Author: asawula

A first-half goal by Grey College’s Dayne Kitching secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for the Free State side against their arch-rivals, Grey High School, in their annual interschools derby clash on Friday night in Bloemfontein.

College, who entered the game intent on reversing last year’s 0-1 defeat in Gqeberha, needed only Kitching’s strike to claim the win.

Both teams have enjoyed strong seasons, and both would have been confident ahead of the match.

Coach Andrew Beynon’s Grey High team had only lost three times before their Friday night setback, going down to South African College High School (SACS) twice, and Paul Roos Gimnasium once.

In their other matches, they’ve been free-scoring and they travelled to Bloemfontein as the favourites.

The hosts, on the other hand, had also compiled an impressive record of their own during the second term. College, under the guidance of Wayne Coetzee, had won four of their past five matches. It was only Paarl Gimnasium who stopped their winning streak, holding the Bloemfontein boys to a 1-1 draw, with Matthias Visser scoring a late equaliser for Grey in Paarl in April.

Grey High was without their captain, Kian Cambier, who had been invited to join the SA u21 men’s training camp in Pretoria, so the skipper’s armband was entrusted to Xander Elkington.

The match started slowly, with possession regularly being turned over in the first chukka. Grey High was awarded a penalty corner but failed to convert it into a goal.

Matters livened up in the second chukka. The hosts launched an attack deep into the Grey High half, with good linking play creating a chance for Wian Du Plooy to enter the circle. With few options open around him, he spotted Kitching, who was storming up the pitch, and laid the ball back for him.

Kitching took a couple of steps to enter the circle, and then fired a sweet shot into the bottom right-hand corner, beating SA u17 goalkeeper Kaino Broadhurst, to give his side the lead.

Coach Coetzee’s side grew in confidence after that goal with Ayanda Ngxaki, MJ Bam, and Luke Mosala taking charge of the midfield battle.

Grey High, just before halftime, had another short corner opportunity. This time they went for a variation, with Ben Ristow feeding Elkington, but the skipper’s shot was wide of the mark.

Early in the third chukka, College had an opportunity to extend their lead after Danrich Hoffmann won his side their first penalty corner. Drag flicker Matthias Visser twice had his shots run down by Robbie Stow, which kept the score at 1-0.

The visitors were awarded two more penalty corners, but their execution let them down.

In the final chukka, all College had to do was hold on and keep play away from their circle. They succeeded until there were 36 seconds left to play. Then, Grey High’s Athi Voigt, who was one of the visitors’ standout players, won another PC for his side after a mazy run.

It wasn’t meant to be for the Gqeberha boys and their final attempt, which was another variation, was also wide, which summed up a frustrating day for Elkington and company. It was their first defeat since the Hibbert Shield semi-finals in May.

“I think both teams knew they had to play out of their skins if they wanted to win,” Grey College head coach, Wayne Coetzee, told SuperSport Schools Plus after the match.

“I believe both sides rose to the occasion, but it was always going to come down to moments, because when a game is that close, it’s always about moments.

“Dayne Kitching rose to the occasion and took his moment.

“There was a real opportunity for them to score, and [goalkeeper] Wildré Lloyd was on top of his game, making a save with his stick.

“I’m extremely happy for the boys and super proud as an old boy to be part of Grey College hockey,” he concluded.

Other matches

In Komani, Selborne College picked up their second win of the term when they dismantled Queen’s College 6-1. In their first meeting in East London earlier in the season, Queen’s held Selborne to a 1-1 draw.

The visitors weren’t about to let history repeat itself and were ruthless from the onset.

Both Thomas Caswell and skipper Tre’ Gilbert scored twice, before Cade Kock and Daniel Sirgel hammered the final nails into the Queen’s College coffin to seal victory.

Selborne, next weekend will host Dale College, while Queen’s takes on Merrifield College.

In East London, Stirling continued on their impressive run this term, following up a win over Dale College last week with a 3-1 defeat of Hudson Park 3-1 on Friday.

Hisharm Pillay, who has been at the forefront of the green and white machine’s challenge, scored twice, with Keagan Mattheus netting Stirling’s third.

In Makhanda, both Kingswood College and St Andrew’s College recorded wins.

Kingswood, in their final match of the season, thumped Graeme College 5-0 to sign off in style, while St Andrew’s were made to work hard for a 2-1 win over Dale College.

Woodridge College held Pearson to a 2-2 draw, while during the week Cambridge High made light work of Port Rex Technical High School, beating them 8-0.

RESULTS

St Andrew’s College 2-1 Dale College
Stirling 3-1 Hudson Park
Kingswood College 5-0 Graeme College
Grey High 4-1 Kingswood College
Selborne College 6-1 Queen’s College
Grey College 1-0 Grey High School
Pearson High 2-2 Woodridge College
Cambridge High 8-0 Port Rex THS

Four goals, all scored in the second half, secured a tough and hard-fought 4-2 win for Wynberg Boys’ High over Paarl Gimnasium in their first official Western Cape league match after the mid-year holidays in Cape Town on Friday night.

