Author: asawula

The interschools clash between Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Boys’ High, as well as Paarl Girls’ High, is one of the biggest derbies on the schools’ hockey calendar.

The annual fixture, which divides loyalties in Paarl, almost always lives up to expectations, with festivities beginning early in the week and continuing right up until matchday, with the excitement and anticipation amping up day by day.

This year, it’s Paarl Gimnasium who will welcome their rivals to their home turf.

The girls’ match takes place on Friday at 18:00, while the boys are set to meet on Saturday at 10:30.

Both matches will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools and DStv Channel 216.

In last year’s fixtures, it was Paarl Gim who reigned supreme in both matches.

The girls scored a 4-0 win in a hotly contested affair, thanks to goals by Karea de Ridder (2), Tanya Pieterse, and Isabella Nel. The boys, led by coach Jacques Grobler, edged out their opponents 2-1, with LD Nel and this season’s captain, Juan Swanepoel, scoring in that encounter.

A lot has changed since those matches, however, and all four teams have enjoyed accomplished seasons, scored impressive wins, and have pressed on from their strong showings in 2024.

For all four captains – Gim’s Juan Swanepoel and Joné de Winnaar, Lucia Marcus, of Girls’ High, and Boishaai’s AJ Mostert – it will be their last matches for their schools.

SuperSport Schools Hockey caught up with all four captains to get their thoughts on what is arguably the biggest interschools match in the world.

Lucia Marcus – Paarl Girls’ High

Marcus is one of the most experienced players on her team and has previously featured in four interschools matches against Paarl Gim, all of which have been tough and closely contested.

This year, she has led Girls’ High admirably, helping her team to some notable victories, thanks also to the help of her leadership group and vice-captain, Lisa Craven.

Marcus and her side now look forward to their biggest game of the year.

“Our team is very excited and hyped for the interschools game ahead,” she said. “We are looking forward to a high-intensity match and can’t wait to give it our all.

“It’s a bittersweet moment for the matrics, as we know this is our last interschools, but we are ready to make our school proud.”

The skipper also understands the threat Paarl Gim poses. “We know that playing against Paarl Gim is never easy,” she said. “They are a highly ranked team with such incredible players, and you always have to be at your best when you play them.

“We know that we will have to bring our all on Friday evening and keep fighting till the last whistle blows. I truly believe that if we stick to our basics and execute our game plan well, we are able to take on any team.

“An interschools game is always so unpredictable, and the team that wants it the most that night will win.”

The match will also be coach Marc Landman‘s first interschools derby since he took over as first team coach earlier this year.

Joné de Winnaar – Paarl Gimnasium

Joné de Winnaar has stepped up tremendously in 2025.

After taking over the captaincy from Tanya Pieterse, she has led her side to some remarkable victories while playing some scintillating hockey.

In the Western Cape, they have suffered only one defeat, and that was a 0-1 loss to Rhenish Girls’ High a week ago.

De Winnaar says Gim has learnt a lot from that game and she and her team are ready to step up at interschools.

“We’re feeling very motivated,” she reckoned. “Last week’s result gave us a lot to learn from, but we are now excited for interschools and ready to leave it all on the field.

“Interschools is one of the most special fixtures on our calendar. It’s more than just a game. It’s about legacy and the incredible support we get from our school.

“What I love most is the way it brings everyone together and the way you can play for your badge, and there’s nothing like hearing your school behind you.”

One of the most important points of focus for De Winnaar and her side will be to not let the occasion get the better of them. Staying composed and executing their plans is what could propel them to victory, she said.

“It’s an emotional one for us matrics, and we want to finish with no regrets,” she added.

“To get the win, we’ll need to stay composed under pressure, stick to our structures, and trust each other.

“Interschools against Girls’ High is always a different game on the day, but we believe in our preparation. It’s going to come down to the team that wants it more.”

AJ Mostert – Paarl Boys’ High

AJ Mostert has been the backbone of Boishaai this season.

The centre-back has led from the front, defended well, distributed like a general, and has always got his troops up for big encounters.

Last week, he led his team to a bronze medal at the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament. This week, it’s all about throwing everything they have at Paarl Gim.

“We are ready, a bit nervous, but we’re also excited,” the skipper said. “It’s going to be a big one. It’s going to be tough as well because both sides are very strong this year.

“I think we just need to stick to our processes and stay together as a team. We need to trust each other, and everyone must do their job.

“If we let the occasion get to us, we will be lost come Saturday morning, especially with all the people around and the questions we get. So, we are remaining calm and treating this like a normal game.”

It will be a momentous day for Mostert, who will earn his 100th cap when he walks out against Gim on Saturday.

Juan Swanepoel – Paarl Gimnasium

Juan Swanepoel has tasted victory in an interschools match before, and he’ll be set on tasting it again in 2025.

The explosive Paarl Gim skipper has been at the centre of his team’s successes this season, leading with his actions rather than words.

He’s also relied on other experienced heads, including John Coetzee, Martin Ferreira, Stefan Wiehahn, and Philip Barnard.

