Author: asawula

There were provincial rivalries, a bucket loads of goals, and entertaining water polo on display on Sunday, day two of the Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in Johannesburg.

Catch the u19 boys’ action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

After a heart-pounding start on Saturday, the teams returned to action at St David’s Marist Inanda‘s Jubilee Pool, intent on staking their claims for top honours.

In one of the key matchups in Pool A, the defending champions, Central Gauteng A, squared up against local rivals, Central Gauteng B.

Both teams had recorded victories on Saturday, beating Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City, respectively.

It was an enticing clash with Gauteng supporters split in half for the four chukkas.

The A-side dominated territory and made their counterparts pay after a quiet first chukka. James Crick, Nicholas Searle, and Cooper Haworth all scored hat-tricks on their way to a 13-7 victory.

Connor McJannet, Declan Wood, Danilo Giuricich, and Simon Mussett were also on the scoreboard for coach Jon-Marc De Carvalho‘s side, while Luke Shipway scored thrice for Central Gauteng B.

In their second match of the day, Gauteng A brushed aside Buffalo City 19-5. They’ll head into day three’s clash against the Aussie Crocs brimming with confidence.

Another interesting derby that played out was the Eastern Cape derby between Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) and Buffalo City.

NMB were impressive on day one, showing grit and spirit in an intense 8-10 loss against Central Gauteng A.

The boys, led by coach Daniel Ward, were favoured to win, but they had to work for the three points after Buffalo City put up a valiant fight in the first half.

After the first two chukkas, NMB led 4-2, courtesy of goals by Carter Rosser, Oliver Martin, Coel Trollip, and the dangerous Calum Emslie.

They increased their lead by two in the third chukka before outscoring the East London side by four goals in the fourth chukka to seal the win.

“Yesterday’s game [against Central Gauteng A] proved that we deserve to compete with the top sides,” NMB head coach Daniel Ward said after the game.

“The result didn’t go our way, but we had good momentum, and I told the boys to just carry that momentum into the derby. It was a slow start, but we’ll take the win.

“There’s still a lot of work to do. It’s a long tournament. Day three will be the test against Central Gauteng B, so hopefully we will be up for it.”

Western Province A also impressed on Sunday, bagging two wins.

The Devon Card-coached side defeated the Aussie Crocs 12-10 in a nail-biter before thumping their provincial counterparts, Western Province B, 17-6, late on.

Luke Burger and Matt Fenn were on fire against WP B, scoring four goals each, while Aidan Turrell netted a hat-trick, and Benjamin Bigara scored a brace.

The usual suspects – Andrew Reynolds, Tim Young, Luke Cartwright, and Blake Brown – were also on the scoresheet as Province ended the day on a high.

“It’s great to have the Aussie Crocs here. It brings an international feel about it,” coach Card said after his side’s first game of the day.

“I have to give it to them. They came out hard, and I don’t think we expected that kind of intensity and pressure from them, especially from their tight press, but when you come down to IPT, there aren’t any easy games.

“We want to have tough games, especially in the pool stages, so we can get ready for when it matters in the quarters, semis, and finals. Today was great preparation for what lies ahead against KZN A. It doesn’t get any easier from here.”

Speaking of KZN, they were far from their best on day two but still sealed two victories.

In their first outing, they Western Province B 13-5 before having to work their socks off against Northerns.

Coach Rob Ambler‘s charges were under the pump against the boys from Pretoria but held on to secure a nervy 14-13 win.

In other matches, Zimbabwe bagged their first win, defeating Eden Districts. Meanwhile, KZN B enjoyed a fantastic day, picking up three victories.

Monday’s action begins with a humdinger between KwaZulu-Natal A and Western Province A at 07:00.

RESULTS

Zimbabwe 16: Daniel Oxden-Willows (6), Nathan Horner (2), Joshua Edwards (2), Tapfuma Taundi (2), Blaise Scheepers (2), Thomas Dorward (1), Denovan Bodington (1). Eden Districts 11: Luca Whitehead (4), William Tindall (2), Rorke Bubanj (2), Jacob Hersch (1), Matthew Eickhaus (1), Matthew Tindall (1).

KwaZulu-Natal A 13: Thomas Francke (4), Thomas Aylward (3), Sebastian Laudenberg (2), Nathan Burger (2), Adrian Truter (1), Matthew Lortan (1). Western Province B 5: Colin Douglass (2), Rupert Robinson (2), James Pinnock (1).

KwaZulu-Natal B 14: Keegan Vogt (3), Matthew Lock (3), Kyle Human (3), Oliver van der Merwe (1), Richie Port (1), Jordyn Beyleveldt (1), Evan Walker (1), Blake Gardner (1). Eastern Gauteng 5: Dylan Kempen (2), Ethan Kempen (1), Dino Binks (1), Yuhui Xiao (1).

Central Gauteng A 13: Nicholas Searle (3), James Crick (3), Cooper Haworth (3), Connor McJannet (1), Declan Wood (1), Danilo Giuricich (1), Simon Mussett (1). Central Gauteng B 7: Luke Shipway (3), Matthew Cross (1), David Latilla-Campbell (1), Matthew Peacock (1), Ryan Morley (1).

KwaZulu-Natal A 14: Thomas Francke (3), Oliver Guy (2_, Thomas Aylward (2), Sebastian Laudenberg (1), Adrian Truter (1), Andrew Schnell (1), Elliot Springate (1), Nathan Burger (1), Jamie Nicolau (1). Northern Gauteng 13: Ruan Engelbrecht (4), Ettiene van der Merwe (3), Christiaan Truter (2), CJ Henning (1), Joshua Bergh (1), Oliver Oberholzer (1), Francois Hartslief (1).

Western Province A 12: Matt Fenn (4), Blake Brown (2), Jandro Rojo-Roos (2), Luke Burger (1), Luke Cartwright (1), Benjamin Bigara (1), Aidan Turrell (1). Aussie Crocs 10: Benjamin Spall (3), Harry Colley (3), James Martin (2), Jack Plowman (2).

KwaZulu-Natal B 12: Matthew Lock (3), Kyle Human (3), Keegan Vogt (2), Jordyn Beyleveldt (1), Blake Gardner (1), Tane Greene (1), Richie Port (1). Eden Districts 7: Luca Whitehead (3), William Tindall (2), Jacob Hersch (1), Rorke Bubanj (1).

