Author: asawula

The Pretoria Boys High first-team hockey side gave spectators a glimpse of what’s to come this season when they showcased their skills at the Nomads Hockey Festival in Johannesburg last month.

The event was hosted by Jeppe High School for Boys and brought together some of the country’s top teams for three days of scintillating, high-quality hockey.

The Pretoria outfit, who had played several matches within their region before the festival, had it rough on the opening day. They lost 0-4 to Grey College and, later in the day, lost 1-3 to Wynberg Boys’ High.

On the second day, though, coach Jacques Klopper‘s men came to life with two outstanding performances that will go down as their best of the season thus far.

Firstly, they held a formidable Hilton College to a 2-2 draw, with the KZN side scoring the equaliser deep into the fourth chukka, to snatch a share of the spoils. Boys High, then, defeated St Benedict’s College 3-0.

Against Bennies, Victor Louw, who represented South Africa at the Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia in late 2024, netted a hat-trick to propel his side to victory.

They completed their Nomads campaign with a 1-0 win over Selborne College.

“We started on the back foot, but we bounced back on day two and came together and spoke about what we needed to do,” Boys High captain Takalani Malautzi told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We devised a game plan and stuck to it against Hilton. Everyone was up. The energy was up, and then the win against Bennies made it all even sweeter.”

Malautzi’s side might have bagged two wins at the festival, but it was their 2-2 draw with Hilton that will live in their memories. He believes it’s a performance that showed hockey enthusiasts that Boys High means business this year.

“We are here to let people know that Pretoria Boys High is not a team to be taken lightly,” he said.

“We also wanted to show the other teams and the rest of the country that we are here for business. It was a good game to set up the rest of the season. We play Hilton three times this year, so it will be a nice series between the two of us.”

After Nomads, PBHS had a break during the school holidays, but they’ll be in derby action on Saturday against King Edward VII (KES), away from home, at 11:10.

It will be an interesting clash against a KES side that showed character and grit at Nomads. Malautzi is well aware of the Red Sticks’ threat and will be eager to lead his side to a victory a week before they participate in the St Stithians College Easter Hockey Festival.

“KES is never easy, but all the schools we are playing are not easy,” he admitted. “We have the Saints Fest after that, and we need to make sure we push and get all the results we need.”

The stage is set for the maiden Hyundai Friday Nite Lights clash in the Western Cape, with Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) preparing to take on Grey High School in Stellenbosch on Friday.

The action kicks off at 18:45 and will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

It will be the first outing of the second term for both sides, who have already seen action in festivals, and on tours.

In recent years, the PRG vs. Grey fixture has been one of the most entertaining games of the season.

The two sides are usually well-matched and they play a similar brand of hockey, with strong defensive players, smooth midfielders, and forwards who can convert.

More of the same can be expected this time around with the coaches, Michael Baker and Andrew Beynon, both guiding young and energetic squads.

A lot has changed since the teams met last year in Gqeberha in a humdinger.

In that clash, Grey High dominated the early exchanges and led 2-0 at the halfway point. PRG looked down but certainly not out and they clawed their way back into the contest before pulling off a remarkable comeback by stealing a 3-2 win.

The Stellenbosch boys displayed typical grit and character and those same attributes will be key in Friday’s showdown.

On current form, many would argue that PRG is the favourite ahead of the clash. Baker’s boys are yet to taste defeat and dominated their opposition at the Parel Vallei Hockey Festival and Coastal Cup last month.

Baker, however, will be the first to warn that “unbeaten records” flashed all over headlines mean very little when the game begins.

Grey poses an interesting challenge with some talented young players donning the blue and white jerseys affectionately known as the “Azzurri“.

The boys from Gqeberha have passed a little under the radar early in the season, although they gave a hint of their capabilities at the Synsport Tony Godding Festival, in March.

There, coach Beynon’s side was unbeaten, recording four wins, before embarking on an international tour to The Netherlands.

They played five matches there, claimed three wins and a draw, and went down once against quality opposition.

The tour and its bonding experience should stand them in good stead for the challenges that lie ahead. They’ll seek to implement some of the lessons they learnt abroad.

Both sides boast plenty of talent. Leading the way for Paul Roos will be their captain Christo Swanepoel. He’ll find strong support from exciting youngsters Seth Paterson, Tylor Carter, and Logan Lackay, while Callum van Oudtshoorn‘s experience will be useful, too.