The action, which took place at the “Astro of Dreams”, kicked into life in the third chukka after not many goal scoring opportunities were produced in the first half.

In their last two games before the mid-year break, coach Ben Wiley’s troops were hammered 7-1 by Paul Roos Gimnasium in Stellenbosch before losing out 0-1 against South African College School (SACS).

They were, however, in high spirits after a 4-0 mid-week win against Repton School, who were on tour from the United Kingdom.

However, Gim was brimming with confidence. They’d been crowned the champions of the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament after defeating SACS 2-1 in the final.

Coach Jacques Grobler’s side was brutally efficient in that event and finished unbeaten, which set up an interesting clash with Wynberg, who had a number of players named in SA Schools team at the conclusion of the SASHOC Nationals Weeks.

The first two chukkas of the encounter were evenly contested with little to separate the sides. There were chances here and there, but nothing substantial.

In the third chukka, the tempo of the contest picked up. A dangerous run by Zac Gibbon was ended by a poor tackle, which resulted in a penalty stroke for the hosts. Up stepped Wynberg’s reliable skipper, Jordan Paulsen, and he converted to give his side the lead.

Soon after that goal, Gim responded through their skipper LD Nel, who received the ball in space and quickly fired off a shot to level the scores.

Seth Trantraal restored Wynberg’s lead with six minutes to go in the third quarter, putting them 2-1 in front ahead of the final chukka.

Gibbon, who won gold with the Western Province u18A side at the SASHOC National Week, added his name to the score sheet in the final chukka before Dayyaan Brown netted to make it 4-1, which ensured the win would go Wynberg’s way.

Gim responded with a consolation second goal through a Stephan Pieterse drag flick in the match’s closing minutes.

The loss was the first for Paarl Gimnasium since they suffered a 0-1 defeat against Paul Roos Gimnasium in May.

Speaking to SuperSport Schools Plus after the match, Wynberg coach Ben Wiley said he was pleased with his side’s performance and happy to start the second half of the season on a positive note.

“It’s a huge start to the second half of the season for us,” he reckoned.

“A 4-0 win against Repton (who played in the CTIHT) and this great win against a team who have had the better of us in the last few years is a huge win for us and sets the standard and tone for the rest of the season.”

After the goalless first half, Wiley said he encouraged his team to keep doing what they had been doing during his halftime talk.

“The halftime message was simple; I told the boys we have to be patient and stick to our structure and plan,” he explained.

“Chances were coming, and we knew once one went in, we would score more. We let ourselves down after so much work to concede after scoring but that lapse was temporary, and we were back to structure and composure.”

Other matches

Another southern suburbs’ side that was in action at the Brewery Astroturf in Newlands was SACS, who took on Paarl Boys’ High.

Coach Sam Holmes’ side, as expected by many, ran rampant against Boishaai scoring seven goals, while letting in only one.

Right-wing Matthew Jones scored a brace and further goals by Cohen Williams, Matthew Lassen, Jo Le Roux, and the energetic Zac Redfern sealed a comfortable win for the Cape Town school.

Their attention will sharpen up for their next outing. A scintillating showdown is expected when they do battle with Paul Roos Gimnasium on Wednesday, 24 July.

Meanwhile, Stellenberg handed Outeniqua a 3-1 defeat, Durbanville edged Belville 3-2, Fairmont thumped Settlers 7-0, and Rondebosch drew 1-1 against Parel Vallei at home.

RESULTS

Wynberg Boys’ High 4-2 Paarl Gimnasium
SACS 7-1 Paarl Boys’ High
Rondebosch Boys’ High 1-1 Parel Vallei
Durbanville 3-2 Belville
Stellenberg 3-1 Outeniqua
Reddam Constantia 3-1 DF Malan
Brackenfell 1-1 Melkbosstrand
HTS Drostyd vs HS Langenhoven Riversdal
Farimont 7-0 Settlers

Gauteng’s premier girls’ hockey tournament, the Pullen and Howell, returns this weekend for the first round of the 2024 edition of the competition, which will feature 73 teams battling for supremacy at nine venues.

The annual tournament, founded by Rob Pullen and Ros Howell in 2006, has gone from strength to strength since its first edition.

The Pullen section refers to the u18A and u18B sections, while the u16A and u16B sections compete for the Howell Trophy.

In its first edition, 18 years ago, Johannesburg’s St Andrew’s School for Girls won the Pullen Trophy, while St Mary’s Waverley claimed the Howell Trophy.

This year’s tournament will run for four days, starting on Saturday 20 July, with further mid-week action on Tuesday, 23 July, and Thursday, 25 July. The final is scheduled for Saturday, 27 July.

The competition includes schools from Johannesburg, Pretoria, Krugersdorp, Eastern Gauteng, and Vereeniging.

The defending champions St Stithians Girls’ College will be eyeing a repeat in the Pullen Trophy. They’ve been drawn in Pool A and face Northcliff, St Mary’s Waverley, and Dr EG Jansen.

Pool B features this year’s All Girls Festival champions Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria (AHMP) in action against Noordheuwel, Holy Rosary, and Kingsmead.

