Kearsney College got their season off to a winning start against Michaelhouse. Photo: Kearsney College
There were 50 goals scored between Kearsney, Hilton, and Clifton College on the first weekend of schools’ water polo action in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.
Kearsney beat Michaelhouse 11-8 in home waters, while Hilton thumped Glenwood High 15-1, and Clifton breezed to a 24-2 win over St Charles College.
It was a display of dominance from the three teams, who enter the new season aiming to build on the foundations laid in 2024.
Kearsney, led by coach Nicholas Rodda, was impressive last season, while Hilton and Clifton have welcomed new coaches, with Paul Martin moving from Clifton to Hilton, and Pierre Le Roux returning from New Zealand to take charge of Clifton.
He was joined on the scoring sheet by SA Schools’ star James “Chippa” Pohl, Thomas Aylward, and Thomas Francke, who all netted braces. Levi Thom also scored to help the Botha’s Hill boys to victory.
Kearsney had only a one-hour session during the week to prepare for the clash. Given that limitation, Rodda was impressed by his side’s performance.
The DHS defenders get their arms in the air to block a shot from Northwood’s powerful KZN Schools’ player, Lian Terblanche, at Northwood on Saturday, 18 January 2025. Photo: Brad Morgan.
“The lack of preparation was not ideal, but the boys coming back relatively fit was good,” he said.
“We were hoping for a solid win while bleeding some new youngsters into the team and giving them an opportunity to play at 1st team level.
“We are looking for more competition within the squad to push players ahead of our first time in a long time back at the KES Water Polo Tournament.”
Kearsney faces Durban High School (DHS), Northwood, Glenwood, and Maritzburg College in the coming weeks, but they won’t be attending the prestigious SAC Shield in Makhanda. Their focus will, instead, be on their trip to Johannesburg for the KES tournament in March.
In other matches around the province, DHS, led by SA Schools’ defender, Kirk Wilson, scored an impressive 9-3 win at Northwood. while Westville Boys’ High outplayed Maritzburg College, winning 15-8.
The KZN sides will resume action next weekend without Westville, Clifton, and Hilton, who will all be in the Eastern Cape for the SAC Shield.
RESULTS
Kearsney College 11-8 Michaelhouse
Hilton College 15-1 Glenwood High School
Maritzburg College 15-8 Westville Boys’ High
Durban High School 9-3 Northwood
Clifton College 24-2 St Charles College
Rondebosch Boys’ High will also be in action at the Bishops Water Polo Tournament. Photo: TeamPhoto SA
The schools’ water polo season has officially moved into gear in the Western Cape, just days after learners returned for the new academic year.
The action gets underway on Saturday, 18 January, when Bishops Diocesan College hosts its highly anticipated water polo tournament in the southern suburbs.
The one-day event seeks to continue Bishops’ 175th anniversary celebrations, which saw the school host a rugby and hockey festival last year.
The teams invited to the prestigious tournament include Bishops’ local neighbouring schools, SACS, Rondebosch Boys’ High, and Wynberg Boys’ High.
Reddam House Constantia, Paarl Boys’ High, and Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), who recently hosted a pre-season festival, will also be a part of the action.
It will be the second consecutive week that the Cape sides meet after facing each other at the PRG festival a week ago.
Scores were not recorded at the PRG event. That wasn’t the focus of the pre-season outing. However, SuperSport Schools Plus understands that the matches were tightly contested and a very competitive season is expected.
The Bishops tournament will give coaches a further opportunity to answer critical questions about their squads before the SACS Nite Series kicks off on 21 January.
It’s also a chance for SACS and Bishops to sharpen their skills ahead of the SAC Shield, which SACS won last year by beating rivals Bishops 9-7 in the final.
The early season tournament furthers offers an opportunity to see which players have returned and who the newcomers are.
The action kicks off with a clash between SACS and Reddam House at 08:00 and will conclude with a humdinger when the hosts face SACS at 14:40.
Fixtures:
08:00 – SACS vs Reddam House Constantia; 08:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 08:40 – Bishops Diocesan vs Paarl Boys’ High; 09:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs SACS; 09:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Reddam House Constantia; 09:40 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Bishops; 10:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Paarl Boys’ High; 10:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs SACS; 10:40 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Reddam House Constantia; 11:00 – Bishops vs Rondebosch Boys’ High; 11:20 – Paarl Boys’ High vs SACS; 11:40 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Bishops; 12:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 12:20 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Reddam House Constantia; 12:40 – SACS vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 13:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Rondebosch Boys’ High; 13:20 – Bishops vs Reddam House Constantia; 13:40 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paarl Boys’ High; 14:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Reddam House Constantia; 14:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Paarl Boys’ High; 14:40 – Bishops vs SACS; 15:00 – Prize Giving.
Paul Roos Gimnasium(PRG) hosts their much-anticipated annual pre-season festival from 10-11 January.
The two-day event has been described by PRG head coach Vaughn Marlow as a “chance for teams to sharpen their swords” ahead of a jam-packed season.
The first match on each day will begin at 09:00 sharp, and the day’s play will conclude with the final fixture starting at 17:30.
It’s a festival that will pit the top Western Cape schools against each other before the SACS Nite Series commences later this month.
In action alongside PRG will be SACS, Rondebosch Boys’ High, Wynberg Boys’ High, Bishops Diocesan College, and Reddam House Constantia.
St Andrew’s College, from Makhanda in the Eastern Cape, will make another appearance at the festival, and they are joined by newcomers, Paarl Boys’ High.
Bishops dominated the region in 2024. Under coach Jabulani Sibiya, they claimed the top honours at the Nite Series, Mazinter Cup, and won their maiden SACS Water Polo Tournament later in the season.