As for Grey, their captain, Luke Tait will be on a mission to reverse last year’s result as one of the few remaining players from that team.

Other players to watch include Athi Voigt, goalkeeper Kiano Broadhurst, Liam Poole, Logan Goodard-Ford, Keegan Le Roux, and Danté Elkington.

Paarl Gimnasium‘s girls’ first-team hockey captain, Joné de Winnaar, believes sound execution and staying disciplined on defence will be key if her side is to claim victory against Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria (Affies) this weekend.

Gim will welcome Affies to Paarl on Friday for an early evening derby clash at 17:45.

It has been an eventful start to the season for coach Danelle van Zyl’s side, who have included themselves in the “top teams” conversation early on.

Last weekend, they were in action at the St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival and, despite not playing to their utmost best, they still finished seventh out of the 32 teams.

Gim went down in the quarterfinals, losing 1-2 to the eventual winners, St Mary’s DSG, Kloof. Later, they defeated the 2024 champions, Durban Girls College, in the 7th/8th place playoff.

“St Mary’s was a tough challenge, but it gave us some valuable insights into where we stand,” De Winnaar told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We are focusing on improving, learning from that experience, and using it as motivation to push harder.

“Looking ahead to Affies, we’re confident that we are going to deliver a strong performance.”

The girls from Paarl are still trying to find their rhythm this season. When they do click, they’re going to be a very dangerous side.

At St Mary’s, they let several matches slip. It came down to small margins, admitted De Winnaar. “One big lesson is the importance of maintaining composure under pressure and being consistent each game,” she commented.

“We saw moments where we let the game slip due to small mistakes, and that’s something we need to work on. We can also be more consistent in decision-making in a few areas and try to win the 50/50 balls.”

Playing at home is always a big boost for Gim, who can bank on strong backing from their loud supporters and parents on the sidelines. It will be no different come Friday afternoon.

De Winnaar has identified areas that she and her team need to work on to come away with the victory.

“I think it will be crucial for us to stick to our game plan and execute it effectively. We need to be sharp in our press, our finishing in the D, as well as the nine-yard area, and make sure we’re disciplined on defence.

“Affies will come out strong, so we need to be mentally tough and physically prepared,” she added.

“If we focus on our strengths and communicate well, we will have a great game and ensure positive results.”

WESTERN CAPE FIXTURES

Friday, 11 April

17:45 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Affies
17:45 – Rhenish vs Collegiate
19:00 – Springfield Convent School vs Paarl Girls’ High
19:15 – Herschel Girls High vs HMS Bloemhof

Saturday, 12 April

09:20 – La Rochelle vs Hermanus
11:30 – HMS Bloemhof vs Collegiate

There are several big matches and derbies in the Eastern Cape this coming weekend, but many hockey enthusiasts will turn their focus to the tussle between Clarendon High School for Girls and Pearson High, in East London.

The girls from Gqeberha face their provincial rivals on Friday evening, at 18:15.

Both sides have already seen action in festivals and will be keen to lay down a marker as they head into league games and derby clashes.

They were both in action at the Synsport Greg Beling Festival before making their way to Johannesburg for the St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival, which concluded on Sunday.

At St Mary’s, Clarendon finished in 18th place, just above Collegiate Girls’ High and Herschel Girls School. After sharing a goalless draw with the hosts in their last match, Pearson ended in an impressive 11th place in the elite 32-team field.

Pearson head coach Anton Peltenburg said his side would aim to pick up where they left off and continue to build on the progress they made in Johannesburg when they take on Clarendon.

“The girls, as a group, showed pure grit and determination, and they’ve started believing in themselves and the process,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“Clarendon also attended St Mary’s. We were fortunate to watch a few of their games. Our process will always stay the same going into a derby weekend. The only adaptation we will make from St Mary’s is preparing for a longer format.”

It will be a different challenge to that of St Mary’s, with the sides set to play four chukkas comprising 13 minutes each.

Peltenburg, however, believes the 25-minute one-way format they played in Johannesburg will stand his side in good stead for the season.

“St Mary’s is an extremely tough tournament. The fixtures are back-to-back and only 25 minutes one way,” he explained.