In their last outing, Gim held off Wynberg Boys’ High, scoring a 3-2 win. Swanepoel said the mood in the team is positive ahead of taking on their great rivals.

“We are feeling really good. The win against Wynberg reminded us of what we’re capable of doing.

“We have to go into the interschools game with the mindset that we want to win and play our game.”

Swanepoel netted in last year’s interschools clash. On Saturday, he’s intent on scoring more goals and leaving it all out on the field.

“Interschools is massive. It’s more than just a match. It’s history, our pride, and we play for every player that’s worn the jersey before us,” he said.

“It’s the one fixture we dream about and think about the whole year. It’s our last dance as matrics, so we will leave everything out there.”

TEAMS

GIRLS

Paarl Gimnasium: Joné de Winnaar (c), Karli van Deventer, Jessica Gresse, Karea de Ridder, Minke Botha, Isabella Nel, Imke Koegelenberg, Izelle Fourie, Anya Swanepoel, Alanda Rademeyer, Micha Bakkes, Lua van Wyk, Marili Walters, Annabelle Smith, Hannah-Claire Lees. 

Coach: Danelle van Zyl
Assistant coach: Scott Hendricks
Manager: Tanya van der Spuy

Paarl Girls’ High: Lucia Marcus (c), Leonora Van Zyl, Charlotte Louw, Janri Dixon, Halle Williams, Margit Naude, Cassie Fairbairn, Jessi Baxter, Mila Warnich, Nika Pretorius, Lucy Le Roux, Nika Du Plessis, Anne Nell, Lisa Craven (vc)

Coach: Marc Landman
Manager: Anri Keevy

BOYS

Paarl Gimnasium: Juan Swanepoel (c), John Coetzee, Johannes Nieuwoudt, Reinhardt Honiball, Rikus de Kock, Ryan Van der Merwe, Philip Barnard, Stefan Wiehahn, Ebert Sabbagha, Philip du Preez, Josh Smit, Mikal Janse van Rensburg, Eben Thiart, Martin Ferreira, Gideon Cronje.

Coach: Jacques Grobler
Manager: Surindi Lombaard

Paarl Boys’ High: AJ Mostert (c), AJ Fourie, Alex Lategan, Ben Haarhoff, Daniel Willemse, Gideon du Toit, Jamie Kock, Joel Martini, Laubscher van Loggerenberg, Luan Bornman, Luka King, Martin de Bruyn, Mijan Heroldt, Nicholas Swanepoel, Tiaan Liebenberg, Ullrich Drotchie.

Coach: Rowan Mclachlan
Assistant coach: Nicholas Neethling
Manager: Madre Mostert

The hockey season is slowly but surely drawing towards its conclusion, but there are still a handful of mouthwatering fixtures on the menu in various parts of the country.

This coming weekend, Paarl Gimnasium faces Paarl Boys’ High in their annual interschools clash, while South African College High School (SACS) tackles Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) in Cape Town in another box office battle.

Jeppe High School for Boys will reignite their rivalry with King Edward VII in Johannesburg, making for a thrilling weekend of hockey.

While those matches play out, spectators in the Eastern Cape will also be treated to tasty fare.

The clash of the weekend is undeniably the meeting between Grey High School and Grey College.

The boys from Bloemfontein will make the trip down to Gqeberha, eyeing a massive victory against one of their oldest rivals.

They face off at the Rectory Astroturf on Friday at 19:00 and the match will be broadcast LIVE on the SuperSport Schools App.

In last year’s fixture, it was Grey College who, somewhat unexpectedly, scored a nervy 1-0 win over their counterparts in Bloem, when they were still under the guidance of coach Wayne Coetzee.

A year later, and it’s a new-look Grey College outfit, led by coach Dallan Phillips, who took over the reins at the start of 2025 after leaving Pearson High School, who will face their brother school.

College has constructed a decent season, although there have been a couple of disappointing results that didn’t go their way.

The Bloem boys have had taken on a busy schedule filled with festival/tournament hockey, but, apart from those events, Grey College has recorded just three wins over Hoërskool Outeniqua (2-0), Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (4-1), and Paarl Boys’ High (3-2) in 2025.

In derby games, they went down 2-4 against Paarl Gimnasium and drew 2-2 with Selborne College in their last outing, in May.

In Grey High, they come up against a team that has found its feet as the season has progressed.

Their last five fixtures have resulted in mostly convincing victories over York High (5-1), Magdalen College UK (7-1), St Andrew’s College (1-0), Queen’s College (5-2) and Wynberg Boys’ High (3-1) – results that show coach Andrew Beynon‘s boys aren’t finding it hard to score goals.

History or past results are relevant for context, but they’ll mean very little when the sides square off in what is expected to be a thriller.

To boost their chances of success, players from both camps will need to step up, including penalty corner ace Matthias Visser and captain Andrew Koupis for the visitors.

In goal, Sayur Pillay will have to be on his game, while others to keep an eye on include Raphael Kambanis, Warena Legaiwa, Gianni Tyropolis, the explosive Waldo Konig, and Luke Visser, up front.