Nelson Mandela Bay 10: Calum Emslie (3), Dane Paterson (3), Oliver Martin (1), Carter Rosser (1), Jed Paterson (1), Coel Trollip (1). Buffalo City 4: Daniel Stead (2), Cullen Mortlock (1), Samuel van der Venter (1).

Western Province A 17: Luke Burger (4), Matt Fenn (4), Aidan Turrell (3), Benjamin Bigara (2), Andrew Reynolds (1), Tim Young (1), Luke Cartwright (1), Blake Brown (1). Western Province B 6: James Pinnock (2), Joshua Ripsold (1), Harry Oldham (1), Timothy Belcher (1), Umr Firfirey (1).

Aussie Crocs 12: Harry Colley (4), Benjamin Spall (3), Jack Plowman (2), Joseph Gallagher (1), Thomas Elliott (1), Hudson Dikes (1). Northern Gauteng 11: Ettiene van der Merwe (4), Francois Hartslief (3), Christiaan Truter (2), Ruan Engelbrecht (1), James King (1).

KwaZulu-Natal B 18: Keegan Vogt (4), Tane Greene (4), Richie Port (3), Kyle Human (2), Matthew Lock (2), Blake Gardner (2), Jordyn Beyleveldt (1). Zimbabwe 12: Blaise Scheepers (5), Patrick Duff (3), Tapfuma Taundi (2), Thomas Dorward (1), Daniel Oxden-Willows (1).

Central Gauteng A 19: Nicholas Searle (4), Cooper Haworth (3), Aiden Khoury (3), Simon Mussett (2), Harry Wilkins (2), Tyler Mwekassa (1), Danilo Giuricich (1), Connor McJannet (1), Declan Wood (1), James Crick (1). Buffalo City 5: Thomas Caswell (4), Daniel Stead (1).

Fixtures, Monday, 8 December

07:00 – Western Province A vs KZN A
08:05 – Eastern Gauteng vs Zimbabwe
09:10 – Aussie Crocs vs Central Gauteng A
10:15 – Central Gauteng B vs Nelson Mandela Bay
11:20 – Northern Gauteng vs Western Province B
12:25 – Eastern Gauteng vs Eden Districts
17:40 – Buffalo City vs Aussie Crocs

The Central Gauteng u19A boys got their Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) title defence off to a shaky start, edging out Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) 10-8 on Saturday in Johannesburg.

The hosts were far from their best, but they got the job done in the Jubilee Pool, in front of a packed crowd, at St David’s Marist Inanda.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

They were pushed hard by a spirited NMB side, and it took moments of magic from three players in the final chukka to seal the win.

After a frantic start to the game, the home side led 5-3 at the break, thanks to goals by Simon Mussett (2), Chris Chapman, Erik Arwidi, and their skipper Nicholas Searle.

The second half was a totally different ball game. NMB came out firing, eager to cause an upset.

They conceded two more goals but clawed their way back into the game to end the quarter tied at 7-7 with Calum Emslie leading their charge.

NMB’s shot-stopper, Jacques Du Toit, was also influential, and he pulled off some eye-catching saves to keep his team in the contest.

It came down to the final quarter. Calm heads were needed, and Gauteng’s players rose to the challenge.

Searle gave his team the lead again, and the momentum shifted when James Crick made it 9-7. Cooper Haworth scored a late five-metre penalty to take Central Gauteng’s total into double figures.

Despite the loss, Nelson Mandela Bay sent a message to other teams that they’re not to be underestimated and came away from the contest with their reputation enhanced.

Another game that was of high interest on the opening day was the clash between KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) A and the Aussie Crocs.

In 2024, the Aussie Crocs stunned KZN in East London, so coach Rob Ambler‘s side knew they were in for a tough examination.

It was a tightly contested affair from the first to the final chukka, but KZN produced some outstanding moments during which they played incredible water polo.

They were, at times, superb in front of goal, with Adrian Truter and Thomas Francke keeping the scorers busy.

It was tight in the final chukka, with the Crocs clawing their way back into the game and, with three minutes to play, they trailed by only two goals.

KZN, however, showed class and maturity and held on for a three-goal win, much to the satisfaction of coach Ambler.

“It’s always good to beat the Crocs,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus after the game. “They were with us for a week before this tournament, and it’s always been close against them.

“I think we were far too rushed in our build-ups, and we let ourselves down in the final chukka.

“But this is a new team. They still haven’t got used to the way I coach, but we will get there. But I’m happy with where we are at the moment.”

While Gauteng and KZN recorded victories, Western Province A also made a tick in the win column, subjecting Northerns to a baptism of fire, with Province powering their way to a 20-7 victory.

Matt Fenn and Benjamin Bigara led the way, scoring four and five goals respectively, while Andrew Reynolds, Jandro Rojo-Roos, and Cole Abrahams all bagged braces.

In another interesting battle on the opening day, Central Gauteng B defeated Buffalo City 15-9.

It was a well-contested affair. Gauteng B was pushed to their limits, but a flurry of goals in the fourth chukka secured the win.

Mukhetwa Maemu was a man on a mission and netted four times for Gauteng, while David Latilla-Campbell bagged a hat-trick.

Matthew Cross and Luke Shipway contributed a brace each before strikes by Samuel Gomes, Matthew Peacock, Troy Pasqualle, and Ryan Morley took the game out of reach of Buffalo City.

Buffalo City received a heroic effort from veteran Thomas Caswell, who scored six of his side’s nine goals.

“These games are really long, and I think what we showed today is that, as a team, you really need to grind them out,” Central Gauteng B head coach Thabang Madi told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“You can’t think you’ve won it or lost in the first half. We saw that in the last chukka when we finally got away from them.”

Madi and his troops will next turn their attention to a massive clash against Central Gauteng A on day two at 10:15.

“We want to be as competitive as we possibly can,” he said when asked about the match with their local rivals. We know we are a B-side, so no game is going to be easy.

“We might concede a lot, but we have it in us to score a lot as well. We won’t give up, and we’ll play until the final whistle.”

Day two’s action kicks off early on Sunday morning with a meeting between Eden Districts and Zimbabwe at 07:00.

SCORES

Central Gauteng B 15: Mukhetwa Maemu (4), David Latilla-Campbell (3), Matthew Cross (2), Luke Shipway (2), Samuel Gomes (1), Matthew Peacock (1), Troy Pasqualle (1), Ryan Morley (1). Buffalo City 9 (Thomas Caswell 6, Daniel Woodin (1), David Emslie (1), Daniel Stead (1).