“The experience gained by the girls was invaluable. It helped them learn to adapt quickly to different situations. I think we just need to take our opportunities and try not to be complacent in defence.”

The competition in the Eastern Cape is heating up this year, with the likes of DSG Makhanda and Collegiate set to challenge a young Pearson outfit as the season progresses.

For now, though, Pearson’s focus is solely on Clarendon, and the girls from Gqeberha will look to their skipper, Annemi De Villiers, to lead them from the front, along with their goalkeeper and vice-captain, Rebecca Haswell.

OTHER MATCHES

Elsewhere in the province, Hudson Park will make a short 20-minute drive to face Cambridge High School in their first derby of the season.

Hudson showcased their skills at the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament, where they finished in 29th place out of 48 teams.

They are the favourites against an unknown Cambridge side that will be aiming to impress their home supporters.

Stirling High School travels to Komani to face Queenstown Girls High, while York High visits Alexander Road on Saturday.

FIXTURES

Friday, 11 April

18:15 – Clarendon vs Pearson

Saturday, 12 April

08:30 – Alexander Road vs York
10:10 – Cambridge vs Hudson Park
11:00 – Queenstown Girls’ High vs Stirling High

The Collegiate Girls’ High first-team hockey side will journey to Stellenbosch this weekend for challenging matches against Rhenish Girls’ High and Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof.

The girls from Gqeberha will face Rhenish on Friday at 17:45 before taking on Bloemhof on Saturday at 11:30.

A stern examination awaits Collegiate, who would’ve seen plenty of Rhenish and Bloemhof in action at the past weekend’s St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival, in Johannesburg.

There, the Western Cape duo was among the leading teams and played some outstanding hockey, displaying a high level of competitiveness and a burning desire to win.

They dominated throughout the pool stages and met in an enticing semifinal that went down to the wire and needed a penalty shootout to decide the winner.

Bloemhof held their nerve to grab a 3-1 win, which booked them a place in the final against St Mary’s DSG, Kloof. They went down 0-1 in the title-deciding clash.

Rhenish, meanwhile, played to a goalless draw with Eunice High School in the bronze medal match, which meant they tied for third with the Bloemfontein outfit.

While the two Stellenbosch schools battled it out for one of the top four positions, Collegiate was also in action and the girls from Gqeberha certainly punched above their weight.

Led by coach Michael Abrahams, they ended their festival on a high with a 2-0 victory against Herschel Girls School to finish in 20th place in the elite 32-team field.

It was a good showing from Collegiate, especially when considering the opposition they faced and the number of matches they had played before the St Mary’s Festival.

Last month, they played their first competitive fixtures at the Synsport Greg Beling Festival, in East London. They were one of the standout teams, winning each of their four matches to emerge from the challenge unscathed.

“The Greg Beling gave us a good platform for the season,” coach Abrahams told SuperSport Schools Plus after the festival. “We went there looking at different aspects and what works best for us, and the girls did well and implemented what was being said.

“They played a good and exciting brand of hockey and scored some good goals.”

Playing a similar brand of hockey will come in handy against Rhenish and Bloemhof, who might be hurting after the St Mary’s Festival and determined to demonstrate their pedigree against another leading team.

Collegiate, however, has an experienced lineup and they’ll bank on seasoned campaigners Gemma Bower and Aimee Pienaar, who both reached 100 games for the side at Mary’s, to help lead their challenge. Cassidy Williams is another key player and is also a member of the centurions’ club.

Collegiate’s ranks include seven Eastern Province u18A representatives, namely, Kerrin Gillies, Eden Oliver, Bower, Taryn Peltenburg, Ayanda Klaas, Kate Brennan, and Khazimla Nogalawe, who will all look to make their mark against the Stellenbosch powers, both of whom have already staked a solid claim to being among the best teams in the country.

The two clashes will be streamed on the SuperSport Schools App.
Follow SuperSport Schools Plus for all the updates.

It was business as usual for St Alban’s College, Reddam House Constantia, and Michaelhouse on Monday, day three of the Independent Schools Hockey Festival (ISHF), in Pretoria.

Those three sides entered the day unbeaten and each picked up a win to end their respective campaigns on a high at the St Alban’s College AstroTurf.

The hosts, after a stellar showing on day two, which included a 2-1 win over Bishops [Diocesan College] 2-1, finished with a flourish on Monday, thumping Trinity House Centurion 5-0.