SACS, meanwhile, reigned supreme at the SAC Shield and Clifton Water Polo Tournament. Rondebosch Boys’ High made massive strides by winning the KES Water Polo tournament.
All three teams dominated the Western Province u19A squad, while PRG contributed three players to the u19 team that finished in third spot at the Inter-Provincial Tournament.
The schools participating in the festival bade farewell to some influential players at the end of last season, so there are many unknowns as the 2025 season gets underway, which will make for an interesting event.
Bishops will begin life without star players Jordan de Sousa and Ross Stewart, while SACS have to find replacements for Nicholas Fall and Connor-Melling Williams.
Rondebosch said farewell to Bradley Warneke and Pierre du Plessis, while PRG will be without the services of Adam October and Arkin Marais.
The festival will allow the respective coaches to begin building their squads for the forthcoming season without the pressure of the result being of primary importance. The organisers have also confirmed to SuperSport Schools Plus that no scores will be kept as the festival is all about preparation for the forthcoming season.
The matches will run for 30 minutes, with two breaks taking place during each day.
The hosts will kick things off against St Andrew’s College on the opening day.
Fixtures
Day 1
09:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs St Andrew’s College; 09:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paarl Boys’ High; 10:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs St Andrew’s College; 10:30 – Paul Roos Gymnasium vs Paarl Boys’ High; 11:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 11:30– Reddam House Constantia vs St Andrew’s College; 12:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Reddam House Constantia; 13:30 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Rondebosch Boys’ High; 14:00 – St Andrew’s College vs Paarl Boys’ High; 14:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paul Roos Gimnasium; 15:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs Rondebosch Boys’ High ; 16:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs Paarl Boys’ High; 16:30 – St Andrew’s College vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 17:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Paarl Boys’ High; 17:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Reddam House Constantia
Day 2
09:00 – Paul Roos Gymnasium vs Bishops Diocesan College; 09:30 – St Andrew’s College vs SACS; 10:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Paarl Boys’ High; 10:30 – St Andrew’s College vs SACS; 11:00 – Bishops Diocesan College vs Rondebosch Boys’ High; 11:30 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs SACS; 12:00 – Bishops Diocesan College vs Paarl Boys’ High; 12:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Rondebosch Boys’ High; 13:00 -Paarl Boys’ High vs SACS; 13:30 – St Andrew’s College vs Reddam House Constantia; 14:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs SACS; 14:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paul Roos Gimnasium; 15:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs Rondebosch Boys’ High; 15:30– Bishops Diocesan College vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 16:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs SACS; 16:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs St Andrew’s College; 17:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Reddam House Constantia; 17:30 – Reddam House Constantia vs Wynberg Boys’ High.
Nelson Mandela Bay’s Teagan Harty impressed for her team during the week and was rewarded with an SA Schools selection. Photo: TeamPhoto SA
Five players each from Central Gauteng and Western Province were rewarded for their impressive performances at the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament with selection for the South African Schools squad.
The 15-player line-up was announced after Gauteng defeated Province 7-3 in the final of the tournament at the Joan Harrison East Swimming Pool in East London on Wednesday.
The IPT title was Gauteng’s second in succession after they won last year’s final against the same opponents in Gqeberha.
Gauteng was not at their best during the pool stage of the competition, but they played some enterprising and effective water polo and outsmarted Province tactically on the final day.
As a result, a handful of their players were included in the SA Schools squad. Two of them, Amy Smith and Mia Loizides, were included in last year’s squad.
Meanwhile, both Central Gauteng goalkeepers, Lucy Davis and Ogechi McMurray, cracked the nod along with Ruby Carlson.
Province also has five representatives in the team, and two of them featured in 2023. Hannah Banks and Emma Catto were selected again, while Roxanne Uys, Iviwe Tracy Oduore, and Alexa De Villiers joined them in the national side.
Coach Grant McKenzie’s Nelson Mandela Bay side finished in an impressive third place and three of their standout players played their way into the national lineup.
Matipa Karimazondo got her name on the list for another year, while Amie Jenner and their goalscoring machine, Teagan Harty, were also rewarded.
Both KwaZulu-Natal and Buffalo City A endured underwhelming outings, and finished in fifth and sixth respectively, but each had a player named in the team.
Inge Southey was the KZN rep, while Tori Voke, from Buffalo City, was also included.
Western Province’s Hannah Banks took the best forward accolade, while Mia Loizides was crowned the Defender of the Tournament.
Davis was in top form for Gauteng in the cage, which earned her the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award.
The Player of the Tournament went to Alexa De Villiers, who excelled for Province and who was, at times, the difference between winning and losing.
SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS SQUAD
Alexa De Villiers (Herschel Girls School, Western Province), Hannah Banks (Reddam House Constantia, Western Province), Emma Catto (Reddam House Constantia, Western Province), Roxanne Uys (Reddam House Constantia, Western Province), Iviwe Tracy Oduore (Reddam House Constantia, Western Province), Amy Smith (St Mary’s Waverley, Central Gauteng), Lucy Davis (Kingsmead, Central Gauteng), Mia Loizides (Roedean School, Central Gauteng), Ogechi McMurray (St Dominic’s, Central Gauteng), Ruby Carlson (St Dominic’s, Central Gauteng), Amie Jenner (DSG Makhanda, Nelson Mandela Bay), Teagan Harty (Pearson High, Nelson Mandela Bay), Matipa Karimazondo (Kingswood College, Nelson Mandela Bay), Inge Southey (Durban Girls’ College, KwaZulu-Natal), Tori Voke (Clarendon, Buffalo City)
Manager: Etienne Le Roux (Western Province)
Head Coach: Kelsey Thomson (Central Gauteng)
The Central Gauteng u19 A team produced their best performance of the tournament to beat Western Province in the final. Photo: Brad Morgan.