Western Province A 20: Matt Fenn (5), Benjamin Bigara (4), Andrew Reynolds (2), Jandro Rojo-Roos (2), Cole Abrahams (2), Blake Brown (1), Aidan Turrell (1), James Malan (1), Timothy Young (1), Luke Burger (1). Northerns 7 (Ettiene van der Merwe (3), Ruan Engelbrecht (1), James King (1), Adriaan van Niekerk (1), Christiaan Truter (1).

KwaZulu-Natal A 16: Adrian Truter (5), Thomas Francke (3), Oliver Guy (2), Sebastian Laudenberg (1), John Watkins (1), Oliver Ludwig (1), Drew Hollingsworth (1), Jamie Nicolau (1), Thomas Aylward (1). Aussie Crocs 13 Benjamin Spall (5), Jack Plowman (4), Harry Colley (2), Hudson Dilkes (1), Joseph Gallagher (1).

Central Gauteng A 9: Nicholas Searle (3), Simon Mussett (2), Erik Arwidi (2), Chris Chapman (1), James Crick (1), Cooper Haworth (1). Nelson Mandela Bay 7: Calum Emslie (3), Carter Rosser (2), Johan Moolman (1), Spencer Adshade (1), Christian Chandler (1).

Fixtures, Sunday, 7 December

07:00 – Eden Districts vs Zimbabwe
08:05 – Western Province B vs KwaZulu-Natal A
09:10 – KwaZulu-Natal B vs Eastern Gauteng
10:15 – Central Gauteng A vs Central Gauteng B
11:20 – KwaZulu-Natal A vs Northerns
12:25 – Western Province A vs Aussie Crocs
13:30 – KwaZulu-Natal B vs Eden Districts
14:35 – Buffalo City vs Nelson Mandela Bay
15:40 – Western Province A vs Western Province B
16:45 – Aussie Crocs vs Northerns
17:50 – KwaZulu-Natal B vs Zimbabwe
18:55 – Central Gauteng A vs Buffalo City

One of the standout moments from the 2024 Schools’ Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) was the Aussie Crocs’ victory over KwaZulu-Natal on day one.

A thrilling 14-13 win for coach Simon Daley and his troops introduced them to the tournament with style and made everyone sit up and take notice.

The boys from Queensland were playing in South Africa for the first time and, after that win, enjoyed a solid tournament, beating Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City.

The visitors went down against the eventual champions, Central Gauteng and Western Province, but showed fight, spirit, and tenacity in both outings.

After that impressive debut campaign, the Aussie Crocs are back for more and will be in action at the 50th Schools’ Water Polo South Africa IPT, which runs from 6 to 10 December in Johannesburg.

“This will be our second year competing for the Ubuntu Shield, and we are very excited to be back,” head coach Simon Daley, a South African expat, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“This year, we’re looking forward to playing against Northern Gauteng, which we didn’t get to play last year.”

The squad includes seven players who featured in last year’s campaign, with four new faces introduced to the system.

The side will be captained by Joey Gallagher, who returns to the tournament with James Martin, Will Plowman, Jack Plowman, Gia Hernandez, Harry Colley, and Ben Spall.

Tom Elliott, Riley McPharlin, Hudson Dikes and goalkeeper Rory Nielson are the newcomers to the event.

Daley, who is a former South African international, explained how the initiative between SWPSA and the Aussie Crocs came about.

“I started my polo career playing at the same tournament. I came from Eastern Gauteng and then went on to play for the national team.

“I know how big this tournament is, and I know what exposure SA ‘polo doesn’t get, especially at the school level.

“So, I reached out to Richard Irvine, from SWPSA and asked if they would accommodate us, and the ball got rolling from there.

“It was planting a seed and wanting to see if we could take some aspiring Queensland players to SA and let them experience the country as a whole.”

The squad assembled in KZN for a week to conclude their training camp before the tournament. In 2024, they prepped in the Western Cape.

They’ll kick off their campaign with a meeting against KZN on Saturday at 18:10 at the St David’s Marist Inanda Jubilee Pool. Daley expects a stiff challenge from all the teams.

“I’m expecting tough competition. I know how good the teams are. This is the biggest school water polo event in the world, hands down, so it’s never easy.

“We want to take that Ubuntu Shield. I know Gauteng won it last year. We lost to them in our game. They were an incredible team, and we also went down to Western Province.

“It’s highly competitive, and that’s why we have seven players coming back, eager to get their hands on that shield for the first time,” he concluded.

The SASHOC Indoor Hockey Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) concluded on Thursday at Thomas More College in Kloof.

In the u14 section, the KZN Coastal A boys’ and girls’ teams dominated, finishing unbeaten and at the top of their respective pools.

The u16 age group saw Northern Gauteng‘s girls crowned the champions after a stellar campaign while, on the boys’ side, KZN Coastal A won the final 2-1 against Northerns A.

Southern Gauteng‘s girls claimed the gold medal in the u18 section after edging out Coastals A 1-0 in the final.

Meanwhile, the boys’ final was won by Coastals A after a polished performance saw them beat a gritty Northerns outfit, 4-2.

SA Schools teams in the u16 and u18 age groups were announced after the event.

GIRLS

u18

SA u/18A
Surname	Name	Province
Alves	Stella	South Gauteng A
Amod	Lamia	KZN Inland A
Bengston	Caprice	KZN Coastal A
Bestbier	Codie	KZN Coastal A
Chikweshe	Nicole	South Gauteng A
Dladla	Alwande	KZN Coastal B
Farion	Amber	South Gauteng A
Forbes	Nicola	KZN Coastal A
Freese	Jenna-Leigh	KZN Coastal A
Nzama	Enyehle	KZN Coastal A
Seebach	Jana	Northern Blues A
van der Byl	Addison	South Gauteng A
SA u/18B
Surname	Name	Province
Abrahams	Raffael	South Gauteng A
Arndt	Brigit	Northern Blues A
Balmer	Annabelle	KZN Inland A
Bowyer	Ella	KZN Coastal A
da Silva	Jamie	KZN Coastal A
Dimpe	Thato	Northern Blues A
Hall	Angelina	KZN Coastal B
Kunene	Owethu	KZN Coastal A
Kunene	Zezethu	KZN Coastal A
Lopes	Mia	KZN Coastal B
Ndamase	Khanyisa	South Gauteng A
Somhlalo	Iminathi	KZN Coastal B

