Author: asawula

St John’s College enjoyed day two of the Nomads Hockey Festival at Jeppe High School for Boys, delivering two quality performances on Sunday.

The side, led by coach Gilbert de Villiers and Anthony Woodhouse, defeated Wynberg Boys’ High 3-1 in the morning before playing to a thrilling 3-3 draw with Selborne College in the afternoon.

It was a drama-filled day at the Boden AstroTurf, with lightning halting play for most of the morning.

Before the delay, though, St John’s took to the park in the second match of the day against a Wynberg side still trying to find its feet.

Coach De Villiers’ boys were in search of their first win after going down to Hilton College (0-1), and Grey College (1-4) on Saturday.

Wynberg, meanwhile, defeated Pretoria Boys High 3-1 but lost to the hosts, Jeppe, 0-4 on the opening day.

Tapiwa Mutetwa opened the scoring for his side in the first chukka and was later joined on the score sheet by Ben Nagel and Dylan Viljoen.

Nagel scored from a tap-in on the far post, while Viljoen converted from a penalty corner, which was won by young Motheo Mparutsa.

Selborne refused to go down without a fight, and Reid Drake came to their rescue with three drag flicks, the last of which came late in the fourth chukka.

Reacting to his team’s Sunday performances, St John’s captain, Owethu Sishuba, said he was impressed by his side’s ability to bounce back after a disappointing opening day. “The team is very happy about today,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We spoke in the dugout about the importance of bouncing after a tough day one and losing two games. It’s a good turnaround, but we want to be consistent and go again tomorrow.”

Sishuba has been one of St John’s top performances at Nomads, presenting a rock-solid presence at the back to help keep his team out of danger alongside goalkeeper Kamogelo Thobejane, who also serves in the last line of defence for the St John’s water polo team.

They Houghton boys face Maritzburg College on Monday at 11:15, and Sishuba said he’ll urge his teammates to be up for the clash.

“They are a good team, but I think fatigue might play a major role for both sides,” he shared. “It will be a mental game and will come down to which team is up for the fixture and which team is ready to fight for it.”

In other big matches, Grey College, who won both their games on Saturday, shared draws with Jeppe and King Edward VII.

Both contests ended 2-2 after the Bloemfontein boys made a scintillating start on day one.

Their meeting with KES was an entertaining clash that ebbed and flowed and kept spectators intrigued. Captain Andrew Koupis led from the front for Grey, netting both of their goals.

KES was always chasing the game, but their never-die-say attitude was rewarded when their captain, Fynn Campbell, and Matthew Bromley found the back of the net.

Pretoria Boys High also made a massive statement by holding Hilton College to a 2-2 draw.

They lost both of their matches on Saturday, while Hilton won both of theirs, so it was an important reversal of fortune for Boys High.

Hilton College and Grey College made big statements on day one of the Nomads Hockey Festival at Jeppe High School for Boys, in Johannesburg, on Saturday, by both recording two wins on the scenic Boden AstroTurf.

They were joined by the hosts Jeppe, who were comfortable winners against Selborne College and Wynberg Boys’ High.

Hilton, guided by coach Damian Kimfley, kicked off their campaign with a sketchy 1-0 victory over St John’s College.

It was a scrappy outing by the KwaZulu-Natal side, who were taken to the gutters by St John’s but escaped an upset courtesy of a Rob Burman penalty corner flick.

They produced a more clinical performance in their second match of the day against St Benedict’s College, handing coach Owen Mvimbi’s side a 4-0 defeat.

Burman was on the score sheet again, where he was joined by Ben Wilson, Tadi ‘Tino” Hove, and Lizwe Ntshangase.

Reacting to his team’s performances, captain Xavier Enslin said they needed to work on their discipline and to be more clinical after a poor showing against St John’s.

“From our first game, we realised we lacked intentionality, and we had to get our heads in the right headspace,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We had to fix our mentality, be hungrier inside the circle, have the desire to score goals, and increase our energy.”

Hilton played with more intensity and attacked well against Bennies, while keeping matters tight at the back.