Coach Omari-Pienaar Geyer‘s Waterkloof girls will be keen to challenge for the title. They’re in Pool C, where they’ll need to get past Monument, Beaulieu College, and one of the hosting schools, St Andrew’s School for Girls.

Hoërskool Garsfontein will be favoured in Pool D. They’re up against Helpmekaar Kollege, Roedean School, and Trinity Randpark Ridge.

The B Section promises to be very competitive and upsets, inevitably, will happen.

Eldoraigne are among the favourites. Standing in their way in Pool C are Hugenote, Linden, Germiston’s Assumption Convent School, and Alberton.

Menlopark, in Pool D, will be out to dominate against St Dominic’s, Redhill, Marias Viljoen, Bryanston, and Midstream College.

The Pullen u18 A Section will be played at St Mary’s Waverley, Roedean, Kingsmead, and St Andrew’s.

Meanwhile, the B Section takes place at Parktown High School for Girls, Redhill, Holy Rosary School, Linden, and Fourways.

In the Howell trophy, last year’s champs, St Mary’s Waverley, are in Pool D. If they are to successfully defend their title, they will first need to see off Marias Viljoen, Northcliff, and Steyn City.

There is no clear favourite in pools A, B and C.

The action in the A Section, kicks off with a crucial clash between Affies and St Stithians College at Fourways High School at 08:45. Saints will also face Monument and Kempton during the course of the day.

Pullen Trophy A Section Fixtures

Pool A @St Mary’s Nathan Field

09:15 – St Stithians College vs EG Jansen
10:00 – Northcliff vs St Mary’s
12:15 – St Stithians College vs St Mary’s
13:00 – EG Jansen vs Northcliff
15:15 – St Stithians College vs Northcliff
16:00 – St Mary’s vs EG Jansen

Pool B @ Kingsmead College
09:15 – Noordheuwel vs Kingsmead
10:00 – Affies vs Holy Rosary
12:15 – Noordheuwel vs Holy Rosary
13:00 – Kingsmead vs Affies
15:15 – Noordheuwel vs Affies
16:00 – Holy Rosary vs Kingsmead

Pool C @ St Andrew’s School for Girls

09:15 – Monument vs St Andrew’s School for Girls
10:00 -Waterkloof vs Beaulieu College
12:15 – Monument vs Beaulieu College
13:00 – St Andrew’s School for Girls vs Waterkloof
15:15 – Monument vs Waterkloof
16:00 – Beaulieu College vs St Andrew’s School for Girls

Pool D @ Roedean School

09:15 – Garsfontein vs Trinity Randpark Ridge
10:00 – Roedean School vs Helpmekaar College
12:15 -Garsfontein vs Helpmekaar
13:00 – Trinity Randpark Ridge vs Roedean School
15:15 – Garsfontein vs Roedean School
16:00 –  Helpmekaar College vs Trinity Randpark Ridge

Wynberg Boys’ High, after the mid-year break, will get their season up and running again this weekend when they welcome the dangerous Paarl Gimnasium to the southern suburbs of Cape Town for one of the biggest matches of the weekend on Friday evening.

The clash, which takes place on Wynberg’s “Astro of Dreams,” starts at 18:30.

Meanwhile, Rondebosch Boys’ High, after losing 2-3 against Fairmont High School last week, will host Parel Vallei at the WPCC Sports Centre. That game is schedule for 19:20.

Catch both matches LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

It’s a first meeting of Wynberg and Paarl Gim this season and both will be focussed on resuming their hockey schedule with a win.

Before the mid-year holidays, Wynberg took a dip in their final two matches, going down 1-7 against Paul Roos in Stellenbosch, before playing well but succumbing to a 0-1 defeat against South African College High School (SACS).

They will, however, draw inspiration from some of their outstanding performances this season. They include a 9-1 thumping of Stellenberg High School, a 1-0 win over Rondebosch, and, earlier in the year, a 2-2 draw against a strong Grey High side, which was followed by a comfortable 5-1 win over Paarl Boys’ High away from home.

Wiley will look to his returning players, who helped Western Province win a third straight SASHOC National Week title in Bloemfontein last month, to lead their challenge. Wynberg’s Head of Hockey, Devin Stanton, was also a member of the winning team, serving the side as the assistant coach.

The Western Province team included Wynberg captain Jordan Paulsen, Dayle Gertson, Ethan Lee and Zachary Gibbon, while Ethan Daniels represented the Western Province u18B team.

At the end of the tournament, Paulsen, who was immense for Province despite going under the radar, and Gertson, were named in the SA Schools u18A side, and Gibbon was included in the SA u17 side.

Meanwhile, their teammate, Lee, who was part of the Central Hockey Club side that recently won the Belgotex Elite Club Challenge, and who scored a cracker of a goal in the SASHOC National Week final against Boland in Bloemfontein, was named in the SA u18B side.

Wynberg should be confident after a mid-week fixture against the UK’s Repton, which they won 4-0.

Paarl Gim, also, will be high in confidence after winning last week’s Cape Town International Hockey Tournament.