u16

SA u16/A
Surname	First Name	Province
Abrahams	Giovanna	South Gauteng A
Boyall	Charley-Rose	KZN Coastal A
du Bourg	Mckenzie	KZN Inland A
Hellberg	Rebecca	KZN Inland A
Mchunu	Sbongakonke	KZN Coastal A
Msweli	Buntu	KZN Coastal A
Muller	Milandri	Northern Blues A
Ngcobo	Inati	KZN Inland A
Seppings	Zoey	KZN Coastal A
Simpkins	Emily	KZN Coastal A
Thsikhudo	Ronewa	South Gauteng A
Vogel	Lenique	Northern Blues A
SA u16/B
Surname	First Name	Province
Engelbrecht	Carmen	South Gauteng A
Gobey	Jade	KZN Inland A
Grobbelaar	Daniella	Northern Blues A
Lock	Deborah	KZN Inland A
Masepe	Raerabetsoe	Northern Blues A
Mazibuko	Mbalenhle	Northern Blues A
Morule	Kutlo	South Gauteng A
Ngobese	Lebogang	South Gauteng A
Smuts	Nicole	Northern Blues A
van Zijl	Emmerson	KZN Coastal B
Williams	Paige	KZN Inland A
Williamson	Teagan	KZN Coastal A

BOYS:

u18

SA u/18A
Surname	Name	Province
Abrahams	Christopher	KZN Coastal A
Brisset	Ryde	KZN Coastal A
Carolus	Jay-Dee	South Gauteng A
Cloete	Tyrique	KZN Coastal A
Harrison	Andrew	South Gauteng A
Koen	Conrad	South Gauteng A
Molefe	Oabile	South Gauteng A
Msomi	Mesuli	KZN Coastal A
Naicker	Bhavesh	KZN Coastal A
Stipcevich	Matteo	South Gauteng A
Stipcevich	Milan	South Gauteng A
Wolhuter	Georg	KZN Coastal A
SA u/18B
Surname	Name	Province
Edwards	Jack	KZN Coastal A
Hendricks	Cyrus	KZN Coastal B
Krambeck	Jaiden	KZN Coastal A
Milne	Tye	KZN Coastal A
Msiza	Lesego	Northern Blues A
Naidoo	Tyhil	KZN Coastal A
Ndodana	Luyanda	Northern Blues A
Selebogo	Borateng	South Gauteng A
Steyn	Joel	KZN Coastal A
Swart	Reghardt	Northern Blues A
Van Niekerk	Wium	Northern Blues A
van Schalkwyk	Culaan	Southern Free State

u16

SA u/16A
Surname	First Name	Province
Boyall	Luc	KZN Coastal A
Cornelissen	Kean	Northern Blues A
Forbes	Dylan	KZN Coastal A
Hart	Dean	KZN Coastal A
Jabbar	Hoosen	South Gauteng A
Jung	Matt	South Gauteng A
Kubu	Tsebo	Southern Free State
Lambert	Luke	KZN Coastal A
Ledwaba	Rorisang	Northern Blues A
Matroos	Santiago	KZN Inland A
Mohanlall	Zayd	Northern Blues A
Napier	Tanner	South Gauteng A
SA u16/B
Surname	First Name	Province
du Preez	Caylum	Northern Blues A
du Toit	Ruaan	South Gauteng A
Mbutho	Sisekelo	KZN Coastal A
Meiring	Michael	Northern Blues A
Morake	Hlompho	KZN Coastal A
Payne	Luke	Northern Blues A
Phipson	Caleb	KZN Coastal A
Sampson	Matthew	Northern Blues A
Sauls	Jess	KZN Inland A
Smith	Joshua	KZN Inland A
Tsoka	Kamohelo	South Gauteng A
Willis	Ryan	KZN Coastal A

KZN Coastal A survived a late scare to edge out Northern Gauteng 4-2 in the u18 boys’ final of the SASHOC Indoor Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), at Thomas More College‘s iKhwezi Sports Centre, in Kloof, on Thursday.

The hosts played some spectacular hockey during the week on their way to the final. During the group stage, they were unbeaten, recording victories over KZN Coastal B, KZN Invitational, Southern Free State, Northerns, and Southern Gauteng.

In the semi-finals, they brushed aside Southerns 3-0. Northerns, meanwhile, scored a confidence-boosting 5-3 win over KZN Coastal B to reach the title game.

That set the table for a clash of teams who had both scored a bucketload of goals while conceding very few.

The first half belonged to the hosts, and they dominated almost every facet of the game. Under the guidance of captain Bhavesh Naicker, Coastals were in total control, enjoying most of the ball possession and playing the game in the right areas.

Naicker had an early opportunity to open the scoring after winning a penalty stroke for his side, but his shot from the spot was rejected by goalkeeper Reghardt Swart.

It turned out that it wasn’t a consequential miss for KZN Coastal A. Minutes after the penalty stroke, they hit the front through Tyrique Cloete.

Early in the second chukka, they doubled their tally after great inter-link play between Mesuli Msomi and Naicker, with Naicker providing a simple finish from close range.

Just three minutes later, Msomi was on the end of a speedy and spectacular counterattack, providing an assured finish to put Coastals on cruise control, up 3-0 after only 15 minutes. That was their lead at the halftime break, too.

Despite trailing by three goals, Northerns still had plenty in the tank. The adapted their approach in the third chukka and began to ask more questions of the hosts.

Douw Nel made an impact with his strong runs and threatened the Coastals’ defenders with his sharp stick skills. He, also, pulled a goal back for his team from a short corner.

Then, with KZN Coastal A one player down, co-captain, Lesego Msiza, made it a one-goal game by exploiting his side’s numerical advantage and flipping a reverse stick shot just beyond the reach of goalkeeper Georg Wolhuter.

Discipline, though, let down Northerns’ quest to stage a comeback, and Msiza was shown a yellow card in the 36th minute.

Coastals pounced on the one-man advantage and closed the game off with a late strike from their top goal scorer, Jaiden Krambeck.

Northerns’ marksman Douw Nel ended the tournament as the top goal scorer with an astounding 15 goals, while Krambeck finished with nine.

The bronze medal went to Southern Gauteng, who beat KZN Coastal B 4-1 to claim a place on the podium.