The Central Gauteng u19A girls’ team made history at the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament when they defeated Western Province A 7-3 in the final in the Joan Harrison East Pool in East London on Wednesday.
Gauteng was made to work extremely hard for the win, but they showed grit and composure to pull it off, thanks to their performance in the final two chukkas of the match.
On their way to the title decider, coach Kelsey Thomson‘s charges suffered just one defeat in Pool A, going down to Province on day two.
Province, meanwhile, enjoyed a flawless run to the final. Under head coach Etienne Le Roux, the girls from the Western Cape were on a mission and they booked their place in the main match with a convincing 15-3 win over Western Province B.
The final was the third between the two rivals in the past 12 months. They met in the IPT final in Gqeberha last year and again in March, at the Currie Cup, which was also hosted in Buffalo City.
History, though, meant nothing with the 2024 IPT title on the line, and the teams produced a very competitive, tightly contested clash with almost nothing to separate them.
The first two chukkas produced four goals, with Province taking a 3-1 lead at the halfway point. Hannah Banks, Roxanne Uys, and Emily van Heerden netted for the Capetonians, while Mia Loizides struck for Gauteng.
Western Province’s Emily van Heerden lets fly with a shot in the u19 girls’ final. Photo: Brad Morgan.
The defending champions made the brighter start in the third chukka, and after putting Province under pressure, they scored through Emma Pelicot.
That goal sparked Gauteng into life, and they attacked with more vigour, which led to a Julia Joseph strike that levelled matters momentarily at 3-3.
Joseph was far from done and converted a penalty from five metres out to hand her side a 4-3 lead heading into the final chukka.
In the fourth quarter, Central Gauteng played smart and attractive water polo. Their defence was solid and they attacked decisively.
Anastasia Hambakis proved to be the difference, slotting two quick goals to put Gauteng 6-3 clear with five minutes to play.
They gave it a good crack, but Province couldn’t work their way back into the match. With time running out, Emily Carle sealed the deal for Gauteng, striking in the final minute to make the final margin of victory 7-3.
The thrill of victory! Central Gauteng coach Kelsey Thomson hugs her management team while Emma Pelicot (#2) and Tori Tanner-Ellis (#8) close in to share in the hug-fest. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Reacting to an outstanding performance by her charges in the final, coach Thomson, relieved and satisfied, praised her team’s fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude.
“I’m just happy that the team did everything we went over for the final, bar a few things,” she told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“I think we worked so well as a team, and when you work as a team, everything comes together. We were patient, trusted each other, and played till the end, and that’s the spirit I wanted the girls to show.”
Thomson, who was also in charge of the side when they won the Currie Cup, said there were no moments of panic when they started slowly and trailed 1-3 at halftime.
“I just told the girls to stick to their basics and instincts and to turn up a gear,” she said.
“It was still a long game. Although we were 1-3 down, we were creating a lot, and I knew it would come. We just needed to be patient.”
Gauteng will bid farewell to just four players after the tournament. Only Mia Loizides, Amy Smith, Ruby Carlsen, and Francesca de Villiers are in matric. Meanwhile, in the Central Gauteng B-team, Cecilia Petersen and Humairaa Bodiat also played their final tournaments.
Thomson thanked them for their service and said she’s looking forward to working with the talent still at her disposal.
“The players leaving have had great careers for their province, and we’re going to miss them. They have served Gauteng so well, and I really believe they will go out there and become great human beings.
“The rest of the players are in grade 11, and the u16 group coming up is looking strong. We are looking forward to seeing how we integrate them into the team and continue to grow,” she ended.
Nelson Mandela Bay signed off on a high, edging out Western Province B 10-9 to take home the bronze medal.
KwaZulu-Natal took fifth place after beating Buffalo City A, while Central Gauteng B and Zimbabwe also claimed wins.
SCORES
Final – Central Gauteng A 7: Anastasia Hambakis (2), Julia Joseph (2), Mia Loizides, Emma Pelicot, Emily Carle. Western Province A 3: Hannah Banks, Roxanne Uys, Emily Van Heerden.
3rd/4th – Nelson Mandela Bay 10: Teagan Harty (2), Matipa Karimazondo (2), Amie Jenner (2), Mia Jenner, Elizabeth Horn, Anna Olivier, Lucy Rutherfoord. Western Province B 9: Kirsten Bottger (3), Kelly Cadiz (2), Bailey Donnachie (2), Sarah Palframan, Anna Lieberman.
5th/6th – KwaZulu-Natal 13: Kayla Andrews (4), Lara Mervis (4), Caitlin McMurray (2), Amber Lewis (2), Gemma Malherbe. Buffalo City A 9: Erin Batting (3), Roxy-Lee van Eek (3), Meka Loots, Megan Schwartz, Julianna Saffy.
Nelson Mandela Bay took the game to fancied Central Gauteng A and pushed them to the limit, but the defending champions snatched a last-gasp 5-4 victory in their semi-final clash. Photo: Brad Morgan.
On Wednesday, in East London, Central Gauteng A and Western Province A booked their places in the final, which will be played in the Joan Harrison East Swimming Pool. The highly anticipated clash between the rivals will be a repeat of last year’s final, which Gauteng won 12-10in Gqeberha.
On their way to the title decider, the Province A side defeated their counterparts Western Province B 15-3 in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Gauteng edged out Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) 5-4.
It was the second meeting between Gauteng and NMB after the team had done battle in a Pool A match on day three. In that clash, Gauteng ran out 10-5 winners, but they were made to work even harder for their victory in the semifinal as NMB targeted an upset.
It was an extraordinary game of water polo filled with drama, individual brilliance, and defining moments. A tightly contested first half concluded with the teams heading into the break level at 3-3.