Neilandro Van Schalkwyk, who was the only Free State player to make the SA Schools u18A team, will also be a threat in midfield.

For Grey High, coach Beynon will call on his senior players to show what they’re capable of on the big stage.

Luke Tait, Athi Voigt, Matthew Allibone, Liam Poole, and Keegan le Roux will need to make their marks.

A player who will be aiming to continue his fine form is Logan Goddard-Ford, who netted a brace against York last week and is playing some of his best hockey.

At the back, goalkeeper Kiano Broadhurst will rely on Ameer Muller and James Chree to defuse the Grey College attack.

Other matches

While that clash plays out in Gqeberha, Selborne College will take on Queen’s College in East London.

It’ll be the second meeting between the teams in 2025. When they met in April, it ended 3-2 in favour of Selborne.

Both teams are currently in red-hot form. Last week, Queen’s thumped Merrifield College 7-0, while Selborne showed character to come from behind to beat a gritty Hudson Park outfit 2-1. There’s everything to play for, with provincial bragging rights on the line.

Also in East London, Stirling High, after sharing a pulsating 3-3 draw with Dale College last week, goes up against Hudson Park on Friday.

Dale, meanwhile, hosts Graeme College.

EASTERN CAPE BOYS’ FIXTURES

Friday, 1 August

15:00 – Dale College vs Graeme College
17:00 – Stirling High vs Hudson Park
18:30 – Selborne College vs Queen’s College
19:00 – Grey High vs Grey College

The 2025 hockey season has been a positive one for the Paarl Boys’ High first team.

Under the tutelage of head coach Rowan McLachlan, Boishaai has played some enterprising hockey, troubled some of the top guns, and made spectators stand up and take notice.

They’ve been fearless in their approach. They’ve attacked with vigour and been defensively sound. If this season has revealed anything, it’s that Paarl Boys’ High is no pushover. They mean business.

A handful of players have been influential in helping the school to turn around its fortunes on the AstroTurf, after a tough 2024, and one of them is Luan Bornman.

The trusted goalkeeper made his 100th appearance for the side at the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament, where Boys’ High finished in third place, behind Reddam House Constantia and South African College High School (SACS).

Bornman – humble, well-spoken, and respectful – became the second player in the school’s history to achieve the feat, following Elmar Liebenberg in 1991.

“It was a special moment,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus. “I felt very blessed, but at the end of the day, it was just another game.

“I have the same mindset going into each game, and I always tell myself that I can’t be overexcited or do anything out of character.

“With that said, though, I’ve learnt a lot in the past 100 games. Some lessons include not placing too many expectations on myself and keeping calm and composed in goal. These have helped me throughout the years.”

Bornman started playing hockey in grade five and joined Boishaai at a young age.

He recalled some of his earliest experiences and explained why he opted to be a goalkeeper.

“I became a goalie in grade five when my family and I moved from Gauteng to the Western Cape.

“I was exposed to hockey for the first time. I quickly saw that I wouldn’t be able to compete against the other players who had all the skills in the field, and I saw two ‘keepers, and I was interested.

“I told myself it can’t be hard, and that’s when I took it on and kept building on it until now.”

The shot-stopper also highlighted the positive influence of his parents and coaches during his journey.

Now, he looks forward to his final match for the school against Paarl Gimnasium in the famous interschools clash, which takes place on Saturday at 10:30.

“I’m very excited for interschools,” he shared, “and I think this year it’s more excitement than nerves.

“In previous years, I was nervous, but I’m now more comfortable and used to the tempo of the game. When you are young, you tend to let the occasion get the better of you, but I’ve grown with time.

“It will be a good match. I trust our matrics and the whole team fully. We have skilful players and great leaders, and I think they will handle the pressure well.”

Bornman is one of six grade 12 learners in the team. On Saturday, he’ll turn out for Boys’ High on the Astro for the last time alongside his teammates AJ Fourie, skipper AJ Mostert, Gideon du Toit, Joel Martini, Nicholas Swanepoel, and Tiaan Liebenberg.

South African College High School (SACS) scored a whopping 27 goals in five matches on their way to another Cape Town International Hockey Tournament title in the Mother City on Sunday.

After bossing play in the group stages and semifinal, SACS picked up from where they left off and defeated Reddam House Constantia 4-0 to lift the trophy at the Hartleyvale AstroTurf.

It’s their second Cape Town International Hockey Tournament title in the space of three years. They won it in 2023 and finished as the runner-up last year.

SACS, under the guidance of Sam Holmes, and Jody Erasmus, did what they normally do and selected a Stayers squad to do duty at the tournament. That meant that all first-team players who will be leaving the school at the end of the year were not eligible for selection. Instead, 1st team players not in grade 12 and u16 players were given a run

Matthew Lassen and Litha Kraai were the senior players in the team, guiding the youngsters, while the experience of players like Mohlodi Maseko, Daniel Graser, Cameron Cordeiro, and Cameron Groves came in handy.