Milan Stipcevich was the star of the show, bagging a hat-trick, while Borateng Selebogo scored his first of the tournament.

KZN Invitational signed off their campaign with a resounding 7-2 win over Southern Free State to finish in fifth place.

U18 FINAL STANDINGS

KZN Coastal A
Northern Gauteng
Southern Gauteng
KZN Coastal B
KZN Invitational
Southern Free State

RESULTS

u18

Southern Gauteng 4 (Milan Stipcevich 3, Borateng Selebogo) KZN Coastals B 1 (Daniel Holiday)

KZN Invitational 7 (Samkelo Mgwaba 2, Ryan Herselman 2, Blake Herselman, Eben Peters, Adam Venter) Southern Free State 2 (CJ van Schalkwyk, Aobakwe Phengu)

KZN Coastal 4 (Bhavesh Naicker, Tyrique Cloete, Mesuli Msomi, Jaiden Krambeck) Northern Gauteng 2 (Douw Nel, Lesego Msiza)

u16

Southern Free State 1 (Karabo Nthute) Southern Gauteng B 1 (Jacobus van der Merwe)

KZN Coastal B 7 (Hamza Amla 4, Luqmaan Mohomed, Thomas Schulze, Khulekani Zuma) Northern Gauteng B 4 (Zeann Marais 2, Mark du Bruyn, Kgolagano Bontshoza)

Southern Gauteng 5 (Kamohelo Tsoka 2, Katiso Letuka 2, Tanner Napier) KZN Inland A 4 (Santiago Matroos 4)

KZN Coastal A 2 (Sisekelo Mbutho, Dylan Forbes) Northern Gauteng 1 (Kean Cornelissen)

u14

KZN Inland A 5 (Zipho Fakude 2, Murangi Magondo, Corban Emerson, Bunono Zitumane) Northern Gauteng B 1 (Maredi Letsoalo)

Northern Gauteng A 3 (Sven van Eyssen, Tendekai Chikosha, Zander Ladiellis) KZN Coastal B 2 (Slater Haynes, Rowan den Bakker)

Southern Free State 3 Southern Gauteng 2 (Scorers TBC)

KZN Coastal A and Northern Gauteng will meet for the SASHOC Indoor Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) u18 boys’ title at Thomas More College, in Kloof, on Thursday.

Catch the ACTION live on SuperSport Schools

The finalists caught the eye on the opening day, with Northerns topping the table after impressive wins over Southern Free State and the KZN Invitational team in which they tallied 14 goals, with Hoerskool Zwartkop‘s Douw Nel stealing the show by netting nine times.

KZN Coastal A was pushed hard by the KZN Invitational side, winning by just a single goal, but they enjoyed a more comfortable 5-1 win over a very competitive KZN Coastal B team in their second outing.

On day two, Northerns suffered losses to both KZN Coastal A and Southern Gauteng. Coastal A, meanwhile, also beat Southern Free State 9-4 in a free-scoring contest.

Coastals A went into day three at the Thomas More College Indoor Centre with confidence after compiling a perfect record of four wins from four matches. Their final pool match was against Southern Gauteng, and the traditional rivals produced a humdinger.

It was 2-2 after three chukkas, but Jaiden Krambeck finished a superb move within the first 30 seconds of the fourth chukka to put KZN Coastal on top, and they never let up, going on to record a 5-2 win. Krambeck netted twice, while Tyrique Cloete, Mesuli Msomi, and Ryde Brisset also got themselves onto the scoresheet.

That victory secured the top spot on the log for KZN Coastal A, and it also set up a rematch against Southerns in the semi-finals.

Playing with confidence in their second meeting of the day against the same oppoition, they kept the Gautengers goalless and came away with a comprehensive 3-0 victory.

Joel Steyn opened the scoring in the third minute before Krambeck doubled his team’s tally five minutes later.

It was closely contested after that goal, but Gauteng couldn’t pry open the Coastal defence. Then, with a minute to play, Krambeck scored a field goal to put the game to bed.

While KZN Coastal A dominated, Northerns observed and played to secure themselves a place in the final four after a stuttering showing on day two. A 2-2 draw with KZN Coastal B on day three earned them a second crack at the local side in the semi-finals.

With a place in the final on the line, Northerns impressed. They started the game like a house on fire and Douw Nel, whose goal tally stands at 14, bagged a brace, striking in the first and third chukkas.

Milan Booysen also scored a goal before Jordan Cooks and captain Lesego Msiza added late strikes to secure a morale-boosting 5-3 win.

Daniel Joss netted twice for KZN Coastal B, while Nathan Govender grabbed his first of the tournament.

The bronze medal match between Southern Gauteng and KZN Coastal B takes place at Thomas More College at 08:00 on Thursday. Meanwhile, Southern Free State will lock horns with the KZN Invitational team for fifth place at Kearsney College.

The final starts at 11:45.

RESULTS

u18

KZN Invitational 4 (Adam Venter, Bjorn Bengtson, Eben Peters, Ryan Herselman) Southern Free State 3 (Aobakwe Phengu 2, Tayo Fitz)

Northern Gauteng 2 (Nel Douw 2) KZN Coastal B 2 (Daniel Joss)

KZN Coastal A 5 (Jaiden Krambeck 2, Tyrique Cloete, Mesuli Msomi, Ryde Brisset) Southern Gauteng 2 (Milan Stipcevich, Dikgang Motingoe)

KZN Coastal A 3 (Jaiden Krambeck 2, Joel Steyn) Southern Gauteng 0

Northern Gauteng 5 (Douw Nel 2, Jordan Cooks, Milan Booysen, Lesego Msiza) KZN Coastal B 3 (Daniel Joss 2, Nathan Govender)

u16 

Northern Gauteng B 5 (Hanns Arndt 3, Zeann Marais, Mark du Bruyn) Southern Free State 2 (Kaden Henderson, Ethan Seager)

KZN Coastal B 1 (Aya Njenje) Southern Gauteng B 0

KZN Coastal A 7 (Dylan Forbes 5, Caleb Phipson, Hlompho Morake) KZN Inland A 3 (Sbuyiselwe Mchunu, Ntshabiseng Ntshingila, Santiago Matroos)

Northern Gauteng A 3 (Zayd Mohanlall, Sinokuhle Sithole, Rorisang Ledwaba) Southern Gauteng A 2 (Tanner Napier, Kamohelo Tsoka)

u14

KZN Coastal A 3 (Cameron Rudolph 2, Lord Makgato) Southern Gauteng 1 (JL Venter)