It was a dominant display by coach Guy Elliott’s charges, who were free-flowing, played in the right areas, and capitalised on their opportunities.

Colby Mocke led the onslaught, slotting a hat-trick, while Siba Vuba and KaOne Mathibe also found the back of the net.

Another side that dominance throughout the three days was Reddam House Constantia. The boys from Cape Town, led by coach Alex Gitlin, scored some statement victories ahead of the start of the Western Cape Premier League on Friday, 11 April.

On Monday, they powered their way to a 6-1 win over York High to record their fifth win in five games.

Captain Joe Gitlin, who was superb in front of goal, netted a hat-trick and was joined on the scoresheet by Chris Stewart before Max Godden added a pair.

With their confidence boosted, Reddam will shift their attention to a league clash with Rondebosch Boys’ High this coming week.

Much has been said about Michaelhouse, a much-improved side, early on this season, and they gave hockey enthusiasts more to mull over with their strong performances at the festival.

The side, led by coach Nick Bérichon, recorded four wins and a draw. That came on the back of an impressive showing at the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup, and they will return to KZN action brimming with confidence.

They defused a tricky St Benedict’s College side 2-1 on the final day, and Bérichon will be satisfied with how his boys conducted themselves in Gauteng.

Bishops, meanwhile, found their groove on the final day, roaring to a whopping 6-1 victory over St David’s Marist Inanda.

Coach Ryan Julius‘s boys were clinical from the first whistle and made St David’s pay dearly for their mistakes.

Harry Morgan was in fine form and netted four times while Jayden Moon and vice-captain James Robb-Quinlan, who recently led Bishops to the Schools SA20 national title, also found the back of the net.

The next assignment for Bishops will be a league clash with Durbanville this week.

In other matches, Somerset College played to a 2-2 draw with St Charles College, while Bloemfontein’s St Andrew’s School, after two 0-1 losses on Sunday, picked up their first win, beating Helpmekaar Kollege 4-2.

RESULTS

Bishops 6-1 St David’s Marist Inanda
Reddam House Constantia 6-1 York High
Somerset College 2-2 St Charles College
St Andrew’s School 4-2 Helpmekaar Kollege
Michaelhouse 2-1 St Benedict’s College
St Alban’s College 5-0 Trinity House

CLICK HERE FOR DAY 1 RESULTS

CLICK HERE FOR DAY 2 RESULTS 

The hosts of the 2025 Independent Schools Hockey Festival, St Alban’s College, maintained their unbeaten record on day two of the festival in Pretoria on Sunday. Michaelhouse matched them,

With two victories each, the duo and Reddam House Constantia remain the only unbeaten sides. They’ll be highly motivated to end on a high when the festival wraps up on Monday.

St Alban’s and ‘House have impressed at the festival, and both sides showed glimpses of what they’re capable of on the opening day.

On day one, the Checks went about their business quietly and defeated Somerset College 2-0 before making light work of St Charles College, thumping the KwaZulu-Natal outfit 4-0.

Day two provided a tougher challenge for coaches Guy Elliot and Robin Jones, but their St Alban’s side fronted up to the task.

Playing on their home turf, they edged out St Andrew’s School 1-0 before stunning Bishops [Diocesan College] 2-1 later in the day.

“I think we have shown great resilience,” assistant coach and Director of Hockey Robin Jones told SuperSport Schools Plus. “We have just come off the back of a physically taxing Coastal Cup a week ago, and we had a few injuries to key players in our team.

“This festival has provided an opportunity for other members of our squad, and we are particularly proud of the adaptability and character shown.”

St Alban’s are favoured to end the festival unbeaten as they take on a struggling Trinityhouse Centurion team on the final day.

Trinityhouse has produced mixed results, but Jones said St Alban’s would not underestimate them.

“It’s been fantastic playing a festival on home soil, and we are particularly wary of a tidy Trinity House team. They have put in some good performances, and we are hoping to finish the weekend off strong. We just need to keep doing the simple things well,” he ended.

While the hosts were impressed, another travelling side that has done well is KZN’s Michaelhouse.

Led by coach Nick Bérichon, House found their groove after a victory against St David’s Marist Inanda and a draw against Bishops on Saturday.