There, coach Jacques Grobler‘s side played outstanding hockey and ended the tournament unbeaten, edging out SACS 2-1 in the final, courtesy of an LD Nel brace.

Before the holidays, they won two and lost one of their three matches.

Those wins came against Fairmont High School (3-0) and Parel Vallei (4-2), before they suffered a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Paul Roos.

Paarl Gim has plenty of firepower in their contingent from Nel, Juan Swanepoel and John Coetzee, who all represented Boland at the inter-provincial tournament.

Grobler will also look to proven performers, Stefan Wiehahn, Stephan Pieterse, and his goalkeeper, Joe van Coller to inspire his team to victory.

Meanwhile, in the same southern suburbs, Rondebosch Boys’ High welcomes Parel Vallei for a Friday night showdown

‘Bosch, despite starting the Western Province League season like a house on fire, which included beating Paul Roos 1-0, has had a topsy-turvy season, and last week’s unexpected defeat against Fairmont would have stung.

Coach Waseem Domingo‘s side faces an unpredictable opponent in Parel Vallei, who are coached by Michael van Rensburg.

They’re a good team, which finished the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament in fourth place. Their key players include Matthew Temmis, Jared Jacobs, and Sibulele Makeleni.

SACS will be expected to get the job done against Boishaai at the Brewery, while Durbanville plays Belville before a late game between Stellenberg and Outeniqua.

FUXTURES

Friday, 19 July

18:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Paarl Gimnasium
19:15 – SACS vs Paarl Boys’ High
19:20 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Parel Vallei
20:10 – Durbanville vs Belville
20:15 – Stellenberg vs Outeniqua

Saturday, 20 July

10:00 – DF Malan vs Reddam House Constantia
11:00 – Brackenfell vs Melkbosstrand
11:15 -HTS Drostyd vs HS Langenhoven Riversdal

Two goals, scored by Reuben Sendzul, and Barend Geldenhuys, secured a hard-fought 2-0 win for Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) over Bishops Diocesan College on Wednesday evening on the Maties AstroTurf in Stellenbosch.

The match was the first between the teams this year, and their first outings since the mid-year holidays.

It was also Bishops’ first defeat in the Western Cape. Previously, they had suffered only one loss, and that came back in May at the Hibbert Shield against Garsfontein.

Rewatch the action on SuperSport Schools

Heading into the eagerly anticipated clash, both teams sported impressive records, including convincing wins in their last games of the second term.

The hosts, in their last meeting before facing Bishops, put on a masterful display, back in May, to race to a 7-1 win over Wynberg Boys’ High in Stellenbosch.

In that clash, coach Michael Baker’s side was in sync, ruthless in attack, and, arguably, played their best hockey of the season.

Bishops, meanwhile, took on Rondebosch Boys’ High and dominated their southern suburbs neighbours to record an emphatic 5-1 win.

Bishops, for their recent matches, have also been without their head coach, Ryan Julius, who is on national duty for the SA Men’s team at the Paris Olympics. In his absence, Abdul Cassiem, the father of the renowned Cassiem brothers, has led the team. That mattered little to PRG on Wednesday evening as they started the brighter and attacked with intent.

In the second chukka, coach Baker’s side opened the scoring through Sendzul. After failing to execute two short corners, which were blocked by Joshua Mettler and ‘keeper, Mu’aath Ganief respectively, PRG made their third attempt count.

Hano Basson and Sendzul swapped castles to get Bishops guessing about who would drag. Then, a swift injection from Callum van Oudsthoorn went to SA Schools u17 player Christo Swanepoel on his right-hand side. He, in turn, laid off to Sendzul, who calmly slotted to make it 1-0.

Soon after, PRG was awarded another PC but, for a second third time, Mettler got in the way of the drag flick. It was 1-0 to the home team at half-time.

The third chukka was all Bishops as they attempted a comeback but PRG’s shot-stopper, Beor van Reenen was not having it in his 50^th appearance, and pulled off three acrobatic saves in the space of a minute.

Van Reenen came to his side’s rescue again in the fourth chukka, twice preventing the Cape Town school from scoring.

His teammate, Barend Geldenhuys, put the final nail in the Bishops’ coffin with an extraordinary solo goal. After working his way into the circle, he created space and fired a reverse stick shot that flew into the top-hand left corner to seal the win for his side.

“I’m very happy with the boys’ performance,” Baker told SuperSport Schools Plus after the encounter.

“I think Bishops has snuck under the radar this year. Ryan and the legend Mr. Cassiem have done an incredible job.

“Their half-court press is so tough to break. This meant, potentially, a slow game, and I’m proud of my boys for being patient and executing what we worked on.

“We set up nicely to try to stop their counter threat. [We had] a well-worked PC, which we only trained for them, and a clean sheet for Beor on his 50th, so I’m very happy,” he concluded.

Paul Roos will return to action in a week when they host South African College High School (SACS) on their home turf in a massive clash.

Meanwhile, Bishops will be tested in their attempt to get back to winning ways when they tackle Cape Town International Hockey Tournament champions, Paarl Gimnasium, next Monday.