Northern Gauteng A 4 (Dylan Buckley 2, Oreratile Mabena, Aryn Mathee) Southern Free State 1 (Aschavin Louw)

KZN Coastal B 2 (Sphwosenkosi Gumede, Zachary Green) KZN Inland A 1 (Murangi Magondo)

KZN Coastal A 2 (Taine Lawson, Lord Makgato) Northern Gauteng A 2 (Tendekai Chikosha, Sven van Eyssen)

KZN Inland A 1 (Mitchell Layden) Southern Gauteng A 1 (Momelezi Mboyi)

KZN Coastal B 4 (Jordan Summerford 2, Sphwosenkosi Gumede, Joel Pearson) Northern Gauteng B 1 (Heinrich Vogel)

After a promising start to their SASHOC Indoor Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) campaign on Monday, the KZN Coastal u18A boys returned on Tuesday in Kloof and picked up from where they left off.

On the opening day, the side, coached by Shaun Baker, recorded a tight 3-2 win over a KZN Invitational team before beating KZN Coastal B 5-1 at the Thomas More College Indoor Centre.

By the end of the day’s play, the boys in black and white occupied second place behind Northern Gauteng, who led on goal difference.

KZN Coastal A came out firing on day two, and in their first encounter took down Northerns 2-0, winning 2-0 after goals by skipper Bhavesh Naicker and Jaiden Krambeck.

In their second match of the day, the hosts took on a struggling Southern Free State outfit and upped the ante. They played with aggression, flair, and swagger, scoring some outstanding goals on their way to a hefty 9-4 victory.

Tyrique Cloete bagged a hat-trick, while Krambeck scored a brace. Other goal contributions came from Ryde Brisset, Mesuli Msomi, Tye Milne, and Naicker.

The Free Staters replied through James McLachlan, Aobakwe Phengu, Tayo Fitz, and Rayhan Fitz.

With four wins from four starts, KZN Coastal A has maximum points ahead of their remaining pool game against Southern Gauteng on Wednesday.

Speaking of Southerns, they enjoyed a decent showing on day two after a lacklustre performance on Monday.

A 1-1 draw against KZN Invitational kicked off their day before they bagged their biggest scalp of the tournament, downing Northerns 3-1 in the final game of the day.

In that Gauteng derby, Liam du Plessis netted twice for Southerns, while Jay-Dee Carolus scored the other goal.

Douw Nel, who was on fire for Northerns on Monday, pulled one back for coach Steven Paulo‘s men to take his personal goal tally to 10.

KZN Coastal B also impressed and strengthened their case for a place in the semi-finals. They beat Free State 3-1 early on before being held to a 3-3 draw by the impressively resilient KZN Invitational side. Those results left Coastals B in third place on the table.

Days three’s action begins with a clash between Southern Free State and KZN Invitational at 08:00. Both teams are out of the running, but there will be plenty of pride on the line.

Results 

u18

KZN Coastal B 3 (Kaiden Webster, Locke Makohliso, Daniel Joss) Southern Free State 1 (James McLachlan)

KZN Coastal A 2 (Bhavesh Naicker, Jaiden Krambeck) Northern Gauteng 0

Southern Gauteng 1 (Milan Stipcevich) KZN Invitational 1 (Eben Peters)

KZN Coastal A 9 (Tyrique Cloete 3, Jaiden Krambeck 2, Ryde Brisset, Mesuli Msomi, Tye Milne, Bhavesh Naicker) Southern Free State 4 (James McLachlan, Aobakwe Phengu, Tayo Fitz, Rayhan Fitz)

KZN Coastal B 3 (Zack Scott, Kaiden Webster, Daniel Joss) KZN Invitational 3 (Eben Peters, Blake Herselman, Ryan Herselman)

Southern Gauteng 3 (Liam du Plessis 2, Jay-Dee Carolus) Northern Gauteng 1 (Douw Nel)

u16

KZN Coastal A 8 (Matt Potgieter 2, Luc Boyall, Luke Lambert, Caleb Phipson, Dylan Forbes, Keegan Brauns, Ryan Willis) Southern Gauteng B 1 (Jacobus van der Merwe)

KZN Inland A 8 (Santiago Matroos 3, Sbuyiselwe Mchunu 3, Ntshabiseng Ntshingila, Hayden Ravenscroft) Northern Gauteng B 4 (Freddy Mahlangu, Mark du Bruyn, Zeann Marais, Leano Magadlela)

Northern Gauteng 3 (Luke Payne 2, Rorisang Ledwaba) Southern Free State 1 (Ethan Seager)

Southern Gauteng 5 (Tanner Napier 2, Evan Noble, Warren Sethole, Kamohelo Tsoka) KZN Coastal B 4 (Khulekani Zuma, Elijah Stoop, Hamza Amla, Thomas Schulze)

KZN Coastal A 6 (Caleb Phipson 2, Matt Potgieter 2, Dylan Forbes, Luc Boyall) Northern Gauteng B 3 (Kgolagano Bontshoza, Hanns Arndt, Zeann Marais)

Northern Gauteng A 5 (Rorisang Ledwaba 2, Michael Meiring, Caylum du Preez, Sinokuhle Sithole) KZN Coastal B 2 (Elijah Stoop 2)

KZN Inland A 9 (Santiago Matroos 4, Hayden Ravenscroft 2, Jess Sauls, Ntshabiseng Ntshingila, Sbuyiselwe Mchunu) Southern Free State 5 (Jean Griessel 2, Tsebo Kubu, Yusuf Smith, Kaden Henderson)

Southern Gauteng A 3 (Katiso Letuka, Matthew Jung, Kamohelo Tsoka) Southern Gauteng B 0

u14

KZN Coastal A 6 (Lord Makgato 2, Cameron Rudolph, CJ Esau, Siphumeze Gwiji, Taine Lawson) KZN Coastal B 2 (Okuhle Mhlonto, Zachary Green)

Southern Free State 2 (Selogilwe Selogilwe 2) Northern Gauteng B 1 (Maredi Letsoalo)

Northern Gauteng A 3 (Zander Ladiellis, Tendekai Chikosha, Dylan Buckley) KZN Inland A 2 (Zipho Fakude, Corban Emerson)

KZN Coastal A 4 (Lord Makgato, CJ Esau, Siyathemba Mnemba, Taine Lawson) Southern Free State 3 (Taelo Joseph, Selogilwe Selogilwe, Aschavin Louw)

Southern Gauteng A 3 (JL Venter, Leyton Bothma, LJ Louw) KZN Coastal B 1 (Rowan den Bakker)

Northern Gauteng A 1 (Dylan Buckley) Northern Gauteng B 0

u18 Day 3 fixtures @Thomas More College 

08:00 – Southern Free State vs KZN Invitational
09:00 – Northern Gauteng vs KZN Coastal B
10:00 – KZN Coastal A vs Southern Gauteng
16:00 – Semifinal 1
18:30 – Semifinal 2

Central Gauteng‘s u19A boys’ captain, Nicholas Searle, will be gunning to end his school water polo career on a high when he leads his side at the South African Schools’ Water Polo (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in Johannesburg.