Gauteng’s goals were scored by Amy Smith, Mia Loizides, and Julia Joseph, while Teagan Harty struck twice for NMB before an out-of-this-world acrobatic backhand shot by Matipa Karimazondo evened the scores at the halfway point.
Harty completed her hat-trick in the third chukka before NMB went into a defensive mode, leading 4-3 ahead of the final chukka.
Big Match Temperament describes Gauteng’s fightback in the fourth chukka. Coach Kelsey Thomson’s charges attacked hard while remaining resolute at the back, with goalkeeper Lucy Davis coming to their rescue several times.
Central Gauteng coach Kelsey Thomson shouts instructions to her team during their semi-final battle with Nelson Mandela Bay. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Their attacking efforts were rewarded when Julia Joseph netted her second to pull Central Gauteng even at 4-4.
In the final minute, both sets of supporters were out of their seats as a dramatic finish unfolded.
NMB head coach Grant McKenzie called a timeout to dish out some instructions to his players in what appeared to be the final play of the match. His players, though, were unable to capitalise on their opportunity and Gauteng quickly turned over the ball.
In possession, Ruby Carlson pinned her ears back and sprinted up the length of the pool to force a one-on-one with goalkeeper Kimberly Kabiri. Only 10 seconds remained when she slid the ball into the net to seal an electrifying win for Gauteng.
Reacting after the match, head coach Kelsey Thomson told SuperSport Schools Plus: “I think Nelson Mandela Bay did really well to change their game plan from yesterday.
Turning to her players, she said: “Our girls were just so good. They showed endurance and just kept chipping away.”
Wednesday’s finalists will meet for a second time at the tournament. In a Pool A clash, earlier in the event, Western Province scored a 7-4 win over Central Gauteng.
Thomson believes her charges will have to bring their A-game if they are to retain the title.
“We knew all the games, from the quarters to the final, would be very tough,” she said. “I think we’ve got good BMT, and the team will need to bring it. Four of the girls are playing in their last ever IPT, so I want them to just play for each other and have fun.”
The second semifinal was dominated by coach Etienne Le Roux‘s Western Province A side, who had the measure of the Province B team, charging to a 15-3 victory.
Hannah Banks continued her fine form, scoring four goals, while Roxanne Uys bagged a hat-trick.
The emphatic win means Province A heads into the final unbeaten in the tournament.
“I’m very proud of the girls. I think we’ve worked really hard,” Le Roux said after his side cruised to a place in the final.
“The best advice to give them is that when they play in a final of this magnitude, they must enjoy it because not many get that opportunity.”
The spectators reserved one of the biggest cheers of the semifinals for Western Province B goalkeeper Carla Lampe after she scored a late consolation goal for her side from a penalty. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Wednesday’s final will be Le Roux’s first in Western Province colours afterhe joined them earlier this year. He insists his players will stick to the methods that have carried them throughout the tournament.
“We’ve prepared for the final,” he said. “We have had conversations about the tactical work we’re going to be doing. The important thing is not to change anything now, but for us to focus on what we worked on and implement as much as possible.
“We will focus on ourselves and not the opposition,” he ended.
SCORES
Western Province B 8: Kirsten Bottger (3), Tatum Malherbe (1), Bailey Donnachie (1), Jemma Stearns (1), Sarah Palframan (1), Anna Lieberman (1). KwaZulu-Natal 5: Lara Mervis (2), Inge Southey (2), Kayla Andrews.
Nelson Mandela Bay 11: Amie Jenner (3), Teagan Harty (2), Mia Jenner (2), Anna Olivier (1), Matipa Karimazondo (1), Jasmine Witthuhn (1), Lucy Rutherfoord (1). Buffalo City 8: Tori Voke (4), Meka Loots (3), Jessica Schaefer (1).
Central Gauteng A 13: Mia Loizides (4), Emma Pelicot (2), Anastasia Hambakis (2), Emily Carle (1), Amy Smith (1), Julia Joseph (1), Tori Tanner-Ellis (1), Francesca De Villiers (1). Eastern Gauteng 2: Maddison Griffin (2).
Western Province A 20: Hannah Banks (4), Bella Murray (4), Alexa De Villiers (4), Emma Catto (2), Nicole Bantom (1), Emily van Heerden (1), Roxanne Uys (1), Amy van Breda (1), Julia Luckoff (1), Isabella Tooley (1). Central Gauteng B 7: Aimee Hattingh (3), Kiara Cronje (2), Mia Duffy (1), Amy Stubbs (1).
Buffalo City B 10: Caroline Kretzmann (3), Shenlyn Grotjohn (2), Emma Booyens (2), Bella Graham (1), Slayde Herman (1), Courtney Linke (1). Northerns 3: Jorja Ross (3).
Buffalo City A 11: Meka Loots (3), Tori Voke (2), Roxy-Lee van Eek (2), Jessica Schaefer (2), Jasmine Koch (1), Erin Batting (1). Eastern Gauteng 6: Caitlin Scrimgeour (4), Megan Venter (2).
KwaZulu-Natal 13: Inge Southey (4), Gemma Malherbe (3), Caitlin McMurray (2), Lara Mervis (2), Kayla Andrews (2). Central Gauteng B 6: Aimee Hattingh (2), Taylor Billett (1), Simphiwe Zulu (1), Mia Duffy (1), Rachel Rostron (1).
Central Gauteng A 5: Julia Joseph (2), Amy Smith (1), Mia Loizides (1), Ruby Carlson (1). Nelson Mandela Bay 4: Teagan Harty (3), Matipa Karimazondo (1).
Western Province A 15: Hannah Banks (4), Roxanne Uys (3), Alexa De Villiers (2), Sofia Walker (2), Emily van Heerden (1), Sophie Vickers (1), Isabella Tooley (1), Julia Luckoff (1). Western Province B 3: Carla Lampe (1), Sarah Palframan (1), Gabriela Stuart-Reckling (1).