On Sunday, they’ll face Pretoria Boys High and King Edward VII (KES). Enslin explained how they were approaching the second day of action: “I think the biggest thing for us is to rest and recover tonight,” the skipper said. “We’re not done; we go again tomorrow.

“Any game can go anywhere. It just comes down to who performs on the day, and we know that, so we’re not naïve.”

Grey College, meanwhile, continued on their impressive run so far this season. They maintained their unbeaten record with a 4-0 win over Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) and a 4-1 victory against St John’s College.

Penalty corner specialist Matthias Visser struck twice against PBHS, while Waldo Koning also found the target.

Against St John’s, Visser scored another ripper from a short corner before his brother, Luke, Gianni Tyropolis, and Koning, added their names to the scoresheet.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better start than getting two wins on day one of the Nomads,” Grey College captain Andrew Koupis told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We just want to keep going now. We have an early game against Jeppe in the morning on their home turf. It’s going to be tough, but the boys are ready.”

Koupis and his troops entered Nomads brimming with confidence after a good showing at the Synsport Tony Godding Festival a week ago.

There, the Bloemfontein side picked up four wins, but the skipper said he urged his boys to put the past in the past and focus on the job at hand.

“I spoke to the boys coming from Tony Godding and just said we should remain grounded and keep our feet on the turf, and I think that showed today.”

The showdown against Jeppe on Sunday takes place early in the morning at 07:30.

Maritzburg College also started the festival brightly with a win against St Benedict’s and a draw with KES.

In their first match, coach Mark Sanders’ team found the back of the net three times, courtesy of Rory Schirge, Uyanda Dlamini, and Heath Hackland. They also kept a clean sheet.

They played to a 1-1 draw with KES in the day’s final match and take on Wynberg at 13:45 on Sunday, seeking their second win at the festival.

In other matches, Wynberg beat Pretoria Boys High 3-1 while KES thumped Selborne College 5-1.

RESULTS

Jeppe 4-2 Selborne College
Grey College 4-0 Pretoria Boys High
Hilton College 1-0 St John’s College
Maritzburg College 3-0 St Benedict’s College
Jeppe 4-0 Wynberg Boys’ High
King Edward VII 5-1 Selborne College
Hilton College 4-0 St Benedict’s College
Grey College 4-1 St John’s College
Wynberg Boys’ High 3-1 Pretoria Boys High
Maritzburg College 1-1 King Edward VII

FIXTURES

Sunday, 30 March

07:30 –  Jeppe vs Grey College
08:45 – St John’s College vs Wynberg Boys’ High
10:00 – Selborne College vs St Benedict’s
11:15 – Hilton College vs Pretoria Boys High
12:30 – King Edward VII vs Grey College
13:45 – Maritzburg College vs Wynberg Boys’ High
15:00 – St John’s College vs Selborne College
16:15 – St Benedict’s vs Pretoria Boys High
17:30 – King Edward VII vs Hilton College
18:45 – Jeppe vs Maritzburg College

Jeppe High School for Boys’ first-team hockey captain Ethan Kapanda said he was “happy” with his team’s performances after they recorded two victories on Saturday, day one of the Nomads Hockey Festival, in Johannesburg.

Jeppe, the hosts of the festival, which is being played on the Boden AstroTurf from 29-31 March, kicked off their campaign with a solid 4-2 win over Selborne College before beating Wynberg Boys’ High 4-0 in the afternoon.

“The games today were good, and both teams came out firing,” Kapanda told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I think Selborne is always tough, and today was no different. Wynberg gave us troubles, and they brought their A-game, but I’m happy with how we showed up.”

In their opening match against the East London side, Jeppe scored through Adrian Laubscher, Kapanda, and Juan Martin, who scored a brace, both from drag flicks. Kapanda netted from the penalty spot, and Laubscher scored a well-executed field goal.

The home side carried the momentum from their morning win into the Wynberg game.

With a large crowd in attendance, coach Siya Sityana’s troops controlled matters, played a mature brand of hockey, and capitalised on their chances.

They led 2-0 at halftime through goals by Kian Fenske and centre-back Jarryd Gordon-Watt.