In the group stages, SACS constructed a flawless run, defeating Somerset College 6-0, St George’s Weybridge 6-3, and Windhoek Afrikaanse Private School 3-1.

Then, they cruised to a 4-0 win over the UK’s Reed’s School in the cross-pool playoffs to book a place in the semi-finals against Hoërskool Outeniqua. They brushed off the George school’s challenge, winning 4-1, courtesy of goals by the experienced heads, Kraai, Maseko, and Lassen, before Daniel de Wet got his name on the scoresheet, to surge into the final.

Their opponents, Reddam House, had stunned Paarl Boys’ High 1-0 in the last four.

When SACS met Reddam in a league fixture back in June, SACS, at full strength, ran out 4-0 winners. On Sunday, their Stayers side rose to the occasion, repeating that scoreline with Kraai and Maseko both scoring twice to secure the title.

“Heading into the tournament, the message was clear and simple,” Holmes told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We have the luxury of this being a development team, so we wanted to learn in a pressurised tournament environment.

“We tried to work out combinations, see who’s the best fit for next year, what’s our best shape and all that stuff.”

SACS, after winning the tournament in 2023, fell short last year and went down 1-2 against Paarl Gimnasium in the final.

Holmes said they didn’t speak about the prospect of going all the way this year. It was about working on their processes.

“We don’t speak about winning or losing at all,” he explained. “We just look at what we want to achieve in a session or tournament.

“We try to get our processes right, make sure we understand the system for next year, and be quite robust. I must add, though, that every time the guys play for SACS, there’s motivation to try and win that game.”

Despite having the experience of Kraai and Lassen on the field during the tournament, Holmes was more excited by the junior players who are set to make the step up.

“I was very impressed,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve got the ridiculous fortune of having Litha and Matthew stay behind, so they add phenomenal levels of quality and depth to our team.

“In terms of the contribution from the u16s, I think they were immense. There’s a lot to look forward to, both in our defensive ranks and midfield. The players put their hands up.”

Other matches

In other games on the final day, Paarl Boys’ High finished on a high, scoring a 3-1 win over Outeniqua to seal third spot.

St George’s Weybridge, from England, finished in fifth, the best of the international sides, after beating Durbanville 1-0.

There were also wins for Parel Vallei High and Worcester Gimnasium, while Somerset College lost out to Windhoek High after a penalty shootout.

Final day results

Kingston Grammar 3-2 Western Province Invitational
Windhoek High (2) 1-1 (1) Somerset College
King Edward’s School (3) 3-3 (1) Millfield School
Worcester Gimnasium 3-1 Windhoek Afrikaanse Private School
St George’s Weybridge 1-0 Durbanville
Parel Vallei 2-1 Reed’s School
Paarl Boys’ High 3-1 Outeniqua
SACS 4-0 Reddam House Constantia

Final standings:

SACS
Reddam House Constantia
Paarl Boys’ High
Outeniqua
St George’s Weybridge
Durbanville
Parel Vallei
Reed’s School
Worcester Gimnasium
Windhoek Afrikaanse
King Edward’s School
Millfield School
Windhoek High
Somerset College
Kingston Grammar
Western Province Invitational

There was nothing to separate Hudson Park High School and Clarendon High School for Girls when the two Border powerhouses played to a thrilling 1-1 draw in East London on Friday night.

The highly anticipated fixture, which was hyped up all week, certainly lived up to expectations in front of a packed crowd at Clarendon’s main AstroTurf.

Many players, from both sides, entered the clash fresh from representing Border u18A at the SASHOC National Week.

Hudson had six players in the provincial side compared to Clarendon’s five, so they knew each other well after spending a full week together in Pietermaritzburg.

Friendships, however, were quickly tossed out the window on Friday, with bragging rights on the line.

Clarendon made a blistering start and opened the scoring in the fourth minute through Kiara Dart, who found herself in space and seized on the opportunity to slot the ball past Mbali Khumalo in the Hudson goal.

It was a back-and-forth affair after that. Both sides created their fair share of chances, but execution inside the D let them down.

Hudson was eventually rewarded for their persistence, though, with SA u18A star Busiwe Mayekiso levelling for them in the third chukka.

It came from a short corner where, and instead of going route one, Hudson opted for a variation, which saw them play the ball across the circle to Mayekiso, who slammed it past Soyama Dzengwa in the Clarendon goal.

Both shot-stoppers, Dzengwa and Khumalo, were called into action and pulled off some brilliant stops to keep the scores level as the teams chased another goal.

It was blow-for-blow in the final chukka, but the score remained unchanged. It finished only 1-1, but it was, nonetheless, a thrilling clash.

“It was a really good game. Clarendon came out in the first five minutes and were pumped up and scored early, but our girls kept going,” Hudson Park head coach Jerry Snyman told SuperSport Schools Plus after the match.

“I thought our attitude was better today, better than it’s been the whole season. We showed good fight. We had our chances. They had their chances. So, it was 50/50.”