Day 5 Fixtures
07:55 – Zimbabwe vs Buffalo City B (9th/10th playoff @Selborne Primary)
09:55 –Nelson Mandela Bay vs Western Province B (3rd/4th playoff @Selborne Primary)
10:40 – Western Province A vs Central Gauteng A – Final (Joan Harrison East Swimming Pool)
11:55 – Buffalo City A vs KwaZulu-Natal (5th/6th playoff @Selborne Primary)
12:55 – Eastern Gauteng vs Central Gauteng B (7th/8th playoff @Joan Harrison West Swimming Pool)
Central Gauteng A was put under pressure by Nelson Mandela Bay in the first half of their clash, but the defending champions pulled clear in the second half of their clash. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Coach Kelsey Thomson‘s charges were seeking redemption on Monday. They headed in the right direction with a 10-5 victory over KwaZulu-Natal in the morning before grinding out a win by the same score against Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) later in the day.
It was the clash against NMB that held more significance and pressure for the Johannesburg outfit. NMB had stunned KZN on Sunday before edging out their provincial rivals Buffalo City 8-5.
Their showdown lived up to expectations, with both teams taking it to the other from the get-go.
Gauteng started the brighter and their pressure brought them an early reward, with Mia Loizides, Courtney Calenborne, and the dangerous Amy Smith slotting goals.
Unphased, NMB worked their way back back into the clash. Teagan Harty, who has featured on the scorers’ list in all of their matches, hit back with a thunderbolt before Amie Jenner and Jessica Stevens made it 3-3 by the end of the first chukka.
Matters remained tight in the second chukka, with Julia Joseph finding the back of the net for the defending champions, while Matipa Karimazondo replied to make it 4-4 at halftime.
Matipa Karimazondo bagged a brace for Nelson Mandela Bay against Central Gauteng A. Photo: Brad Morgan.
After the break, Central Gauteng took charge and dominated the remainder of the game. Aside from Karimazondo scoring a second, NMB was shut down and failed to capitalise on their chances.
Gauteng, meanwhile, found their rhythm. They looked comfortable on the ball and controlled the tempo of the game.
It was only a matter of time before they scored again, and it was Ruby Carlsen who put them ahead for good before further goals from Loizides and Joseph opened up a 7-4 lead ahead of the final chukka.
The last eight minutes of the match were controlled brilliantly by Central Gauteng. They were solid at the back and challenged NMB on the attack. Their reward was another three goals, scored by Smith, Isabella Imbriolo, and Emily Carle.
That 10-5 victory guaranteed Gauteng a second-place finish in Pool A, and they will face Eastern Gauteng in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Reacting to her team’s winning performances on Monday, head coach Kelsey Thomson told SuperSport Schools Plus: “We learnt a lot from that game against Province, a lot of stuff we wanted to fix today.
“It was, maybe, a good thing, even though you never want to lose, but it was a good bounce-back, and I’m happy with the improvements made by the team.”
Thomson admitted that her side has not yet reached its peak at the tournament, but the playoffs will provide her charges with an opportunity to do that.
“I think we’re climbing, and we always knew that in this kind of set-up where all the A sides are in one pool, that the first-half is always going to be tight. It’s about who’s going to be mentally strong and have endurance.
“Going forward, we need to learn from everything that has happened. The tournament really starts now [as we head into the playoffs], and we need to have the hunger to go to the very end,” she said.
While Gauteng and Western Province A nailed down the top two spots in Pool A, first place in Pool B was cemented by Western Province B.
Coach Connor Whiting‘s charges improved their record to five out of five on day three with victories over Central Gauteng B and Northerns.
They’ll have an opportunity to upset the applecart in the quarterfinals when they take on KwaZulu-Natal. Whiting said his charges will go into the contest with all guns blazing.
KZN’s Kayla Andrews fires off a shot against Western Province, who beat their coastal rivals 13-7 on Monday. KZN will face Western Province B in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
“I’m very happy. Our game plan was to try and finish on top of our pool and have a dip at an A-team in the quarterfinal,” he said. “We have an opportunity to cause an upset, and that was the goal.
“I think between us and Central Gauteng B, we can take down some A-teams. That’s the goal. We have nothing to lose. We play KZN, and I think we can take them if we have a really good game, but it won’t be easy.”
In other results, coach Wade Brand‘s Central Gauteng B side secured the runner-up spot in Pool B and will face Western Province A in the quarterfinals.
Nelson Mandela Bay has a second date with Buffalo City, with a semifinal place the reward that awaits the winner of the derby clash.
RESULTS
Scores
Western Province A 11: Hannah Banks (3), Bella Murray (3), Alexa De Villiers, Emma Catto, Roxanne Uys, Amy Van Breda, Isabella Tooley. Buffalo City A 8: Roxy-Lee van Eek (2), Meka Loots (2), Erin Batting, Julianna Saffy, Jasmine Koch, Tatum Knox.
Eastern Gauteng 17: Maddison Griffin (7), Caitlin Scrimgeour (4), Kacey Williams (2), Megan Venter (2), Erin Blackburn, Emma Spronk. Northerns 4: Jorja Ross (3), Gabrielle Hobson.
Central Gauteng A 10: Julia Joseph (3), Anastasia Hambakis (2), Emily Carle (2), Ruby Carlson, Francesca De Villiers. KwaZulu-Natal 5: Inge Southey (3), Kayla Andrews, Caitlin McMurray.
Western Province B 5: Kelly Cadiz (3), Kirsten Bottger, Gabriela Stuart-Reckling. Central Gauteng B 4: Aimee Hatting (3), Amy Stubbs.