Jeppe was far from done, however, and they dominated the second half, keeping Wynberg out while attacking with vigour.

Ethan van Deventer scored his team’s third goal before Lester Mhlongo completed the drubbing late in the final chukka.

“Getting the wins in the first two games is a good start because we now know where to build from,” Kapanda said.

“With that said, we want to focus on what’s coming next and not look too far ahead.”

Jeppe will face a stiff challenge from Grey College at 07:30 on Sunday before taking on Maritzburg College at 18:45.

Catch all the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

The 2025 schoolboy hockey season is heating up, and it will reach boiling point this weekend with three major tournaments bringing together many of the country’s best teams.

Jeppe High School for Boys will host the Nomads Hockey Festival, in Johannesburg, while Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) will welcome top teams to the Founders Festival, in Pretoria.

Durban will be treated to the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup, and all the action will be live on SuperSport Schools.

The Nomads Festival features some of South Africa’s most well-established hockey-playing schools.

An abundance of talent will be on display at the Boden AstroTurf at Jeppe. We take a look at five players you should keep an eye on.

Reagan Mudau – Hilton College

Reagan Mudau is a rising star within the Hilton College hockey fraternity. He was a strong performer in 2024, but he appears to have taken a further step forward and is coming into his own in 2025.

He is the co-vice-captain of the side with Matt Thomas, while Xavier Enslin leads the team.

Mudau has a sound understanding of the game, with a strong engine that enables him to work up and down the pitch. He is calm and collected with the ball and has the pace to eliminate opposing players.

His excellence was recognised when he represented the SA u17 team at last year’s Dato Miranwan Cup in Malaysia.

Recently, Mudau made a remarkable comeback after being sidelined for six weeks by injury, and he’s eager to make his mark at Nomads.

Gray van Heerden – Selborne College

Gray van Heerden is a prominent figure in Border Schools hockey and will captain Selborne College in 2025.

His leadership on and off the field has been instrumental in guiding the team through a series of successful matches in the early part of the season.

As a captain, he leads with confidence and inspires his teammates.

His skills and dedication earned him a place in the Border Schools Hockey Association‘s squad for last year’s SASHOC National Week, which was hosted in Bloemfontein.

He’ll set the example for a young Selborne outfit that would love to emulate the 2024 squad, which won all five of their matches at the Nomads Festival, in Pietermarizburg.

Ethan Kapanda – Jeppe High School for Boys

Jeppe centre-back, Ethan Kapanda, is an experienced first-team campaigner who will relish running out for his school on its home turf.

Kapanda has been described as a “strong and old, traditional defender”, who is rock-solid at the back, and always willing to go the extra mile for his teammates.

He has good distribution skills and is a regular goal-scoring contributor at penalty corner time with his drag flicks.

In 2024, he represented Southern Gauteng A at the SASHOC National Week. At the end of the tournament, he was named the Most Valuable Defender.

His leadership skills are visible both on and off the field, which is reflected in the respect his teammates have for him.

Zachary “Zach” Gibbon (Wynberg Boys’ High)

Wynberg Boys’ High is the only Western Cape side heading to Nomads this year, and they’ll be led by Zach Gibbon.

He is one of a small number of players to return to the Wynberg first team, which bade farewell to eight players at the end of last season.

Unfortunately, Gibbon was out injured for much of the 2024 season. He missed out on the Nomads Festival but represented Western Province u18A at the SASHOC National Week. He was also included in the SA u17 side.

Gibbon is also an outstanding cricketer and will look to merge his skills and deliver cracking performances for the Cape side.

Matthias Visser – Grey College

Visser is one of the most exciting schoolboy hockey defenders in South Africa.

The youngster, from Bloemfontein, enters another season with Grey College, and this year carries heavy responsibilities on his shoulders.

He is solid at the back, has great distribution skills, and can turn on the afterburners easily.

What makes him dangerous, though, are his drag flicks. He is the go-to man for Grey College at PC time and he rarely misfires.

Defending Visser’s powerful shot will be a challenge for the opposition at Nomads.