Meetings between Hudson Park and Clarendon have been fierce in recent seasons, and the coach believes the newfound rivalry bodes well for the region.

“This game was good for Border hockey, without a doubt,” he reckoned.

“I know the girls always look forward to playing Clarendon because it’s competitive. After the IPTs, I thought we would be in a difficult space, but we were good, and so were they.”

The same sentiments were shared by Clarendon head coach Luaan Sedras, who was impressed by his side’s showing in the final chukka.

“It was a battle,” he said. “We sort of relaxed after the first goal and lost a bit of our shape after making some changes.

“In the last chukka, we improved and played with some good shape and good passes. Clinically, not good enough, but anyone could’ve won it.”

Sedras also labelled the clash as an East London “blockbuster” and emphasised how Friday’s match will positively impact both sides moving forward.

His side faces Queenstown Girls’ High next weekend in Komani, while Hudson shifts their attention to Stirling High.

Other matches

Also, in East London, Stirling High posted a 3-1 win over Kingsridge High School for Girls, from Qonce. Julia Kockott scored a brace before Logan McLaren sealed the win for coach Michael Dettmer‘s side.

Merrifield College were also big winners on the weekend. After playing to a 1-1 draw with Queenstown Girls’ High on Friday, coach Antonet Louw‘s side outplayed Cambridge High on Saturday morning, powering their way to a 6-0 win.

DSG Makhanda also continued their winning ways, but they were made to toil for a 1-0 win over Pearson High on home turf.

It was a tremendous tussle between the two Eastern Province giants, and it took a moment of brilliance from Abigail Holderness, who scored a scorcher, to break the deadlock and seal the win.

While DSG impressed, Collegiate was also on song, adding two more wins to their record.

On Friday night, they dismantled Framesby 11-0 before holding off a spirited York High side to pick up a 2-0 win the following day.

Against Framesby, it was Ayanda Klaas (2), Jana Prinsloo (2), Kate Brennan (2), Kerri Gillies (2), Eden Oliver, Anna Porter, and Darcey Brown who were on the scoresheet.

Gillies and Brown struck again against York.

Results

Hudson Park 1-1 Clarendon
Stirling High 3-1 Kingsridge
DSG Makhanda 1-0 Pearson High
Merrifield College 6-0 Cambridge
Merrifield College 1-1 Queenstown Girls’ High
Collegiate Girls’ High 11-0 Framesby
Collegiate Girls’ High 2-0 York

After a long break, the first weekend of term three is not an easy one to predict in the world of schoolboy hockey.

Besides players who haven’t played a match during the holiday period, there are also those that have been in action at inter-provincial weeks, some of whom are in need of a rest. Marrying the two factions together is no easy task.

That, often, leads to a period of adjustment and a dip in standards on the opening weekend. However, that wasn’t the case in the Eastern Cape.

Some of the province’s big guns returned to action on Friday with a bang, scoring goals for fun and picking up from where they left off to gain further momentum with only a month left in the season.

There were fixtures in East London, Komani, Makhanda and George that gripped the imagination of hockey enthusiasts in the Border and Eastern Province region.

The match of the day in East London saw Hudson Park High host Selborne College at the Buco AstroTurf, in Bunkers Hill.

Past fixtures between the sides have been dominated by Selborne, but Hudson had other ideas and they almost pulled off an upset.

They dominated the first half, enjoyed most of the ball possession, and created plenty of circle entries.

Then, Hudson, under the guidance of coach Sipe Matafeni, opened the scoring just before halftime through skipper Helio Ruiters after some great linking play with his teammates.

The second half belonged to Selborne, however. They came out firing after coach KJ Friend‘s halftime talk. They were more aggressive, more assured on the ball, and that led to clear-cut goalscoring opportunities.

Trailing by one heading into the final chukka, Selborne rustled up an equaliser with six minutes to play before taking the lead a couple of minutes later.

Their goal scorers were Saneze Kweba and Inathi Gxobole, two players who have consistently found the back of the net this season.

Hudson Park had a chance to snatch a draw late in the game when they were awarded a short corner, but the boys in black and white weathered that storm and held on for the win.

In another derby in the city, Stirling High shared an exciting 3-3 draw with Dale College.

Josh Williams, Keagan Rowe, and Matthew Wiseman were on the scoresheet for Stirling, while Naledi Mosebi and skipper Sibongisile Nzima (2) netted for Dale.

In Komani, Queen’s College ran rampant against Merrifield College.

Coach Michael Baiden’s side cruised to a 7-0 win over the visitors to sound a warning to their future opponents.

It was a masterclass led by Brett Hoffman, who slotted a hat-trick. Asi Vena, Aya Maduma, Liso Mtalaliso, and Morgan Hayes also scored to complete the drubbing.

Pearson High also picked up a win, beating Graeme College 2-0 in Makhanda.

Coach Karl Lavender’s boys were clinical and used their chances well, with captain Keagan Moore striking twice from penalty corners.