The 50th edition of the highly anticipated tournament takes place from 6 to 10 December.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The u19 boys’ matches will be played at St David’s Marist Inanda, while the girls’ games will be hosted at St Stithians College.

Searle and his teammates are aiming to make history and defend the title they won a year ago in East London, where they beat KwaZulu-Natal 8-6 in a tight final.

“The build-up to IPT has been quite intense,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We have been setting the level high with constant training every day. We are doing high-intensity stuff, lots of sprints and a lot of skills-based work.”

The St John’s College learner started playing water polo in grade five after transitioning from swimming. He was roped into the sport by the legendary Vladimir Trinic and, as they say, the rest is history.

Searle, then, played his way up the St John’s ranks and over the past two years has been one of the standout boys’ water polo players in South Africa.

His performances for school and province have seen him be part of title-winning teams at the IPT, the Currie Cup, the KES Water Polo Tournament, and, most recently, the SACS Water Polo Tournament, among others.

Reflecting on his time in the sport, he said: “It’s been a long journey with some memorable moments. I think winning the KES tournament was one of the most significant moments in my high school career.

“Of course, I had watched the likes of Matt Pryce win it, and those were some of the most dominant years for St John’s polo.

“I looked up to them, watched them win countless tournaments, and KES was the biggest.

“From this year, I would definitely say winning the SACS Water Polo Tournament to end off my grade 12 year was big and important. I finished with seven goals in the final while wearing the cap number seven. That was a good coincidence.”

Coach Jon-Marc De Carvalho will lead the Gauteng outfit, and he’s selected a stacked and talented squad.

Searle says he’s eager to have one final dance with his provincial teammates.

“It’s definitely a big one on home soil, and a lot of thought has gone into this tournament,” he said. “From the start of the year, it’s been on my mind, thinking about the team, and how we are going to progress.

“I’m very excited to be playing my last IPT at St David’s. That’s very special to me. I have spent many hours at that pool, practising and playing matches, so I look forward to it.”

Gauteng has been drawn in Pool A and will face Buffalo City, Central Gauteng B and Nelson Mandela Bay.

They will also lock horns with the Aussie Crocs on day three. Searle expects a tough challenge from all of their opponents.

“It has never been easy at the IPT, and this year won’t be any different,” he explained.

“The level of polo across the different provinces has improved. Western Province and KZN have dominant players, as we saw at the SACS and Clifton Water Polo Tournaments.

“I must say that Nelson Mandela Bay are also looking competitive, so they will be tough to beat.”

Searle also thanked his parents for their dedication to his career and the support they’ve provided over the years. He furthermore expressed his appreciation for Vlad Trinic and Jon-Marc De Carvalho.

Gauteng kicks off its campaign against Nelson Mandela Bay on Sunday, 7 December, at 07:00.

TEAM 

Erik Arwidi (St David’s), Chris Chapman (St John’s), Fu-Nam Chen (St John’s), James Crick (St Stithians), Danilo Giuricich (St David’s), Cooper Haworth (St David’s), Aiden Khoury (Jeppe Boys), Connor McJannet (St David’s), Simon Mussett (St John’s), Tyler Mwekassa (King Edward VII), Nicholas Searle (St John’s), Dylan Wiggill (St David’s), Harry Wilkins (King Edward VII), Declan Wood (St Stithians).

Head Coach: Jon-Marc De Carvalho
Assistant Coach: Thabang Madi
Manager: Zahraa Bodiat

The Northern Gauteng u18 Indoor boys’ team made a big statement on the opening day of the SASHOC Indoor Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), in Kloof, on Monday.

Northerns were on fire at the Thomas More College Indoor Centre and racked up a 6-0 win over Southern Free State before handing the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Invitational side an 8-3 defeat.

The IPT kicked off on Monday and runs through until Thursday, 4 December, with all the action live on SuperSport Schools.

In the boys’ section, Northerns ended the day atop the standings after their impressive performances.

The boys from Pretoria, led by coach Steven Paulo, were direct in their approach and made their intentions clear from the first whistle.

They dominated Free State in their opener, with Douw Nel catching the eye and netting four times. Further goals from Milan Booysen and Wium van Niekerk sealed the win.

In Northerns’ second outing of the day, against KZN Invitational, Nel was on the scoresheet five times, striking twice from penalty corners and also converting three penalty strokes.

Jordan Cooks added his name to the scoresheet before a brace from Booysen made it eight. The KZN boys bagged three consolation goals, courtesy of strikes by Luke de Oliveira and brothers Ryan and Blake Herselman.

Another team that impressed on Monday was KZN Coastal A, coached by Shaun Baker and captained by Durban High School‘s Bhavesh Naicker.

They kicked off their campaign with a shaky 3-2 win over KZN Invitational, thanks to strikes by Joel Steyn, Jaiden Krambeck, and Ryde Brisset.

They met their provincial counterparts KZN Coastal B in their second match of the day and overpowered them 5-1.

Steyn found the back of the net for a second consecutive match, while Mesuli Msomi (2), Christopher Abrahams, and Tyrique Cloete also got in on the action.

At day’s end, KZN Coastal trailed Northerns at the top of the standings on goal difference.

In a big upset, Southern Gauteng was stunned by KZN Coastal B, going down 2-3. Later, Southerns bounced back with a comfortable 5-0 win over Southern Free State.

Captain Matteo Stipcevich and Conrad Koen both bagged braces, while Milan Stipcevich also added his name to the scoresheet.