Paarl Gimnasium’s boys’ first-team hockey coach, Jacques Grobler, believes his players have yet to hit their stride despite some positive results in recent weeks. It’s still early in the season.

Gim will make the trip up to Pretoria to take part in the Founders Festival, hosted by Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies), this weekend.

The event, which runs from 29-31 March, features some of the country’s hockey powerhouses in action.

Grobler’s side has had adequate preparation for the festival, including taking part in two pre-season tournaments, before facing Somerset College.

They dominated their opposition at the Parel Vallei Hockey Festival, recording wins over Reddam House Constantia, Hoërskool Hermanus, and Worcester Gimnasium. More recently, they dismantled Somerset College 4-0.

Despite those promising results, Gim is yet to be tested properly, and Grobler believes there’s a lot of room for improvement.

“School hockey has its ups and downs, and the one thing I want to ensure is that we can adapt to the situations presented before us,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“For us to do that, it comes down to educating the players so they can make the correct decisions on the field.

“We had a successful season in 2024, but now the task is to maintain the excellence and standards we have set.”

Gim has retained a huge chunk of their senior players from last season. In total, 10 players who turned out for the side last year, including new captain Juan Swanepoel, will don the jersey in 2025.

Grobler said one of his priorities is to have his team keep their game as simple as possible. “Our main priority is to stay humble and maintain a good attitude,” he added.

“Just because we enjoyed success in previous years does not mean this year will necessarily be the same. By being humble and hard-working, we will find the solutions to the problems we’ll face together.”

After the Founders Festival, the boys from Paarl will be in action in the second week of April on their home turf against the Founders Festival hosts, Affies.

They’ll face Grey College later in the month before shifting their attention to the Hibbert Shield and Western Cape matches.

Coach Grobler, who has years of experience coaching schoolboy hockey, is aware of the rapidly rising competition around the country.

“Look, the competition in the Cape and around the country is so tough,” he said. “Teams are analysing you and making plans on how to negate your strengths.

“The best thing for us to do is to stick to our processes, to do the work in advance, and then, on game day, maintain composure and a belief in the plan.”

Paarl Gim will be challenged by Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal opposition that they don’t usually face at Founders, and that provides them with a chance to test themselves and get out of their comfort zone.

On day one, they’ll open their campaign against Parktown Boys’ High at 11:50 before taking on St Stithians College later in the day.

When asked what fans might expect from his team, Grobler said: “I think that the parents and Old Boys, as well as all supporters, have been spoilt with some really exciting hockey the past few seasons, and we will endeavour to do the same.

“At the moment we have not hit our stride, but when we do, I believe everyone will be thoroughly entertained,” he concluded.

Paarl Gimnasium Founders Festival Fixtures

Saturday, 29 March

11:50 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Parktown Boys’ High
16:15 – Paarl Gimnasium vs St Stithians College

Sunday, 30 March

07:30 – Paarl Gimnasium vs St David’s Marist Inanda
14:05 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Northwood School

Monday, 31 March

11:50 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Kearsney College

Parel Vallei High School, Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), and Paarl Boys’ High will represent the Western Cape at the Belgotex Coastal Cup, in Durban, this weekend.

Matches will be played at the Riverside Sports Club, from Friday to Monday,

The competition will be as stiff as it has ever been, with some of the country’s top teams in action.

It’s another opportunity for the trio to get their systems in place, test combinations, and finalise their squads before the new season gets into full gear.

SuperSport Schools Plus hockey writer, Avuyile Sawula caught up with the coaches of the Western Cape trio to get their insights, expectations, and thoughts ahead of the festival.

Parel Vallei – Michael van Rensburg

Parel Vallei, under the guidance of coach Michael van Rensburg, is an intriguing team.

They played their first matches at the Parel Vallei Hockey Festival earlier this month and scored three dominant victories, netting 13 times.

Before heading to Durban, they faced Diocesan College (Bishops) at the Woodlands AstroTurf and made a massive statement, thumping the southern suburbs team 7-2.

Coach Van Rensburg said he’s pleased with the preparations of his team, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

“The boys have worked hard in preparation for the season ahead; I am happy with the way preparation has gone,” he said.