Grey High School made a longer trek, visiting George, to face York High. Heading into the clash after a big 7-1 win over the touring UK side, Magdalen College, during the week, coach Andrew Beynon’s troops were confident.

York put up a brave fight, but coach Jason Slater‘s boys were outgunned, and Grey claimed a 5-1 win.

Dante Elkington netted a hat-trick to show why he was included in the South African u16 squad, while Ben Atkinson and Logan Goddard-Ford took the visitors’ tally to five. Joshua Dom replied for York.

On Saturday morning, Merrifield College played to a goalless draw against Cambridge High.

Results and scorers

Selborne College 2: Saneze Kweba, Inathi Gxobole. Hudson Park 1: Helio Ruiters

Pearson High 2: Keagan Moore. Graeme College 0.

Stirling High 3: Josh Williams, Keagan Rowe, Matthew Wiseman. Dale College 3: Sibongisile Nzima (2), Naledi Mosebi.

Queen’s College 7: Brett Hoffman (3), Asi Vena, Aya Maduma, Liso Mtalaliso, Morgan Hayes. Merrifield College 0.

Grey High School 5: Dante Elkington (3), Ben Atkinson, Logan Goddard-Ford. York High School 1: Joshua Dom.

The 2025 edition of the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament has reached its business end, with the finalists for Sunday’s title game decided on Friday, day three of the tournament in the Mother City.

It will be South African College High School (SACS) versus Reddam House Constantia for the title, with the match taking place on the Hartleyvale A Astro at 16:30.

It will also be the second time the sides meet this season after they clashed in a league fixture in June.

That clash took place at the Brewery AstroTurf, at SACS, and it was the hosts who ran out 4-0 victors, courtesy of goals by Litha Kraai (2), Reece Theunis, and Jo le Roux.

It’s a different SACS’ outfit, a Stayers’ team, that will take to the turf on Sunday, and Reddam House will fancy their chances.

SACS, led by coaches Sam Holmes and Jody Erasmus, uses the CTIHT as a chance to give young talent a run while resting their senior players who will be leaving the school at the end of the year.

Reddam, meanwhile, has thrown the kitchen sink at the event and is fielding a full-strength team, led by their influential skipper and SA Schools’ player Joe Gitlin.

Their journey to the final was far from easy. In a cross-pool playoff, they needed a penalty shootout win to get by Parel Vallei. That set them up for a semifinal showdown against Paarl Boys’ High.

It was a tightly contested affair with almost nothing to separate the two sides until a goal by Matt le Roux broke the deadlock. That solitary strike proved to be just enough for Reddam, who held on to reach the CTIHT final for the first time in their history.

In the second semi-final, it was SACS versus Hoërskool Outeniqua, from George.

SACS had dominated their opposition from the get-go and defeated the UK’s Reed’s School in a cross-pool playoff to book a spot in the final four.

Outeniqua, meanwhile, was the surprise package. After a poor showing in the group stages, they stunned Durbanville 1-0 to set up their date with SACS.

The boys from George had done well to make it through to the semis, but beating SACS was a mountain too high to climb and the Newlands boys recorded a 4-1 win, with Litha Kraai, Daniel de Wet, Mohlodi Maseko, and Matthew Lassen scoring. Wehan Meyer struck for Outeniqua.

That victory resulted in SACS reaching the CTIHT final for a third year in succession

Other matches

While the action intensified in the Elite Section, the boys playing in the Evolve Section also brought the heat with some exciting matchups on Friday.

St Paul’s College, from Windhoek, defeated Curro Durbanville 5-4 on penalties in the first semifinal after their clash ended level at 2-2.

The second semifinal saw Bridge House record a nervy 3-2 win over HTS Drostdy.

St Paul’s will tackle Bridge House in the title match. Their girls’ team, meanwhile, will play for the title in the Elite section.

The Evolve boys’ final take places at 12:30 on Sunday at the Hartleyvale B Astro.

RESULTS

Durbanville High 1-0 Reed’s School (5th/8th playoff)
St George’s Weybridge (6) 2-2 (5) Parel Vallei (5th/8th playoff)
Windhoek High (2) 2-2 (1) Western Province Invitational (13th/16th playoff)
Somerset College 3-1 Kingston Grammar (13th/16th playoff)
Windhoek Afrikaanse 2-1 Millfield School (9th/12th playoff)
Worcester Gimnasium 2-1 King Edward’s School (9th/12th playoff)
Reddam Constantia 1-0 Paarl Boys’ High (Semifinal 1)
SACS 4-1 Outeniqua (Semifinal 2)

Just two years ago, Paarl Boys’ High took on South African College High School (SACS) in the final of the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament.

In that fixture, SACS reigned supreme at the Hartleyvale A Stadium, beating their opponents 4-1 to retain the title they had won two years in a row.

A year later, in 2024, SACS was dethroned and beaten by Paarl Gimnasium in the final, while Paarl Boys’ High, affectionately known as Boishaai, finished in 11th place.

A lot has changed in the past 12 months, however, and both sides have a chance of playing themselves into the final after booking their semi-final places on Thursday, day two of the tournament in the Mother City.