Zimbabwe 11: Tayleigh Taylor (4), Emily Taylor (2), Tyla Love, Rachel Duckworth, Olivia Accorsi, Taya Smyth, Lily Bean. Buffalo City B 5: Caroline Kretzmann (2), Courtney Linke (2), Chuma Magobongo.
Nelson Mandela Bay 8: Amie Jenner (3), Matipa Karimazondo, Anna Christensen Pinto, Mia Jenner, Teagan Harty. Buffalo City A 5: Tori Voke (4), Jasmine Koch.
Western Province B 21: Kirsten Bottger (7), Bailey Donnachie (3), Kelly Cadiz (2), Sarah Palframan (2), Gabriela Stuart-Reckling (2), Chelsea Scott, Jemma Stearns, Chloe Galvin, Anna Lieberman, Tatum Malherbe. Northerns 2: Lore Snyckers, Gabriella Grobbelaar.
Western Province A 13: Isabella Tooley (3), Bella Murray (2), Alexa De Villiers (2), Emma Catto (2), Emily Van Heerden, Hannah Banks, Sophie Vickers, Sofia Walker. KwaZulu-Natal 7: Lara Mervis (3), Gemma Malherbe (2), Amber Lewis, Inge Southey.
Eastern Gauteng 14: Caitlin Scrimgeour (4), Maddison Griffin (4), Megan Venter (3), Emma Spronk (2), Keira Hale. Buffalo City B 6: Emma Booyens (2), Slayde Herman (2), Courtney Linke, Mia Smit.
Central Gauteng A 10: Amy Smith (2), Mia Loizides (2), Julia Joseph (2), Ruby Carlsen, Isabella Imbriolo, Courtney Calenborne, Emily Carle. Nelson Mandela Bay 5: Matipa Karimazondo (2), Teagan Harty, Amie Jenner, Jessica Stevens.
Central Gauteng B 20: Amy Harmzen (4), Taylor Billett (3), Kiara Cronje (3), India-Rose Cope (2), Mia Duffy (2), Humairaa Bodiat, Amy Stubbs, Rachel Rostron, Simphiwe Zulu, Aimee Hattingh, Emily Townshend. Northerns 4: Jorja Ross (3), Gabriella Grobbelaar.
Day Four Fixtures
07:30- KwaZulu-Natal vs Western Province B (Quarterfinal 1)
08:35- Nelson Mandela Bay vs Buffalo City (Quarterfinal 2)
09:40- Central Gauteng A vs Eastern Gauteng (Quarterfinal 3)
10:45- Western Province A vs Central Gauteng B (Quarterfinal 4)
11:50- Buffalo City B vs Northerns (Pool C)
15:05- Zimbabwe vs Northerns (Pool C)
18:20- Zimbabwe vs Buffalo City B (Pool C)
Province entered the event as one of the teams to watch, and rightfully so after reaching the IPT and Currie Cup finals in the past 12 months.
Early in the morning, they made their presence felt when they defeated a gritty and resilient Nelson Mandela Bay side 12-6. All eyes were, however, on their second outing of the day against their archrivals, Central Gauteng A.
Coach Kelsey Thomson’s team began their tournament with a nervy 9-4 win over Buffalo City on Saturday and were expecting a tougher battle against Province. The last two meetings between the teams had ended in favour of Gauteng, and the Western Cape side was keen to avenge those defeats.
The teams, surrounded by a packed crowd on all sides of the Joan Harrison Swimming Pool, delivered a cracking game of water polo from chukka one to chukka four, with both challenging the other’s resilience.
Province went ahead in the first half and led 3-1 lead at halftime after an Alexa De Villiers brace and a strike by Hannah Banks. Meanwhile, Francesca de Villiers was on target for Gauteng.
The third chukka featured a defensive masterclass from coach Etienne Le Roux‘s Western Province side as they shut down their opponents from all angles, mostly restricting them to shots from long range.
Shot-stopper Iviwe Tracy Oduore sparkled in goal and made several top saves to keep her side in front.
Central Gauteng managed to beat her twice, however, through Amy Smith and Tori Tanner-Ellis in the third chukka, but Emma Catto replied for the Capetonians, and De Villiers slotted a third to stake Province to a 5-3 lead heading into the final chukka.
The last eight minutes of the match were all about game management for Province while Gauteng was desperate to level matters. They created a number of chances but their finishing lacked accuracy and they were punished when Roxanne Uys scored with four minutes to play.
The defending champions left it too late and had to settle for a consolation goal from Anastasia Hambakis. Uys, though, quickly responded for Western Province to make it 7-4 at the final whistle.
Western Province’s Sofia Walker lets fly with a shot while Amy Smith defends it for Central Gauteng A. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Reacting to his team’s performance, Le Roux said he was impressed with how they defended and how they managed to shut down a quality Gauteng outfit.
“Defence is one of the biggest things I have focused on with the team,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus. “We had long chats about not conceding silly goals.
“Our first game wasn’t great. We did concede a few silly ones. To concede only four against a very strong Gauteng team, I’m super impressed with them. There was lots of defending and blocking, which was good to see.”
Le Roux, who moved to the Western Cape earlier in 2024, is a former Gauteng coach, which might have helped his game plan for Sunday’s showdown. He believes Western Province’s win stands them in good stead going forward.
“With the format changing, it’s going to be hard. There are still a lot of tough games left, and we can’t afford to slow down,” he said. “The job is not done.
“This win was very good for the team, especially after the Currie Cup, where they lost in the final. It’s a great confidence booster.”
Another massive result on Sunday was achieved by Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB), who handed the more fancied KwaZulu-Natal a 14-9 loss.
NMB had come out on the wrong end of a tough opener against Western Province, going down 6-12 on Saturday, but they showed impressive fighting spirit in that contest.