On day two they were part of a 10-goal thriller, beating York High 6-4 before sneaking a 1-0 win over St Andrew’s School.

Reacting to his team’s performances on Sunday, coach Bérichon said he was pleased with how they dominated ball possession against St Andrew’s, but added that there was plenty to improve on.

“I felt it was a very dominant performance against St Andrew’s, but the score might not suggest that,” he said. “They were difficult to break down. I thought their PC defence was brilliant, and we couldn’t get our corner firing. We converted one from seven, and that’s something we need to get right.

House has played some entertaining hockey early on this season, and they’ll be out to end the festival on a high against St Benedict’s College.

“We know they are extremely well coached by Owen Mvimbi, and they will also be looking to end off the festival on the right note and the front foot,” Bérichon said.

“We are going to have to be at our absolute best to ensure we leave the Independent Schools Festival with four wins and a draw.”

On Sunday, Somerset College finally registered a win, getting by Trinity House 3-2.

St Charles edged out Helpmekaar Kollege 2-1, while Bennies ended the day with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over York.

RESULTS

Reddam House Constantia 1-0 St David’s Marist Inanda
St Charles College 2-1 Helpmekaar Kollege
Somerset College 3-2 Trinity House
St Alban’s College 1-0 St Andrew’s School
Bishops 3-3 St Benedict’s College
Michaelhouse 6-4 York High
Reddam House Constantia 6-2 Trinity House
St Charles College 2-2 St David’s Marist Inanda
Helpmekaar Kollege 1-0 Somerset College
St Alban’s College 2-1 Bishops
Michaelhouse 1-0 St Andrew’s School
St Benedict’s College 3-0 York High

Fixtures

Monday, 7 April

07:30 – Bishops vs St David’s Marist Inanda
08:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs York High @Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf
08:45 – Somerset College vs St Charles College
09:20 – Helpmekaar Kollege vs St Andrew’s School @Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf
10:00 – Michaelhouse vs St Benedict’s College
11:15 – St Alban’s College vs Trinity House

The 2025 Independent Schools Hockey Festival is turning out to be a happy hunting ground for underdogs, and day two’s action on Sunday offered up further evidence of that.

The festival, which is being hosted by St Alban’s College, in Pretoria, concludes on Monday.

On Saturday, the opening day, York High, Michaelhouse, Bishops [Diocesan College], St Alban’s, and Reddam House Constantia dominated.

Maintaining consistency was going to be what those teams would be after on day two, and Reddam House met the brief.

Led by coach Alex Gitlin and manager Dale Holmes, the boys from Cape Town defeated Helpmekaar Kollege 6-1 and St Benedicts College 3-2 on Saturday.

They returned to turf action on Sunday and bagged another two victories, defeating St David’s Marist Inanda 1-0 before thumping Trinity House Centurion 6-2.

“Our festival intention was to put into play what we have practiced through the pre-season programme,” coach Gitlin told SuperSport Schools Plus after day two’s play.

“There are always things to develop, create, and tweak, but where we are today is where we should be.”

Gitlin, who is also the Headmaster at Reddam, wants his side to build character on and off the field.

They’ll end their festival schedule with a clash against an unpredictable York side, and the coach said he won’t be making many changes.

“We always enjoy this run, as York is passionate about their hockey, always competes, and always brings sportsmanship.

“On the day, it will be about arriving awake and being keyed into our roles.”

Reddam will be focused on a clean sweep in Pretoria, and they’ll look to key players like Mitchell Welch, Reese Hayes, and skipper Joe Gitlin, who found the back of the net five times on day one, for leadership.

Reddam and York meet at 08:00 at the Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf.

The action will be LIVE on the SuperSport Schools App.

The script could not have been written better for the 2025 Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament. It came to a close on Saturday at the Hartleyvale AstroTurf, in Cape Town, with Fairmont High School‘s boys’ and girls’ teams being crowned champions.

Both sides impressed from the opening day, and they then put the cherry on top with astonishing performances on the final day in front of a lively, buzzing crowd.

The boys defeated their Western Cape league rivals, Stellenberg High School, 3-0, while the girls edged out Namibia’s St Paul’s College, 2-1.

Both Fairmont teams finished the event unbeaten after delivering entertaining title-winning performances in their finals.

The girls kicked matters off against Windhoek’s St Paul’s, a well-coached team that had an eye on history after causing shockwaves during the week.