“We are looking forward to travelling to Durban for the Coastal Cup, and we are expecting four tough games, with each team bringing its style of play, as well as its unique challenges.

“As always, we are quietly optimistic as we go about our work.”

Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) – Michael Baker

Coach Michael Baker will return to familiar surroundings this weekend with his young and exciting team.

Paul Roos has also made a promising start to the season while trying to find the right balance as young players are integrated into the team.

At the Parel Vallei Festival, they breezed past Somerset College, Outeniqua, and Reddam House Constantia.

The Coastal Cup, however, will provide a different level of competition for Baker and his boys, and that’s a challenge they’re relishing.

“We are super excited to get the season started with some competitive fixtures at the Coastal Cup,” he shared.

“We don’t have one easy game. The four schools we are up against have great programmes and heads of hockey, so they will all be well-prepared for us. So as a neutral, you will be in for a treat.

“Our preparation, for the most part, has been good. We have had numerous injuries and setbacks continuously, which has been disruptive. We are just excited to be tested properly and gain massive experience before the Cape season begins.”

Paarl Boys’ High (Boishaai) – Rowan McLachlan

Paarl Boys’ High will head into the Coastal Cup feeling optimistic and confident after being properly tested in the pre-season.

Coach Rowan McLachlan’s side participated in the Cape Co-Ed Festival this month and picked up three wins from four matches.

Last week, they were tested at an unofficial pre-season festival by PRG, Wynberg Boys’ High, and Paarl Gimnasium.

McLachlan said his side is excited to test itself against top teams in Durban.

“I’m expecting stiff competition, as some of the best coaches in the country will all be facing off against each other, so there’s honestly no poor teams attending,” he said.

“Every game will be fast-paced, with all teams looking to get the top result. I’m also excited to see what our u16 side can produce, given we have five u16s playing in the first team this year, so it’s going to be a good challenge for our youngsters as well.

“All I’m expecting from my side is a process-driven attitude, one that never gives up and does not get caught up in uncontrollable situations. If we can get that right with our young side, then we’re headed in the right direction.”

FIXTURES

Friday, 28 March

15:00 – Parel Vallei vs Michaelhouse
16:30 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Clifton College
18:00 – Paul Roos vs Westville Boys’ High

Saturday, 29 March

09:30 – Paul Roos vs St Alban’s College
14:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Glenwood
15:30 – Parel Vallei vs Menlopark
18:30 – Paul Roos vs Durban High School

Sunday, 30 March

14:00 – Parel Vallei vs Garsfontein
17:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Durban High School
18:30 – Paul Roos vs Michaelhouse

Monday, 31 March

09:30 – Parel Vallei vs Clifton College
11:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Westville Boys’ High

Dale College’s first-team hockey coach, Andrew Senekal, believes the gruelling and demanding schedule of the Founders Hockey Festival will leave his side in good stead ahead for the 2025 schoolboy hockey season.

The boys from Qonce will make the trip to Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) in Pretoria, for the event, which runs from Saturday, 29 March, to Monday, 31 March.

Dale heads into the festival after playing four matches at the Synsport Tony Godding Festival in East London over the past weekend.

There, coach Senekal’s troops recorded three wins against Alexander Road High (3-1), Westering High (5-0), and Curro Waterstone (10-0).

Their sole defeat came in a 3-6 loss against Middelburg Hoërskool.

“We had clear goals and expectations going into the Tony Godding Festival,” Senekal told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“In our first game against Middelburg, the guys weren’t switched on, but we worked on a few things, discussed our problems, and cracked on from there on.

“I thought our set piece was good throughout the weekend. Defensively, we made a few bad tackles here and there, giving away unnecessary short corners, but I’m happy with the progress so far.”

Dale has an exciting group of players for the 2025 season, with a healthy mix of experience and youth. They’re captained by Sibongile Nzima for another season, with Soso Dyani serving as his vice-captain.

Senekal said he’s pleased with what he’s seen from the young players so far.

“Some u16s have joined the team and the guys have stepped up,” he reckoned.

“It’s been good to see the guys perform at this level. We’ve found a very good rhythm with the crop of players we have. There are a couple of selection headaches, but that’s a good headache to have.”