It was again on display against KZN, with Nelson Mandela Bay coming on strongly after half-time to overtime a deficit and, eventually, charge to a comfortable victory.
In an astounding second-half turnaround, Nelson Mandela Bay got in on the KZN goal often while, at the same time, defusing the KZN attack. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Coach Grant McKenzie was ecstatic with the win. “The performance was far better,” he said.
“I think against Western Province we were a bit unsettled, and we tightened up a little bit. It was more about team dynamics. I’m much happier with our defensive efforts, but it doesn’t stop here,” he added, sounding a warning to NMB’s future opposition.
Meanwhile, both Western Province B and Central Gauteng B maintained their unbeaten runs. Zimbabwe picked up their first win, convincingly outplaying Northerns, and Buffalo City A remained winless despite a valiant effort against KwaZulu-Natal.
RESULTS
Scores
Western Province B 11: Kirsten Bottger (6), Kelly Cadiz (2), Anna Lieberman, Gabriela Stuart-Reckling, Tatum Malherbe. Buffalo City B 10: Mia Smit (2), Slayde Herman (2), Shenlyn Grotjohn (2), Caroline Kretzmann (2), Courtney Linke, Emma Booyens.
Western Province A 12: Alexa De Villiers (4), Hanna Banks (3), Emma Catto, Sofia Walker, Amy Van Breda, Julia Luckoff, Isabella Tooley. Nelson Mandela Bay 6: Teagan Harty (2), Elizabeth Horn, Anna Olivier, Jessica Stevens, Matipa Karimazondo.
Central Gauteng B 8: Amy Stubbs (2), Taylor Billett (2), Kiara Cronje, Simphiwe Zulu, Mia Duffy, Humairaa Bodiat. Eastern Gauteng 6: Maddison Griffin (3), Megan Venter, Caitlin Scrimgeour, Erin Blackburn, Megan Venter.
Eastern Gauteng 6: Maddison Griffin (2), Emma Spronk (2), Megan Venter, Caitlin Scrimgeour. Western Province B 12: Kirsten Bottger (6), Kelly Cadiz (2), Tatum Malherbe, Bailey Donnachie, Sarah Palframan, Anna Lieberman.
Western Province A 7: Roxanne Uys (2), Alexa De Villiers (2), Hannah Banks, Emily Van Heerden, Emma Catto. Central Gauteng A 4: Francesca De Villiers, Amy Smith, Tori-Tanner Ellis, Anastasia Hambakis.
Central Gauteng B 7: Aimee Hattingh (3), Kiara Cronje, Taylor Billett, Mia Duffy, Amy Stubbs. Zimbabwe 6: Taya Smyth (2), Tyla Love, Emily Taylor, Tayleigh Taylor, Lily Bean.
Buffalo City B 18: Slayde Herman (6), Caroline Kretzmann (4), Shenlyn Grotjohn (3), Courtney Linke (2), Emma Booyens, Bella Graham, Cami de Villiers. Northerns 8: Jorja Ross (5), Danel Schoeman, Lore Snyckers, Gabriella Grobbelaar.
Western Province B 9: Kirsten Bottger (6), Bailey Donnachie, Sarah Palframan, Anna Lieberman. Zimbabwe 5: Taya Smyth (2), Lucy Wood, Tayleigh Taylor, Lily Bean.
Day 3 Fixtures
07:00 – Western Province A vs Buffalo City A
08:05 – Eastern Gauteng vs Northerns
09:10 – Central Gauteng A vs KwaZulu-Natal
10:15 – Western Province B vs Central Gauteng B
11:20 – Zimbabwe vs Buffalo City B
12:25 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Buffalo City A
13:30 – Northerns vs Western Province B
14:35 – Western Province A vs KwaZulu-Natal
15:40 – Eastern Gauteng vs Buffalo City B
16:45 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Central Gauteng A
17:50 – Northerns vs Central Gauteng B
Tori Voke starred for Buffalo City A in their tournament opener, but Central Gauteng A’s defence stood firm and they turned the tide after being put under early pressure by the hosts. Photo: Brad Morgan.
The defending champions were far from their best in the Joan Harrison West Swimming Pool but managed to get the job done in the final two chukkas of the match. They were challenged by a motivated Buffalo City side, which was boosted by the support of the home crowd.
The opening chukka was thrilling, and both teams threw the kitchen sink at the other in the early going.
Tori Voke opened the scoring for Buffalo City, much to the delight of the locals, but Tori Tanner-Ellis equalised for Gauteng against the run of play at the other end of the pool.
Emily Carle made it two for coach Kelsey Thomson‘s charges before Voke struck again to level matters.
Under pressure, the hosts defended bravely in the latter part of the first chukka, with Erin Batting and Meka Loots leading the way and pulling off crucial blocks, while goalkeeper Rania Khan remained firm at the back.
In the second chukka, however, Gauteng started to find their groove and they opened up a gap by scoring three goals to one in the quarter.
Tanner-Ellis and Emma Pelicot imposed themselves on the match while Julianna Saffy kept Buffalo City’s hopes alive with a cracker of a goal.
Saffy’s strike was, however, cancelled out by the dangerous Amy Smith, who fired in from five metres out to take her team into a 5-3 lead at halftime.
The third chukka was a low-scoring affair, but Gauteng continued to build confidence and add goals to the scoreboard.
They were more fluid, they played better as a unit, and their swift movement of the ball resulted in goals by Courtney Calenborne and Francesca De Villiers.
Buffalo City stubbornly resisted, but their efforts were in vain as they squandered several opportunities in the fourth quarter.
That opened the door for Mia Loizides and Julia Joseph to add to Central Gauteng’s tally, which secured a hard-fought victory for the defending champions.
