Author: asawula

South African College High School (SACS), their provincial counterparts, Paarl Gimnasium, and KwaZulu-Natal’s Northwood School delivered stellar showings on Saturday at the Founders Hockey Festival.

The annual event, which brings together some of the country’s top sides and others on the rise, is being hosted by Queen’s College in Komani.

The hosts got the ball rolling on Friday with an interesting 2-2 draw against another Eastern Cape outfit, Kingswood College.

On Saturday, the schedule ramped up and delivered some big results as the top guns asserted their dominance.

SACS, led by coach Sam Holmes, was by far the standout team, and they stole the spotlight when they thumped Parktown Boys’ High 9-1 in their opener.

Talisman and captain, Litha Kraai, led their charge against the Johannesburg school, scoring a hat-trick, while Jan Dijkstra netted twice.

The other goals were spread across the field, with Matthew Lassen, Josh Goulding, and newbies Troy Loots and Jake Hufkie also making it onto the scoresheet.

Later, the Cape Town powerhouse overwhelmed St Stithians College 10-2.

Paarl Gim took a page out of the SACS book and also produced dominant outings against the same opposition.

Coach Jacques Grobler‘s side had struggled in the lead-up to the festival, suffering shock defeats at the hands of Worcester Gimnasium and Durbanville in recent weeks.

However, they appeared to have put those setbacks behind them in an impressive 4-2 win over Saints.

Thomas Henn netted a brace for the Paarl side, while further goal contributions from Dian Vorster and Cornell Taljaard sealed the win.

In their second outing of the day, Gim took on Parktown and won 6-2. Jordan White scored a hat-trick, Mikal Janse van Rensburg found the back of the net twice, and Henn was on the scoresheet again.

Coach Justin Collins‘ Northwood side was also on the money, notching back-to-back wins.

In their opener, they brushed aside Somerset College 4-0 before handing Queen’s College a 7-2 beating to finish the day on a high note.

Luc Boyall was in top form and highly effective at penalty corner time.

While Queen’s was well beaten by the Knights, coach Michael Baiden was surely pleased with their 3-2 win over Helpmekaar College earlier in the day.

In other matches, Somerset College defeated Kingswood College 3-0 while Dale College suffered a 2-7 loss at the hands of Helpmekaar.

RESULTS

Saturday, 28 March

Queen’s College 2-2 Kingswood College
Queen’s College 3-2 Helpmekaar
Dale College 0-0 Kingswood College
Northwood 4-0 Somerset College
SACS 9-1 Parktown Boys’ High
Paarl Gimnasium 4-2 St Stithians College
Dale College 2-7 Helpmekaar
Somerset College 3-0 Kingswood College
Queen’s College 2-7 Northwood
Paarl Gimnasium 6-2 Parktown Boys’ High
SACS 10-2 St Stithians College

FIXTURES 

Sunday, 29 March 

07:30 – Helpmekaar vs Kingswood College
08:50 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Northwood
10:10 – Queen’s College vs Somerset College
11:30 – Dale College vs St Stithians College
12:50 – SACS vs Kingswood
14:10 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Helpmekaar
15:30 – Dale College vs Parktown Boys’ High
16:50 – Somerset College vs St Stithians College
18:10 – SACS vs Northwood
19:30 – Queen’s College vs Parktown Boys’ High

If day one of the Nomads Hockey Festival proved anything, it’s that the forthcoming season will be fiercely competitive and no team should be taken lightly. On Saturday, the opening day of the festival, preconceived ideas about teams were blown out of the water.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

There were shock results, unbeaten records shattered, and high-scoring encounters that left many hockey enthusiasts at Pretoria Boys High open-mouthed in shock.

Wynberg Boys’ High delivered the first hammer blow by edging out Jeppe High School for Boys 1-0 in the opening game.

It was a hotly contested battle, decided by a late goal from Zachariah Booley. Before the fixture, Jeppe had not tasted defeat in over 20 months after going on an impressive unbeaten run in 2025.

In their second match of the day, Jeppe bounced back and brushed aside Kearsney College 2-0, courtesy of goals by Kade Lottering and Tshimologo Mogale. Wynberg, meanwhile, drew 1-1 with St John’s College to keep their unbeaten record at the festival intact.

Another side that impressed was Gqeberha’s Grey High School. Under the guidance of coach Andrew Beynon, they produced a thrilling attacking masterclass to overrun King Edward VII (KES) 8-4 before getting past the hosts 2-1 later in the day.

Against KES, the experienced Keegan Le Roux and Logan Meyer netted twice each, while Dante Elkington and James Chree also got their names on the score sheet.

There were also debut goals for Michael Gillies, the brother of Kerrin Gillies, who is currently tearing it up at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival for Collegiate Girls’ High. David Stevenson also scored his first goal for the side.