SACS will take on Hoërskool Outeniqua in the first semi at Hartleyvale A before Boishaai tackles Reddam House Constantia at the Hartleyvale B AstroTurf at 19:45.

Road to the last four

The journey to the semifinals was smooth for SACS and Boishaai, who dominated their respective Pools on the opening day.

Then, on Thursday, SACS added a 3-0 win over Windhoek Afrikaanse Private School and a 4-0 defeat of the UK’s Reed’s School.

Daniel Graser, Litha Kraai, and Josh Goulding were on the scoresheet against Windhoek. Kraai, as usual, was at it again in the win over Reed’s, netting a brace, while Graser scored once more, and Troy Loots made it four.

For Boys’ High, it was business as usual in their final pool match against Windhoek High School, with Laubscher van Loggerenberg, Alex Lategan, and Mijan Herholdt scoring in a 3-0 victory.

They were made to sweat in their cross-pool playoff against St George’s Weybridge, another of the sizeable UK contingent competing in the CTIHT.

The match ended 1-1, which sent the contest to a penalty shootout. Paarl Boys’ High held their nerve and came away with a 3-1 win.

Outeniqua and Reddam House Constantia also had to work hard to make it through to the final four.

After a disappointing showing in the group stage, Outeniqua stunned Durbanville 1-0 in their cross-pool playoff game to set up a date with SACS.

Wehan Meyer was the hero for the boys from George after finding the back of the net and putting in a man-of-the-match performance.

Reddam, like Boys’ High, took the road less travelled after they played to a 2-2 draw with Parel Vallei High School (PV) in their cross-pool clash.

Skipper Joe Gitlin and Max Godden netted for Reddam, while Sashin Pillay and Luca Jordan scored for PV.

It was tight in the penalty shootout, but Reddam edged it 3-2 to progress to the semi-finals.

The Evolve section semifinals will be contested by Curro Durbanville and Windhoek’s St Paul’s College before the favourite, Bridge House, takes on HTS Drostdy.

After Friday’s matches, the players will have a rest day on Saturday and return on Sunday for the final day.

RESULTS

Pool A

SACS 3-1 Windhoek Afrikaanse Private School
St George’s Weybridge 2-1 Somerset College

Pool 

Paarl Boys’ High 3-0 Windhoek High
Reed’s School 2-0 Worcester Gimnasium

Pool C

Durbanville 6-0 Kingston Grammar
Parel Vallei 4-0 Millfield School

Pool D

Outeniqua 2-1 King Edward’s School
Reddam House Constantia 4-1 WP Invitational

Cross-Pool playoffs

Worcester Gimnasium 2-1 Somerset College
Outeniqua 1-0 Durbanville
Reddam Constantia (3) 2-2 (2) Parel Vallei
SACS 4-0 Reed’s School
Paarl Boys’ High (3) 1-1 (1) St George’s Weybridge
Windhoek Afrikaanse 2-1 Windhoek High
Millfield School 4-0 WP Invitational
King Edward’s School (3) 1-1 (2) Kingston Grammar

Click HERE for the day three fixtures.

Rondebosch Boys’ High, Wynberg Boys’ High, and South African College High School (SACS) will be in action away from home on the first weekend of term three in the Western Cape.

‘Bosch travels to Stellenbosch on Friday to face Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) at the Maties AstroTurf at 19:20.

Wynberg, meanwhile, will make their way to Paarl Gimnasium for a 19:15 game, and SACS locks horns with Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday morning at 10:30.

The fixtures on the road will be a massive test for the travelling southern suburbs’ teams.

Bosch won’t be intimidated by their date with PRG after they stunned the Maroon Machine 1-0 in Cape Town last year.

On paper, it’s quite even, and it’ll come down to which team handles the atmosphere better, grabs its opportunities, and executes inside the circle.

Both sides have enjoyed good runs this season. Bosch’s last outing resulted in a 1-1 draw with Bishops, while PRG defeated Wynberg 3-1.

Coach Waseem Domingo understands the task facing his Rondebosch boys as they’ll come up against a side that had a whopping 10 players selected for the u18A Boland side.

On the flipside, Domingo will bank on his provincial players – Daniel Fisher, Joshua Beattie, Thomas Gordon, and Marley Musasa – to come to the fore.

That quartet will be brimming with confidence after helping Western Province win their fifth straight SASHOC National Week title during the mid-year break in Pietermaritzburg.

While that clash plays out in Stellenbosch, Paarl Gim will lock horns with Wynberg on home turf.

Wynberg sealed a fantastic 4-2 victory in last year’s meeting at the Astro of Dreams, in Cape Town. They’ll be aiming for a winning follow-up.

It won’t be a walk in the park, though, with Paarl Gim eager to win the one match that remains for them before they turn their attention to the famous interschools’ clash against Paarl Boys’ High next week.