At Founders, Dale will play five tough matches against St David’s Marist Inanda, Parktown Boys’ High, St Stithians College, and the KwaZulu-Natal duo of Northwood School and Kearsney College.

Senekal, a former Dale pupil himself, understands the stiff competition that awaits his team. “Founders is always going to be tough,” he said. “We are playing against some top schools, so we are just encouraging the boys to stay positive and play their game.

“It’s festival hockey, so it’s demanding. The guys need to just give it their all, no matter who we play.

“We’ll just have to take it game by game and reassess after each game. With that said, it’s a festival that will help us prepare for the season,” he concluded.

Dale College Founders Festival Fixtures

Saturday, 29 March

08:35 – Dale College vs St David’s Marist Inanda
13:00 – Dale College vs Northwood School

Sunday, 30 March

11:50 – Dale College vs Kearsney College
16:15 – Dale College vs Parktown Boys’ High

Monday, 31 March

08:35 – Dale College vs St Stithians College

Pearson High School‘s first boys’ hockey team will aim to continue their positive start to the 2025 season at the Coastal Cup in Durban this coming weekend.

The boys from Gqeberha will journey up to KwaZulu-Natal for the four-day event, which starts on Friday, 28 March, and ends on Monday, 31 March.

The action takes place at the Riverside Sports Club, with Pearson’s first match being a Friday meeting with Die Hoërskool Menlopark at 16:30.

They will have played a match on Friday morning against Durban High School (DHS), but it is not part of the tournament schedule.

Pearson is coached by the experienced Karl Lavender this year, and they’ll head into the tournament feeling optimistic after a good run at the Synsport Tony Godding Festival in East London, where they claimed two wins, a draw, and one loss.

They thumped Stirling High 6-1 and beat St Andrew’s School 3-0. Their sole defeat came in a thrilling encounter against Grey College, which ended 4-2 in favour of the Bloemfontein side. In their last outing, they shared a 1-1 draw with Queen’s College.

“It’s been a very constructive start to the season; I’m happy,” coach Lavender told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“Our pre-season programme has worked well. Chad Durrheim (biokineticist) and Winray Christoffels (Strength and Conditioning) have worked hard to get the boys into good shape.

“We need to tweak our shape a bit, along with a few other things, but I was happy with what I saw, as a whole.”

Lavender took over the first team responsibilities this year after Dallan Phillips left the school to join Bloemfontein’s Grey College.

He said he’s happy with the crop of players he has at his disposal, as they look to play an unorthodox brand of hockey and test themselves against the best.

“The team cohesion is brilliant, and we hope to turn a few heads with the pace up front,” he revealed.

“We’re building for our centenary next year, so we hope to play an attractive, expansive brand of hockey.

“We can’t wait to test ourselves against some stiff opposition. We know the level is high, and we hope to take that level of intensity back to the Eastern Cape for the rest of the season.”

Pearson, this year, is captained by Keagan Moore, who is assisted by vice-captains, Ali Vece and Jonno Holmes.

They have a quality lineup, which includes goalkeeper Chulumanco Mkontwana, who represented the South African u17 side at the Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia last year.

One of the promising youngsters in the team, Callum Peltenburg, described by Lavender as “cool and composed” is one to watch for the future.

Standout individual performances will be key, but teamwork will be at the forefront for Pearson as they hunt big scalps away from home in a festival filled with strong teams.

FIXTURES

Friday, 28 March

16:30 – Pearson High vs Die Hoërskool Menlopark

Saturday, 29 March

11:00 – Pearson High vs Clifton College

Sunday, 30 March

12:30 – Pearson High vs Westville Boys’ High

Monday, 31 March

08:00 – Pearson High vs Glenwood

Hockey fans in Johannesburg will be treated to some high-quality and entertaining action this coming weekend when Jeppe High School for Boys hosts the Nomads Hockey Festival.

The highly anticipated event takes place from Saturday, 29 March, to Monday, 31 March.

In action on the picturesque Boden AstroTurf will be 10 top hockey-playing schools from around the country.