RESULTS

Paul Roos Gimnasium 2-0 Bishops Diocesan College
Paarl Boys’ High 3-2 DF Malan

The annual inter-schools meeting between Grey College and Grey High School is one of the most highly anticipated schoolboy hockey matches of the year, and this weekend the two giants will reignite their rivalry.

The action takes place in Bloemfontein, with College facing their counterparts from Gqeberha on the Grey Astro on Friday evening.

The match starts at 18:15. Catch it LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

Coach Andrew Beynon‘s Grey High side is, without a doubt, favoured heading into the clash. They have enjoyed a remarkable run this season.

Despite a heavy schedule, they have lost only three times, against the teams most consider to be the top two sides in the country, South African College High School (SACS), who beat them twice, and Paul Roos Gimnasium.

Against SACS, they went down 2-5 when they visited Cape Town earlier in the season, and they were then beaten by the Cape Town school again, but only after a penalty shootout in the semi-finals of the Hibbert Shield in May.

Since then, the side, captained by SA Schools u18A play-maker, Kian Cambier, has been on a roll, impressing week in and week out. Despite not yet playing to their full potential, according to coach Beynon, they have been prolific goal scorers.

In their first match of the third term, last Friday, they took on York High on the Rectory AstroTurf.

There were some signs of rust in the first half, but they went into the half-time break with a 1-0 lead, thanks to a well-worked Logan Goddard-Ford goal.

They became their usual ruthless selves in the second half, however, scoring a whopping six times more through Cambier (2), Xander Elkington, Ben Ristow, Luke Tait, and Cayden Skinnette.

That performance was a continuation of the dominance they had displayed just before the winter holidays, in May, when they thumped Pearson 7-1, Woodridge College 6-1, and Queen’s College 6-0.

Their clash in Bloemfontein will, however, be a far stiffer test. Grey College will be fired up in front of their home supporters and out to prove a point after they went down 0-1 in Gqeberha last year.

Their task will be a mammoth one, with Grey High presenting significent challenges all over the field. Luke Tait and Cambier have been regulars on the score sheet also season long, while Ristow and Zac Thornton will also bear watching. Then, there’ll be the challenge of trying to beat SA u17 goalkeeper Kaino Broadhurst, who has put together an excellent season.

Grey College, also, has enjoyed a strong season and improved on their form of 2023.

Apart from good showings in the Belgotex Greg Beling, Nomads and KES Easter Hockey festivals, College has played five big derby matches, winning four and drawing one.

They beat Outeniqua 6-0, outplayed previously undefeated Selborne College 5-2, and won 3-0 against Paarl Boys’ High, and 2-1 against Affies. They drew 1-1 with Paarl Gimnasium.

Despite having not played in over two months in Grey College’s colours, many of coach Wayne Coetzee’s players did duty at the u18 SASHOC National Week, where they made up 90 percent of the Southern Free State team. Their match fitness will not be an issue.

They possess, in Matthias Visser, a dangerous drag flicker, who was at the centre of Southern Free State’s challenge.

Luke Mosala and Ayanda Ngxaki are also players to keep an eye on. They were both selected for the SA Schools u18B team after impressing at the inter-provincial week. Goalkeeper Wildré Lloyd also cracked an SA u18B nod.

Others who could cause Grey High some headaches include MJ Bam, Andrew Koupis and Jayden Leech.

In the Eastern Cape, Queen’s College will be back in action for a first time since June when they host Selborne College in Komani.

The fierce rivalry between the sides has been dominated by Selborne over recent seasons. However, Queen’s showed what they’re capable of earlier this season when they frustrated coach KJ Friend‘s Selborne side and claimed a 1-1 draw in East London.

In their most recent action, they went 1-2 down to a very good St Andrew’s College team. Selborne, meanwhile, will be brimming with confidence after they thumped Hudson Park 6-2 last weekend.

In Makhanda, coach Dean Ferreira‘s St Andrew’s side, after a dominant 5-0 defeat of Woodridge last week, will face Dale College.

Stirling and Hudson Park will face off, Kingswood tackles Graeme College, and Pearson hosts Woodridge College.

FIXTURES

Friday, 19 July

16:00 – St Andrew’s College vs Dale College
16:00 – Stirling vs Hudson Park
16:30 – Kingswood College vs Graeme College
18:15 – Queen’s College vs Selborne College
18:15 – Grey College vs Grey High School
TBC – Pearson High vs Woodridge College

Two of the best performing girls’ hockey teams in the Western Cape this year, Paarl Gimnasium, and Rhenish Girls’ High School, will battle it out for provincial supremacy and bragging rights when they lock horns in Paarl on Friday evening.

The match kicks off at 19:15 on Paarl Gim’s main AstroTurf.

Ahead of that big showdown, Rhenish will also face Paarl Girls’ High on Thursday at 16:30.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

This season, Rhenish and Gim have been a cut above the rest in the Western Cape, with both playing an exciting brand of hockey that’s seen them boss many of their opponents while scoring freely.