It was a grind for Gauteng to get by the local side, but it was also the kind of testing opening match that should stand them in good stead ahead of their heavyweight clash with Western Province A on day two.
Buffalo City B found themselves on the defensive throughout their showdown with Central Gauteng B, who ran out handsome winners. Photo: Brad Morgan.
In other matches on the opening day, Central Gauteng B got their campaign off to a rollicking start with a whopping 22-5 win over Buffalo City B.
It was a dominant performance by coach Wade Brand’s team from the first to the final whistle.
Amy Stubbs was at the forefront of their attack and scored six times. Every member of the Gauteng team also got onto the scoresheet, which underlined their dominance of the game.
The final match of the day was between Eastern Gauteng and Zimbabwe.
Eastern Gauteng’s Caitlin Scrimgeour stole the show, netting seven times to help her side to a 10-5 win.
RESULTS
Scores
Central Gauteng B 22: Amy Stubbs (6), Holly Franks (3), Aimee Hatting (2), Cecilia Petersen (2), Kiara Cronje (2), Emily Townshend (2), Simphiwe Zulu (2), India-Rose Cope, Rachel Rostron, Taylor Billett. Buffalo City B 5: Caroline Kretzmann (3) Chuma Magobongo, Cami de Villiers.
Central Gauteng A 9: Tori Tanner-Ellis (2), Emily Carle, Emma Pelicot, Amy Smith, Courtney Calenborne, Francesca De Villiers, Mia Loizides, Julia Joseph. Buffalo City A 4: Tori Voke (3), Julianna Saffy.
07:00 – Western Province B vs Buffalo City B 08:05 – Nelson Mandela A vs Western Province A 09:10 – Eastern Gauteng vs Central Gauteng B 10:15 – Northerns vs Zimbabwe 11:20 – Buffalo City A vs KwaZulu-Natal 12:25 – Eastern Gauteng vs Western Province B 13:30 – Western Province A vs Central Gauteng A 14:35 – Zimbabwe vs Central Gauteng B 15:40 – Northerns vs Buffalo City B 16:45 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs KwaZulu-Natal 17:50 – Zimbabwe vs Western Province B
Saturday’s opener is the first of four games in the pool stage of the competition for the home team. The event, which is the pinnacle of schools’ water polo in South Africa, runs from 7-11 December.
This year, the competition will be tighter than ever, with a new format pitting the top five girls’ teams against one another in the same pool. In past IPTs, the top sides have been split across two pools.
That, pretty much, means every match is a must-win clash. If teams are to secure a place in the playoffs, they’ll have to be on their game from their very first outing.
All eyes will be on Pool A, which features the top five sides: Western Province A, Central Gauteng, Nelson Mandela Bay, and KwaZulu-Natal.
The head coach of Buffalo City, Paige Meecham, is confident her team will rise to the occasion. “We’ve been working really hard, training for the past three months as a unit,” she said.
“The girls have been putting in lots of time and lots of effort. I’m very happy. I think we’re in a good space before the tournament, and, hopefully, we can carry that into the tournament.”
Fine-tuning key areas, such as mobility and movement in attack and defence, has been the focus of Buffalo City’s preparation.
The players in the squad complement the style of play that Meecham wants her charges to produce.
The largest contingent of players, seven in total, are from Clarendon High School for Girls: Jasmine Koch, Meka Loots, Alison Woodin, Jessica Schaefer, Julianne Saffy, and the SA u18 duo of Tori Voke and Kiyara Campbell.
Striling High School will be represented by Roxy Van Eek, Megan Schwartz, and Tatum Knox, while Hudson Park’s Erin Batting and Rania Khan complete the lineup.
Tori Voke is one of the players to watch on the Buffalo City IPT team. Photo: Shot by Shani Photography
Reflecting on the make-up of the team, Meecham said: “There were eight selectors at the trials that helped select the side. It’s a well-rounded team. Two girls, who didn’t play in the Currie Cup at the beginning of the year, have made the team now.
“It also has an even split with seven matrics and six grade 11s, so there will be continuity going forward into next year.”
Buffalo City heads into the tournament keen to improve on their showing in the Currie Cup, which was played in March. It also took place in East London, and Buffalo City finished fifth, just behind KwaZulu-Natal.
Meecham believes they’ve taken lessons from that event. “We have watched a lot of those Currie Cup games,” she revealed. “We did video analysis. We learnt from them, and lots of growth has come out of watching those games.
“We have identified areas that were problematic, and areas of positivity. There’s a lot we’ve taken out and want to fix.”
Meecham succeeds Hannah Muller as coach of the Buffalo City side. Muller was in charge at last year’s IPT in Gqeberha.
It will be Meecham’s second stint with the u19 side after coaching a younger age group in 2023. She said she’s looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m very excited to work with these girls. They are a very awesome group. They’ve grown up insanely well in front of our juniors, and I’m excited to see how they rise to the massive occasion.
“I firmly believe this team has the potential and drive to do well at this tournament. Hopefully, we put all the pieces together at the right moments, especially playing at home in front of our home crowd,” she ended.
BUFFALO CITY U19 GIRLS’ POOL FIXTURES
7 December
17:35- Buffalo City A vs Central Gauteng A
8 December
11:20- Buffalo City A vs KwaZulu-Natal
9 December
07:00- Buffalo City A vs Western Province A
12:25- Buffalo City A vs Nelson Mandela Bay
Buffalo City u19 Girls’ Team
Jasmine Koch, Meka Loots, Alison Woodin, Jessica Schaefer, Julianne Saffy, Tori Voke, and Kiyara Campbell (Clarendon High School for Girls), Roxy Van Eek, Megan Schwartz, Tatum Knox (Stirling High School), Erin Batting, and Rania Khan (Hudson Park High School).