Day two’s action kicks off with a clash between Southern Free State and KZN Coastal B at 11:00.

RESULTS

U18

KZN Coastal A 3: Joel Steyn, Jaiden Krambeck, Ryde Brisset. KZN Invitational 2: Blake Herselman, Ryan Herselman.

Northern Gauteng 6: Douw Nel (4), Milan Booysen, Wium van Niekerk. Southern Free State 0.

KZN Coastal B 3: Braigen Yunnie, Daniel Joss, Kaiden Webster. Southern Gauteng 2: Matteo Stipcevich, Milan Stipcevich.

Northern Gauteng 8: Douw Nel (5), Milan Booysen (2), Jordan Cooks. KZN Invitational 3: Luke De Oliveira, Ryan Herselman, Blake Herselman.

Southern Gauteng 5: Matteo Stipcevich (2), Conrad Koen (2), Milan Stipcevich. Southern Free State 0.

KZN Coastal A 5: Mesuli Msomi (2), Joel Steyn, Christopher Abrahams, Tyrique Cloete. KZN Coastal B 1: Braigen Yunnie.

U16

KZN Coastal A 11 (Dylan Forbes 4, Luke Lambert 2, Caleb Phipson 2, Keegan Brauns, Troy Wurdeman, Ryan Willis) Southern Free State 2 (Kaden Henderson, Ethan Seager)

Northerns A 5 (Kean Cornelissen 2, Sinokuhle Sithole, Luke Payne, Timothy Scheepers) Southern Gauteng B 1 (Joshua van Wyk)

KZN Inland A 7 (Santiago Matroos 5, Hayden Ravenscroft 2) KZN Coastal B 4 (Elijah Stoop 2, Luqmaan Mohamed, Khulekani Zuma)

Southern Gauteng A 4 (Matthew Jung 2, Tanner Napier, Katiso Letuka) Northerns B 1 (Zéann Marais)

Southern Gauteng A 7 (Matthew Jung 3, Kamohelo Tsoka 2, Justin Fairley, Warren Sithole) KZN Inland A 6 (Santiago Matroos 4, Joshua Smith 2)

Southern Free State 4 (Kaden Henderson 2, Yusuf Smith, Ethan Seager) Southern Gauteng B 2 (Jordan Sapsford, Jacobus van der Merwe)

KZN Coastal B 5 (Hamza Amla 4, Keegan Reeves) Northerns B 1 (Atisang Passe)

KZN Coastal A 2 (Dylan Forbes, Luc Boyall) Northerns A 2 (Rorisang Ledwaba, Luke Payne)

U14

KZN Coastal B 4 (Sphwosenkosi Gumede 2, Connor Els, Slater Haynes) Southern Free State 2 (Nicholas Sofiadellis, Evano Hurst)

Southern Gauteng A 2 (Caden Kruger, Criston de Saldanha) Northerns B 2 (Heinrich Vogel, Tshepo Mohulatsi)

KZN Coastal A 5 (Taine Lawson 2, Lord Makgato 2, Cameron Rudolph) KZN Inland A 1 (Bunono Zitumane)

KZN Coastal A 3 (Taine Lawson 2, Siphumeze Mnemba) Northerns B 1 (Reneilwe Mathabathe)

KZN Inland A 3 (Anesu Mukono 2, Bunono Zitumane) Southern Free State 2 (Taelo Joseph, Selogilwe Selogilwe)

Northerns A 5 (Dylan Buckley 2, Oreratile Mabena, Sven van Eyssen, Kamogelo Maluleka) Southern Gauteng A 3 (Leyton Bothma 3)

u18 Day 2 fixtures @Thomas More College

11:00 – Southern Free State vs KZN Coastal B
12:00 – KZN Coastal A vs Northern Gauteng
13:00 – Southern Gauteng vs KZN Invitational
17:00 – Southern Free State vs KZN Coastal A
18:00 – KZN Coastal B vs KZN Invitational
19:00 – Southern Gauteng vs Northern Gauteng

The Buffalo City u19 girls’ water polo team head coach, Paige Meecham, says her team is eager to get the ball rolling at the 50th edition of the Schools Water Polo South African (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament.

The annual event runs from 6-10 December in Johannesburg, with the girls’ matches taking place at St Stithians College, in the Olympic Pool.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

Buffalo City has been drawn in Pool A and will face the defending champion, Central Gauteng A, Nelson Mandela Bay, and Western Province B in the group stage.

SuperSport Schools Plus caught up with coach Meecham to discuss her team’s preparations and their goals for the tournament.

“The team vibe is really good,” she said. “We all gel really well together, and it feels like we have been together for years. We are all very competitive and working hard to achieve the same goal.”

The Buffalo City team features a large number of players from Clarendon Girls School and is bolstered by players from Hudson Park High, Stirling High, and Merrifield College.

Out of the 13-player squad, only four were in action at last year’s event, which was hosted in East London.

“We retained only four players from last year, three from the A team,” the coach explained. “They are Erin Batting, Jessica Schaefer, and Meka Loots, and one from the B team, Caroline Kretzmann.

“The rest of the team is pretty young compared to last year, when we had eight matrics.”

Meecham and her troops will be aiming to improve on last year’s sixth place finish. They suffered a 9-13 loss to KwaZulu-Natal in the playoffs on the final day in a game in which Erin Batting scored a hat-trick and Meka Loots also made it onto the scoresheet.

They are, undoubtedly, one of the underdogs but they will bring their best in every match, Meecham reckoned.

“We are planning to approach this tournament with fight. The girls know we can do well in our pool stage games.

“We just need to remain calm, play it chukka by chukka, and work as a team to achieve set goals,” she said.

“Our goal for this tournament is firstly to achieve our small individual goals; if we can do this, we can then achieve team goals for each game.

“With all the hard work these ladies have put in, they deserve to finish high up.”

Buffalo City’s campaign begins with a showdown against Central Gauteng A on Sunday, 7 December, at 09:00.

TEAM

Erin Batting, Kara Batting, Rania Khan (all Hudson Park), Jenna Botha, Elizabeth Cairns, Quinn Carr, Holley Jacoby, Caroline Kretzmann, Meka Loots, Megan Phillips, Jessica Schaefer (all Clarendon Girls School), Caitlyn Mthembu (Stirling High School), Janey Wood (Merrifield College).

Head coach: Paige Meecham
Manager: Stefano Zanoncelli