At the beginning of the season, coach Chris Gerber’s Rhenish side was dominant at the Belgotex Greg Beling Festival in East London, beating, among others, Eunice 5-1, DSG Makhanda 3-0, and Affies 4-0, to announce themselves as one of 2024’s top teams.

In April, both sides contested the prestigious St Mary’s Waverley Festival in Johannesburg.

After starting brightly and performing strongly over the first two days, Rhenish’s form dipped, and they went down 0-1 to coach Ian Naudé’s Paarl Gim. In the end, Rhenish placed 11th in the 32-team field.

Gim impressed, but narrowly missed out on the bronze medal, going down 0-1 to St Stithians Girls College in the playoff for third and fourth.

Since then, both sides have been hard to beat. Rhenish has been in red hot form, with their results including a runners-up finish at the All Girls Festival in Potchefstroom, where they lost out to Affies in the final in a penalty shootout.

In their past six matches, Gerber’s charges have scored 28 goals without conceding, beating Parel Vallei 2-0, Fairmont 10-0, Herschel Girls School 2-0, Pearson High 4-0, Collegiate 4-0, and Woodridge College 6-0.

Speaking to SuperSport Schools Plus ahead of the clash, Gerber said his side is eager to take on Gim.

“The vibe in the team is incredible. The girls have been together for a few weeks to freshen up and be ready for the next few weeks,” he said.

“They are all excited and raring to get back onto the Astro.

“We’ve applied ourselves well during the season and we would like to keep that momentum going. The team has learned a lot, and the growth the players have shown is remarkable for such a young team.”

The Stellenbosch side had four players represent the school in the u18 section of the SASHOC National Week in Bloemfontein during the June holidays.

Martanique Petersen and Leah du Plessis were in action for the Boland u18A team. The Boland u18B team featured Shené du Plessis and Kaitlyn van Binsbergen, who distinguished herself by finishing as the B Section’s top goal scorer.

At the conclusion of the inter-provincial tournament, Du Plessis was included in SA Schools u17 side. She’ll be one of the key players for Rhenish against Gimmies.

Gerber said the result will be determined by which team finishes better. “Playing against Paarl Gim will be a nice challenge for the girls, and they are very excited about the game. We need to take our chances and put them under pressure.

“They are a strong, fit team, and we need to make sure we move the ball and play in the right areas to create opportunities and then take them.”

Paarl Gim will enter the clash high in confidence after putting some brilliant hockey on show at the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament.

There, Gimmies, captained by Tanya Pieterse, reminded everyone just how dangerous they could be when firing on all cylinders.

Playing like a well-oiled machine, they scored a whopping 63 goals in the three days of competition and conceded only once, in the final against Somerset College, whom they thumped 10-1.

Naudé and his players will feel there’s no better time to face Rhenish than the present and they will be keen to keep riding the momentum they built up during their sensational run to the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament title.

Gim is blessed with goal scoring threats; Marika Neethling, Tanya Pieterse, Anya Swanepoel, Annie le Roux, and Isabella Nel combined to fire in 45 of the 63 goals Naudé‘s girls scored on their way to annexing the title. The fact that another 18 goals were also scored shows the potential of the team to strike from anywhere.

In other matches around the province, Herschel Girls School hosts Springfield Convent School in another massive Cape Town derby.

Paarl Girls’ High will be expected to get the job done against Durbanville, while Rustenburg School for Girls welcomes a dangerous Parel Vallei side to their home turf.

HMS Bloemhof will renew their rivalry with La Rochelle, while Stellenberg takes on Outeniqua, and Fairmont faces The Settlers on Saturday.

FIXTURES

Friday, 19 June 2024

18:00 – La Rochelle vs HMS Bloemhof
18:35 – Rustenburg School for Girls vs Parel Vallei
18:40 – Herschel Girls School vs Springfield
19:15 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Rhenish
19:15 – Stellenberg vs Outeniqua

Saturday, 20 July 2024

10:00 – Fairmont High vs The Settlers
11:15 – Paarl Girls High vs Durbanville

There was a healthy total of 43 goals scored in seven matches on the weekend as Eastern Cape hockey teams returned to turf action after the mid-year break.

The big winners were Selborne College, the Gqeberha duo of Grey High School and Pearson High, and Makhanda’s St Andrew’s College.

Selborne outplayed Hudson Park 6-1 at home, while coach Andrew Beynon’s high-flying Grey side beat York 7-0.

Meanwhile, Pearson had a double header weekend. On Friday, they began it with a 4-0 win over Victoria Park. The following day, they rattled the back of the net with 11 against Reddam House Waterfall.

The action began on Friday night in East London as Selborne, who have enjoyed an outstanding season, went in search of a first win of the third term. They were up against an unpredictable Hudson side.

The boys in black and white had rolled to 6-2 win last time out against Stirling High in June, while Hudson had shared a 2-2 draw with Queen’s College in their final term two encounter.

The visitors started the brighter of the sides, at least on defence, effectively handling Selborne’s offensive forays early in the first chukka.

However, with five minutes left in the first quarter, skipper Tre’ Gilbert struck to open the scoring for Selborne.