The opening chukka was tightly contested, with very little to separate the sides. There was only one shot on target, coming from St Paul’s Tamara Grogli, but it was saved by Gemma Pigeon.

In the second chukka. Fairmont broke the deadlock. Abigail Berghammer found herself in space, inside St Paul’s circle, where she picked up a loose ball and quickly fired it into the back of the net, past Velma Marwa, for the game’s opening goal.

St Paul’s was not about to go down without a fight and they responded almost immediately through Grogli, which left the sides level-pegging at 1-1 heading into the break.

After a goalless third chukka, drama, thrills, and suspense, filled the fourth. With five minutes left on the clock, Fairmont scored from a penalty corner, which was converted by Madison Ackerman.

Then, there was a touch of drama when a late conference of the umpires halted Fairmont’s celebrations. The incident was cleared, and the Cape side was crowned the champion.

In the third/fourth playoff match, Dr EG Jansen defeated Rustenburg Girls’ High 2-1 on penalties after the match ended in a goalless draw.

The girls’ final had lived up to expectations and a similar show was expected from the boys’ title decider.

Fairmont reached the title game after beating Worcester Gimnasium in the semifinals while Stellenberg edged out Hoërskool Monument.

It was the first meeting of the Fairmont and Stellenberg before the Western Cape league starts in the coming weeks.

After a goalless first chukka, Fairmont upped the ante in the second quarter and was duly rewarded for its persistent attack, which brought them two goals from a penalty stroke and a thunderbolt drag flick, both from the stick of Ryan Groenewald.

Stellenberg had their chances to get back into the clash, but failed to convert them and Fairmont’s defence stood firm.

Coach Bryce West‘s side put the final nail in the coffin in the fourth chukka when they added a third goal, courtesy of some smart play by Tyler Morilly.

Morilly, only 15 years old, was in the form of his life and capped off a brilliant performance with a tap-in goal on the near post to seal the win.

In the bronze medal showdown, Monument edged out Worcester Gimnasium 4-3 on penalties after the match ended tied 2-2.

FINAL STANDINGS

BOYS

Fairmont High School
Stellenberg High School
Hoërskool Monument
Worcester Gimnasium
Paul Roos Gimnasium Invitational
Hoërskool Punt
Lanenhoven Gimnasium
Hudson Park
Hoërskool Outeniqua
Bridge House
Curro Durbanville
SACS Invitational
DF Malan
Hoërskool Nelspruit
Pro-Ed Akademie
Woodridge College
St John’s College Zimbabwe
Hoërskool Middelburg
Kingswood College
Kempton Park
Durbanville
Hoërskool Eldoraigne
Rondebosch Boys’ High Invitational
Ashton College
Hoërskool Zwartkop
Stirling High
Hoërskool Strand
St Dunstan’s College
Hoërskool Upington
Windhoek Gimnasium
Stellenbosch
Glenwood House
Hoërskool Hermanus
Hugenote
HTS Drostdy
Redhill School
Windhoek High School
Penryn
Hoërskool Linden
Paarl Gimnasium Invitational
Charlie Hofmeyr
Peter House
St Dominic’s
Oudtshoorn
Paarl Boys’ High Invitational
Robertson
Northcliff College
Somerset College

GIRLS

Fairmont High School
St Paul’s College
Dr EG Jansen
Rustenburg Girls’ High School
Stellenberg High School
Durbanville
Hoërskool Outeniqua
Kempton Park
Hoërskool Nelspruit
Hoërskool Monument
DF Malan
Peterhouse
Paarl Gimnasium Invitational
Hoërskool Eldoraigne
Wynberg Girls’ High
Northcliff College
Ashton College
York High School
Stirling High
La Rochelle Girls High School
Hoërskool Linden
Woodridge College
Worcester Gimnasium
Stellenberg High School Invitational
Glenwood House
Kingswood College
Hoërskool Hermanus
Pro-Ed Akademie
Hudson Park High School
Hoërskool Strand
Robertson
Windhoek Gimnasium
Fairmont Invitational
Hoërskool Punt
Hugenote
Langenhoven Gimnasium
Durbanville Invitational
HTS Drostdy
Charlie Hofmeyr
Brackenfell
Curro Durbanville
Hoërskool Upington
Rustenburg Girls’ Invitational
Bridge House
Langa Hockey Club
St Dominic’s
Oudtshoorn
St Dunstan’s College

The much-anticipated Independent Schools Hockey Festival, hosted by St Alban’s College, in Pretoria, got off to a blistering start on Saturday.