Paarl Gim’s last two outings resulted in a 1-1 draw with Fairmont High and a 2-2 draw with SACS, which might have felt like a win given SACS’s outstanding season. while Wynberg played a mid-week exhibition match against a touring UK side, King Edward’s School.

The final match of the weekend will pit Paarl Boys’ High against SACS on Saturday.

The Boys’ High first team is currently competing in the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament, along with SACS, who have sent a Stayers’ team to the tournament.

Past results favour SACS, and last year they put seven past their opponents. It could, however, be a different story this time around, and the hosts will bank on their supporters to make it a hostile environment for the visitors.

In Cape Town, Bishops hosts Fairmont High at the Woodlands AstroTurf in a league fixture.

WESTERN CAPE BOYS’ FIXTURES

Friday, 25 July

18:30 – Bishops vs Fairmont
19:15 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Wynberg Boys’ High
19:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Rondebosch Boys’ High

Saturday, 26 July

10:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs SACS

South African College High School (SACS) and Paarl Boys’ High recorded two wins each on Wednesday, day one of the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament, in the Mother City.

As a result, the two Western Cape outfits finished the day sitting atop Pools A and B, respectively, in the Elite section, with one group fixture awaiting them on day two.

SACS began their title challenge with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Somerset College in the opening game of the tournament.

After a slow start, the boys from Newlands upped their intensity and rushed into a 3-0 lead, courtesy of a Litha Kraai brace and a strike by Mohlodi Maseko.

Maseko, then, added two more goals to his tally before Josh Goulding made it six. Somerset put up a fight despite the scoreline, and Buhle Mfunelwa was their standout player.

Both sides were in action again later in the day. SACS took on St George’s Weybridge and claimed a 6-3 victory over the United Kingdom (UK) visitors, with Kraai (3), Goulding (2), and Maseko on the scoresheet once again. Sam Geering, Adam Franks, and Sam Wood netted for the visitors.

Somerset, meanwhile, drew 1-1 with Windhoek Afrikaanse, and it was Mfunelwa who found the back of the net.

Paarl Boys’ High leads Pool B after picking up successive 3-0 wins over Worcester Gimnasium and Reed’s School, another of the UK participants, in their day one fixtures.

Against Worcester, Nicholas Swanepoel, AJ Fourie, and Jamie Kock found the back of the net for coach Rowan McLachlan‘s side. Later in the day, Martin de Bruyn, Ullrich Drotschie, and Fourie netted as Boishaai finished their assignments with maximum points.

Reed’s School sits in second place with three points after defeating Windhoek High School 4-2.

Pool C was dominated by Durbanville High School and Parel Vallei (PV).

Both sides have four points after sharing a thrilling 1-1 draw before winning their other game on the opening day.

In their showdown, Nathan Nissen netted for PV before Christopher Dunthorne levelled for the Durbanville boys.

PV, then, went on to beat Kingston Grammar 3-0, with Luca Jordan, Tristan Rautenbach, and Sashin Pillay finding the back of the net.

Durbanville, meanwhile, slotted four past Millfield School, with Dunthorne, Nicholas Coetzee, Elandre Pienaar, and Hugo Bredell finding the target.

Reddam House Constantia and King Edward’s School, from Birmingham, lead the charge in Pool D with four and three points, respectively.

Reddam made a slow start and drew 2-2 with Hoërskool Outeniqua in their opening match. In their second game, they claimed a narrow 2-1 win over King Edward’s, thanks to strikes by Christopher Stewart and Max Godden, while Arnav Parekh netted for the visitors.

The Western Province Invitational side occupies third place, with three points, after a 2-1 win over Outeniqua. Buhle Kama and Nezo Shoko scored for the invitational side before Outeniqua pulled one back through Danny Busse.

The Evolve section was also dominated by local teams, who produced some impressive results on the opening day.

Hermanus High School and Brackenfell lead Pool A, while Bridge House and Curro Durbanville are cruising in Pool B.

In Pool C, Edgemead and Bellville are battling for the top spot, while St Paul’s College and HTS Drostdy lead the way in Pool D.

The knockout stages commence on day two, following the conclusion of the group stage fixtures.

Follow SuperSport Schools Hockey for all the updates.

Click HERE to see day two fixtures.

DAY 1 RESULTS

Pool A

SACS 6-0 Somerset College
St George’s Weybridge 4-1 Windhoek Afrikaanse
SACS 6-3 St George’s Weybridge
Somerset College 1-1 Windhoek Afrikaanse

Pool B

Paarl Boys’ High 3-0 Worcester Gimnasium
Reed’s School 4-2 Windhoek High
Paarl Boys’ High 3-0 Reed’s School
Worcester Gimnasium 2-1 Windhoek High

Pool C

Parel Vallei 1-1 Durbanville
Kingston Grammar 2-2 Millfield School
Parel Vallei 3-0 Kingston Grammar
Durbanville 4-1 Millfield School

Pool D

Reddam Constantia 2-2 Outeniqua
King Edward’s School 4-0 WP Invitational
Reddam Constantia 2-1 King Edward’s School
WP Invitational 2-1 Outeniqua