In the second quarter, they added two more goals through Thomas Caswell, while Hudson pulled one back to go into half-time trailing 1-3.

The hosts scored three more in the second half through Jaques van der Merwe to complete the drubbing and kick off their term on a positive note.

“I was extremely happy with our ability to move the throughout the field tonight and make Hudson work for the ball,” Selborne head coach, KJ Friend told SuperSport Schools Plus after the match.

“Our rotations through the field were probably at the best they’ve been all season.

“Considering it’s our first game back since last term, I was happy, and I am looking forward to how we can build on the performance.”

In Gqeberha, Grey High defused a motivated York side to also get their third term up and running at a sprint. In their last match before the holidays, Grey had been made to work hard for a 2-1 win over St Andrew’s College in Makhanda.

Loaded with Eastern Province u18A players, Grey, as they have done for the majority of the season, comfortably controlled the game. They started a little slowly but soon kicked into a higher gear in front of a buzzing crowd at the Rectory AstroTurf.

Logan Goddard-Ford opened the scoring after smooth interlinking play, which gave the Gqeberha boys a 1-0 lead at halftime.

After the break, it rained goals, with Kian Cambier (2), Xander Elkington, Ben Ristow, Luke Tait, and Cayden Skinnette all getting onto the scoresheet.

“I thought we moved the ball the nicely as a team and worked hard out of possession,” coach Beynon said after the encounter. “However, we did not convert enough opportunities, so it was 1-0 at halftime.

“We dominated possession and territory once again [in the second half] but were a lot more clinical and scored some wonderful goals. Not our night in terms of penalty corners, but a good start after the mid-season break,” he added.

In Makhanda, coach Dean Ferriera’s St Andrew’s side got off to a flying start, thumping Woodridge College 5-0.

Goal scorers’ Samuel Scheckter, Connor McNamara, Jono Mackenzie, Jean de Villiers, and Laurie Apps ensured it was a good day for the home side.

Cambridge and Stirling were also on the winning side in their weekend outings.

Stirling edged out Dale 3-2 in Qonce, while Cambridge took home a 3-1 win against Merrifield College.

The action continues next weekend, with Selborne traveling to Komani to face Queen’s College, while Grey High prepares to take on Grey College in Bloemfontein, and St Andrew’s welcomes Dale College to Makhanda.

Catch all the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

Eastern Cape Results

Stirling High School 3-2 Dale College
Selborne College 6-1 Hudson Park
Grey High School 7-0 York High School
St Andrew’s College 5-0 Woodridge College
Cambridge High School 3-1 Merrifield
Pearson High 4-0 Victoria Park
Pearson High 11-0 Reddam House Waterfall

Paarl Gimnasium’s captain, LD Nel, netted twice to lead his side to a hard fought 2-1 victory over South African College High School (SACS) in the final of the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament in Stellenbosch on Sunday evening.

That win means coach Jacques Grobler‘s team has now bagged two major trophies this year after they claimed the title at the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament in March.

This tournament was, however, different. After a break from interschools’ action because of the mid-year break, teams welcomed players from the various provincial teams back into their folds after the SASHOC National Weeks, but there were others who hadn’t played in a while.

Despite that, neither SACS nor Gim showed rust and dominated their opponents during the event to enter the Elite final as the only unbeaten sides in the tournament.

SACS, the defending champions, after finishing top of Pool C, thumped Durbanville High 7-2 in the quarterfinals before edging out Parel Vallei 3-2 in the semifinals.

Gim, meanwhile, topped Pool D, and downed the UK’s Repton B 5-1 in the last eight. Then, in their semi-final clash against their arch-rivals, Paul Roos Gimnasium, they fought their way back from 0-2 down to draw the game 2-2, before winning 2-1 in a penalty shootout.

There was no clear favourite heading into the final, with SACS, whom most would pick as the best team in South Africa this season, fielding a younger squad, while Gim opted for their strongest players out on the park. That worked in their favour.

The first chukka was end-to-end stuff, with possession changing hands, and both teams trying to get comfortable on the ball. Eventually, in the second chukka, the deadlock was broken by SACS.

Litha Kraai, after receiving a ball just outside his half from SACS’ skipper, Joe Le Roux, launched a dangerous run into Gim’s circle. He lost control of the ball, but it was picked up by Regan Wille, who found Kraai in space, and the SA Schools’ star tapped in for the game’s opening goal.

Soon after, Gim responded. Stefan Wiehahn dispossessed SACS in their half and quickly picked out LD Nel in space. The captain fired off a reverse stick shot into the net to level the scores at 1-1.

With 11 seconds left in the chukka, Nel made it a double after pouncing on a ball that landed in his path off a save of a shot from Ethan October.

At the halfway point, the side from Paarl led 2-1.

In the final two chukkas, SACS dominated as they fought to find an equaliser, but Gim’s defence was resolute, with Joe van Coller pulling off some impressive saves in the Gim goalbox.

