (0:1) and Agricola Gymnasium Glauchau (1:2), meaning that only 5th place was at stake in the placement match. The IGM team lost 2-0 to a well-organized team from Clara-Wieck Gymnasium Zwickau and finished in 6th place. The committed performance of all the players, who never gave up at any time, nevertheless ensured a great atmosphere on the day. Special mention must be made of Lisandro Lesage's strong performance as goalkeeper, who was repeatedly spurred on by shouts of "Lesaaaaage" from his team. Our team had the only female player in the entire tournament in Kamilla, who repeatedly stood her ground against the boys!
The 9th/10th graders arrived at the Westsachsenstadion shortly after 11 a.m. looking a little tired. Right at the start, they suffered two defeats against Käthe-Kollwitz- and Peter-Breuer-Gymnasium. After the first half of the season, they only had 3 points from a win against Waldenburg. The team of all-rounder Johann Peters, defensive strategist Matteo Weiß, goal machine and ZOM Paul John, full-back Jonathan Schwartz, forward Nils Häcker, counter-attacking striker Umut Turhan, wild card Till Modes and goalkeeper Cedrik Seydel had to regroup. Meerane won three games in a row in a confident second round and secured a well-deserved third place with a draw against the eventual tournament winners (Pestalozzischule Zwickau), securing a stop at a well-known fast food restaurant on the way home in addition to the trophy and medals.
"Better a good third place than losing in the final" (Paul John)
Thomas Splitthof - Sports teacher