Jeppe will be joined at the festival by their Gauteng counterparts St Benedict’s College, King Edward VII (KES), Pretoria Boys High (PBHS), and St John’s College.

The hosts have made a promising start to the season under head coach Siya Sityana, and the Nomads Festival gives them a chance to build further momentum.

They opened the season with a 4-2 victory over coach Owen Mvimbi’s St Benedict’s side before beating PBHS 1-0 and KES 4-2.

Jeppe had their struggles in 2024, during Sityana’s first year at the helm, but they seem to have turned the corner early on this season.

PBHS, despite losing to Jeppe, will enter Nomads high in confidence after beating Parktown Boys’ High 2-0 last weekend.

St John’s College, KES, and Bennies, will also want to make their mark against some top opposition.

KwaZulu-Natal will be represented at Nomads by Hilton College and last year’s hosts, Maritzburg College.

Coach Damian Kimfley’s Hilton boys have proved to be a handful in the early going. Their first two matches of the season yielded positive results: a 2-0 win over Kearsney College and a 4-0 drubbing of Westville Boys’ High.

They lost their captain Xavier Enslin to an injury in the win over Kearsney, and coach Kimfley will have his fingers crossed that he’ll have Enslin back on the field for the festival.

College, on the other hand, is yet to register a win. Coach Mark Sanders’ young side showed their fighting quality in a 2-2 draw against Durban High School earlier this month but, most recently, suffered a 3-4 loss to Northwood School in Pietermaritzburg, on Saturday.

It was only their second loss against Northwood on Pape’s Astro; the first came in 2023.

Other teams that will be in attendance are Grey College, Selborne College, and Cape Town’s Wynberg Boys’ High.

Grey College, under the guidance of coach Dallan Phillips, has played an impressive brand of hockey early in the season, which brought them four victories at last week’s Synsport Tony Godding Festival, in East London.

There, the boys from Bloemfontein defeated Hudson Park 5-0, Queen’s College 4-0, St Andrew’s College 3-2, and Pearson High 4-2.

Coach Phillips will, however, be aware that the competition at Nomads will be another step up in quality, and his team will need to bring their A-game to meet the challenge.

Selborne College is the only Eastern Cape side heading to Nomads this year, with Grey High currently on an international tour of The Netherlands.

Coach KJ Friend‘s side has had a challenging start to the season, with a bunch of young players still finding their feet at first-team level.

At the Tony Godding Festival, they recorded three victories but were stunned 3-2 by St Andrew’s School on day two.

Wynberg Boys’ High, meanwhile, heads into Nomads with a few surprises up their sleeves.

Coach Ben Wiley’s troops participated in a pre-season festival in the Western Cape last week, but not many people have seen them in action.

That could play to their advantage, and they’ll be eager to cause a couple of upsets away from home.

The opening day will kick off with a clash between Jeppe and Selborne College at 07:30.

Sunday will be filled with mouthwatering fixtures before a tasty-looking clash between the hosts and Hilton College on the final day completes the schedule.

FIXTURES

Saturday, 29 March

07:30 – Jeppe vs Selborne College; 08:45 – Grey College vs Pretoria Boys;  10:00 – St John’s College vs Hilton College; 11:15 – Maritzburg College vs St Benedict’s; 12:30 – Jeppe vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 13:45 – King Edward VII vs Selborne College; 15:00 – St Benedict’s vs Hilton College; 16:15 – St John’s College vs Grey College; 17:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Pretoria Boys; 18:45 – King Edward VII vs Maritzburg College.

Sunday, 30 March

07:30 –  Jeppe vs Grey College; 08:45 – St John’s College vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 10:00 – Selborne College vs St Benedict’s; 11:15 – Hilton College vs Pretoria Boys; 12:30 – King Edward VII vs Grey College; 13:45 – Maritzburg College vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 15:00 – St John’s College vs Selborne College; 16:15 – St Benedict’s vs Pretoria Boys; 17:30 – King Edward VII vs Hilton College; 18:45 – Jeppe vs Maritzburg College.