The festival, which produced a whopping 60 goals on the day, runs until Monday, 7 April, and the action is live on the SuperSport Schools App.

On the opening day, York High, Bishops (Diocesan College), St Alban’s, Reddam House Constantia, and Michaelhouse were among the big winners.

York, who travelled from George to Gauteng, were a bit of an unknown, but they quickly made their mark with some impressive hockey.

Led by coaches Jason and Sean Slater, the boys from the Garden Route were impressive in front of goal and scored 11 times while conceding four goals in their two outings.

They thumped Helpmekaar Kollege 7-2 in the morning and returned later in the day to hand St Andrew’s School a 4-2 defeat.

“We knew we were arriving here as a bit of an underdog because we have a very young side that has one matric pupil in it,” Slater told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“The boys had to learn two new structures, and it was a positive to see them implement the game plan. We conceded a couple of goals, and we’ve got to work on that. Overall, we are very happy. The boys stuck together, showed grit and some guts.”

Slater has been in charge of the York side for over 900 matches and is slowly passing the baton to his co-coach, Shaun Slater.

When asked about the influence Shaun Slater has had on the team, Jason Slater said: “He’s had a huge effect on how the boys are playing and taking everything in. Technically, he’s sound and adding a lot of value.”

York will be tested by Michaelhouse and St Benedict’s College on day two.

Reddam House Constantia and Bishops, two of the three Western Cape representatives, were also on song on Saturday. Reddam defeated Bennies 3-2 before thumping Helpmekaar 6-1.

Coach Ryan Julius’s Bishops side was also among the goals while playing some entertaining hockey.

They began the day with an impressive 6-1 victory over St Charles College but were stretched by Michaelhouse in the final match of the day, which finished in a 1-1 draw.

“It was a good start to the tournament,” Julius told SuperSport Schools Plus after their win over St Charles.

“Tactically, we were sound, and the boys executed very well. We are playing with 14 players on tour, one less player, so the way we controlled the tempo of the game and ensured we had energy was good by the lads.”

The hosts, St Alban’s College, also joined in on the wins on Saturday.

Playing on their home turf and in front of their supporters, the Checks defeated Somerset College 2-0 before thumping St Charles College 4-0.

Those were two impressive performances, and St Alban’s will aim to build on the momentum they generated on Saturday when the action resumes on Sunday.

St Benedict’s posted a tight win and a tight loss. They beat Trinity House Randpark 3-2 but fell by the same margin against Reddam House Constantia. Trinity House also claimed a 3-2 win, beating St Andrew’s School by that scoreline in the opening game of the day.

It’s back to the drawing board for St Charles, St Andrew’s School, Helpmekaar, and Somerset College, who all suffered two losses.

RESULTS

Trinity House 3-2 St Andrew’s School
St Benedict’s College 2-3 Reddam House Constantia
York High 7-3 Helpmekaar Kollege
St Alban’s College 2-0 Somerset College
Bishops 6-1 St Charles College
Michaelhouse 2-1 St David’s Marist Inanda
St Benedict’s College 3-2 Trinity House
York High 4-2 St Andrew’s School
Reddam House Constantia 6-1 Helpmekaar Kollege
St Alban’s College 4-0 St Charles College
St David’s Marist Inanda 3-0 Somerset College
Bishops 1-1 Michaelhouse

Fixtures

Day 2 – Sunday, 6 April 

07:30 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Reddam House Constantia
08:00 – St Charles College vs Helpmekaar Kollege @Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf
08:45 – Somerset College vs Trinity House
10:00 – St Alban’s College vs St Andrew’s School
11:15 – Bishops vs St Benedict’s College
12:30 – York High vs Michaelhouse
13:45 – Reddam House Constantia vs Trinity House
15:00 – St Charles College vs St David’s Marist Inanda
16:15 – Helpmekaar Kollege vs Somerset College
17:30 – St Alban’s College vs Bishops
17:30 – St Andrew’s School vs Michaelhouse @Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf
18:45 – York High vs St Benedict’s College