In the latter stages of the encounter, coach Sam Holmes‘ SACS side seemed to be building momentum, but their discipline let them down, with both Kraai and Mohlodi Maseko being shown yellow cards, which led to them finishing the contest on the sidelines. Paarl Gim held on for the win.

“This weekend’s hockey was amazing. To see the group of players come together the way they did, and they only got better every game, was great to see,” coach Grobler told SuperSport Schools Plus after the match.

“The players played a good brand of attacking hockey, with a good balance of defensive grit. Beating Paul Roos and SACS on a weekend is no mean feat and it’s because the boys committed to the process and played as a team.

“It was great leadership from LD Nel, as captain, and all our matric boys.

“This will give us great confidence for our last three games of the season, especially with interschools [versus Paarl Boys’ High] approaching three weeks away,” he concluded.

In the bronze medal play-off match, Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) claimed a 2-1 win over Parel Vallei.

PRG was one of the schools that brought a younger team to the tournament, focussing on building their depth for the years to come.

After a rocky start, in which they went 2-4 down to Repton A on the opening day, coach Michael Baker’s side bounced back nicely and topped Pool C.

In the quarterfinals, they annihilated Worcester Gymnasium 8-0, but, in the semis, they were eliminated by Paarl Gim.

In the bronze medal match, PRG skipper Christo Swanepoel scored both goals to cap off a promising tournament for the side.

“I’m super proud of my boys. There are three Grade 9s and nine Grade 10s in the team,” Baker told SuperSport Schools Plus after the tournament.

“For them to be competing and getting results against some top teams gets me excited for the next few years.

“I keep hearing we’re in trouble next year as we’re losing big players, but I enjoyed working with my youngsters and setting standards for 2025.”

Meanwhile, Repton A finished in fifth place in their first appearance at the tournament.

Paarl Boys’ High, after placing second in 2023, will be disappointed after having to settle for 11th place this time around

Top goal scorers

Litha Kraai- SACS – 16 goals
Christo Swanepoel- Paul Roos – 11 goals
Luka Meets- Parel Vallei – 11 goals
Michael du Toit- Somerset College – 9 goals
LD Nel- Paarl Gimnasium – 8 goals

Final Standings

Paarl Gimnasium
SACS
Paul Roos Gimnasium
Parel Vallei
Repton A
Worcester Gymnasium
Durbanville High School
Repton B
Somerset College
Uppingham
Paarl Boys High
Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool
Reddam Constantia
Western Province Invitational
Windhoek High School
Bridge House
Outeniqua
Curro Durbanville
Stewart’s Melville College

In their second match after returning from the mid-year break, the Hudson Park High School girls’ hockey team produced arguably their most impressive performance of the season when they defeated Clarendon High School for Girls 2-1 in East London on the weekend.

During the week, Hudson kicked off their term’s assignments with a 6-0 thumping of Lilyfontein.

Their last outing as a unit before that match was back in May against Queenstown Girls’ High in Komani. In that game, coach Jerry Snyman’s side played an attractive brand of hockey, which saw them score twice, through Busiwe Mayekiso and Mackenzie Goss, to seal a solid 2-0 win away from home.

Then, during the winter holidays, two Hudson Park stalwarts, Tarelle Jones and Melnique Langley, represented the Border u18A girls’ team at the SASHOC National Week in Bloemfontein.

At the conclusion of the event, Jones was named in the SA Schools u17 side after performing strongly throughout the inter-provincial event.

Earlier in the season, in April, Hudson Park and Clarendon met during the Eastern Cape Spar Hockey Challenge, with Clarendon claiming a narrow victory in that clash.

Hudson wasn’t about to allow history to repeat itself, and they scored twice, through Jones and Inathi Lubelwana.

Jones had a cracker of a game against the Clarrie Bags, and despite the hosts pulling one back, she helped steer her side to victory. Langley, too, was one of the leading contributors.

Coach Snyman also introduced an u16 player to his setup, Asiphe Zitumane, and she came off the bench, stepped up, and made an impact on the big stage.

“To start the term off with a doubleheader, some injuries, and having come back from IPTs, this week’s matches were always going to be a lot [to ask of the girls],” coach Snyman told SuperSport Schools Plus after the match.

“We took each game for what it was. I am very happy with the girls’ performances this week, despite the challenges we faced.”

Commenting on their last meeting with Clarendon, he said: “A game that ends on penalties doesn’t do the game justice.

“We went into this game knowing we had to rectify the loss, and the girls came to the table and gave it 200 percent. The girls’ mindsets this week were strong, settled, and determined. They were hungry for the game and worked as a team towards the goal.”

Hudson is left with a couple of big encounters before calling it a day on the 2024 season. This coming weekend, they take on Stirling High School and will be aiming to make it four wins on the trot.

They also have a match against Qonce’s Kingsridge High School for Girls on Hudson Park’s Founder’s weekend.

“It most certainly is a confidence boost,” he said after the win over Clarendon. “It was a really good game and to quote one of the players on the bench in the last two minutes of the game, ‘This is the best game I’ve ever played’.

“We have a few derbies left and we hope to finish the season off strongly,” Snyman concluded.