Monday, 31 March

07:30 – King Edward VII vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 08:45 – St Benedict’s vs Grey College; 10:00 – Selborne College vs Pretoria Boys; 11:15 – St John’s College vs Maritzburg College; 12:30 – Jeppe vs Hilton College.

While some of South Africa’s top girls’ hockey teams gathered in East London for the Synsport Greg Beling Festival over the weekend, Pearson High School hosted the u16 Investec Hockey Tournament, in Gqeberha.

The event, in its third edition, began on Friday and, after over 90 matches had been played across three days, concluded with the A- and B-section finals on Sunday.

Pearson’s u16A and u16B sides did just enough to claim the respective titles in front of their supporters.

The u16A team, led by coach Ignatius Malgraf, defeated Clarendon High School for Girls 2-1 in a penalty shootout after the title game had ended in a goalless draw.

Pearson’s journey to the final was impressive. During the pool stages, they defeated Victoria Girls’ High, Alexander Road, and Woodridge College, winning all three matches 4-0, before beating Hudson Park 2-1.

Reacting to his team’s performances, Malgraf said he was pleased with how they dug deep, particularly in the final against Clarendon.

“I’m absolutely proud of the team. It was a tough game, and we knew it would come down to fine margins,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“The composure and resilience the players showed, especially in those final moments, was outstanding. They dug deep, stuck to the game plan, and showed real character to get over the line, despite not scoring any goals during regular time.”

While tactics played a major role in helping the team get over the line, coach Malgraf believes the team culture and the players’ desire to fight for each other helped them secure the win.

“Our team culture played a massive role,” he opined. “The bond these girls share is something special. It allows them to work seamlessly together, both on and off the field.

“That trust and unity showed in how they supported each other, lifted each other during tough moments, and ultimately found a way to get over the line. This group thrives on playing for one another, and that was the difference in those tight games.”

It was, indeed, a collective effort from the side, but there were some standout players. Emma Potgieter, Hannah Du Plooy, Jemma Esterhuysen, Caitlyn George, and goalkeeper Megan Measures made telling contributions to Pearon’s title-winning efforts, and they showed composure during the shootout, delivering when it mattered the most.

While there was joy for the A-team, the Pearson u16B side also etched their names into the history books by capturing the B-Section honours for the first time.

Coach Abby Fouché’s team was dominant and ruthless during the pool stages, scoring a healthy 14 goals in four matches.

They suffered a defeat against Clarendon, but that mattered little as they had already secured a play-off spot. They then thumped Kingswood College 4-0 in the last eight before avenging their earlier loss against Clarendon, scoring a 1-0 victory in the semifinals.

That win set up a final against their town rivals, Collegiate Girls’ High. In the title decider, Pearson won 2-0.

“I am so proud of what my girls achieved this weekend,” Fouché told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We went into the weekend to get a medal placement, and every girl in the team fought for every game and showed me their dedication and determination to come out on top.”

Fouché’s side was free-flowing and free-scoring. They were also rock-solid at the back, conceding just one goal all tournament long.

The coach praised some of her standout players. “My player of the tournament was Alexi Du Plessis,” she shared. “Alexi used her skill to tuck and run the baseline, as well as Ruby Andrews, who was our most skilled link, and she scored nine goals in the tournament, including a penalty flick in the final.

“Our skipper, Madison Louw, was able to control the game and keep the girls’ spirits up while scoring an amazing goal in the final against Collegiate, she concluded.

RESULTS

u16A

Pearson High 4-0 Victoria Girls’ High
Pearson High 2-1 Hudson Park
Pearson High 4-0 Alexander Road
Pearson High 4-0 Woodridge College (Quarterfinal)
Pearson High 3-2 Hudson Park (Semi-final)
Pearson High (2) 0-0 (1) Clarendon

u16B

Pearson High 6-0 vs Westering
Pearson High 6-0 to Victoria Girls’ High
Pearson High 0-1 Clarendon
Pearson High 4-0 Nico Malan
Pearson High 4-0 Kingswood (Quarterfinals)
Pearson High 1-0 Clarendon (Semi-finals)
Pearson High 2-0 Collegiate (Final)