The hosts, PBHS, showed promise and resilience on Saturday. In their opener, they defeated a never-say-die Grey College side in a humdinger of a clash thanks to a hat-trick by Bongai Vuyeqeba.

Marko Bosch struck twice for the Bloemfontein boys, and they had an opportunity to equalise in the final chukka when they were awarded a penalty corner. The injection was mistrapped, however, and that chance went begging.

St John’s College showed strong character to come from behind to snatch a 2-1 win over Maritzburg College. Matthew Ireland and Scott Bray were on target for the Johannesburg school in a welcome win after they went down to KES a week ago.

Hilton College struggled somewhat, but they weren’t beaten. They played to a goalless draw with Selborne College before holding Affies to a 2-2 draw. Kean Cornelissen and Rudolph Thiart scored for Affies, while Ben Wilson slotted two cracking goals for Hilton.

Day two’s action will kick off with a clash between Affies and Grey High. Maritzburg College will battle Grey College, while the hosts lock horns with Selborne and Kearsney, respectively.

RESULTS

Saturday, 28 March

Wynberg Boys’ High 1-0 Jeppe
Affies 3-0 Kearsney College
Grey High 8-4 KES
Hilton College 0-0 Selborne College
St John’s College 2-1 Maritzburg College
Pretoria Boys High 3-2 Grey College
Jeppe 2-0 Kearsney College
Affies 2-2 Hilton College
Selborne College 1-1 Maritzburg College
Grey High 2-1 Pretoria Boys High
St John’s College 1-1 Wynberg Boys’ High

FIXTURES

Sunday, 29 March 

08:00 – Affies vs Grey High
09:10 – Hilton vs St John’s College
10:35 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs KES
11:45 – Pretoria Boys High vs Kearsney College
13:10 – Grey College vs Affies
14:20 – Grey High vs Jeppe
15:45 – Maritzburg College vs KES
16:55 – Pretoria Boys High vs Selborne College
18:05 – Kearsney vs St John’s College

@Pretoria High School for Girls

08:00 – Maritzburg College vs Grey College
09:10 – Selborne College vs Jeppe
15:45 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Hilton College

The 2026 schoolboy hockey season gets into full swing this weekend with various annual festivals taking place around the country.

In the Eastern Cape, Queen’s College hosts the Founders Festival, while the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup takes place at the Riverside Hockey Club in Durban.

Another highly anticipated event is the Nomads Hockey Festival, to be played at Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) from 28 to 30 March.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

A plethora of talented players will grace the PBHS AstroTurf throughout the weekend, and SuperSport Schools Plus has identified five on whom to keep an eye.

Santiago “Santi” Matroos – Hilton College

Hilton College has a habit of producing what Gen Zs call “ballers”, and Santiago Matroos is exactly that, a baller.

He was previously earmarked as one for the future and is now stepping up onto the big stage. He played in Hilton’s u16A side last year and represented KZN Inland A at the SASHOC National Week, where he earned a place in the SA u16 side.

Matroos is known for his hands-on style of play, excellent ball skills, and sharp on-field decision-making. He’s a natural goal-scoring talent and has displayed similar finishing instincts to, and the attacking mindset of, his father, Julian Hykes.

His work ethic is second to none, and he will play a vital role in a Hilton side seeking to make its mark in Pretoria.

Kgotso Lehloenya – Jeppe High School for Boys  

One of the main goals for Jeppe High School for Boys at Nomads will be to maintain their unbeaten start to the season, and Lehloenya will be key to helping them achieve that.

The versatile midfielder has taken to first-team hockey like a duck to water, having previously made a few cameo appearances for the side in 2025 at the age of 16.

He is no stranger to a fast-paced game and starred for Southern Gauteng u16A, which won SASHOC National Week, before representing South Africa later in the year.

Lehloenya has an incredible hockey IQ, links up well with his teammates, and is adept at creating goal-scoring opportunities.

He carries the ball well and possesses outstanding 3D skills, which enable him to dribble past players with ease. He isn’t shy about going for the goal either. There is no doubt that he will be an integral cog in a star-studded Jeppe outfit.

Reid Drake – Selborne College

If you want a 95 percent conversion rate from short corners, then Reid Drake is your go-to man.

The lanky and strong Selborne College centre back enjoyed a wonderful season in 2025 and introduced himself to first-team hockey in style at just 16 years of age.

He was the talisman for Selborne during a difficult season, scored cracking goals and helped the side seal some impressive wins as they finished their campaign on an encouraging upward trajectory.

His performances earned him selection for the Border u16A side, and he captained them to a bronze medal in the SASHOC National Week B-section, scoring nine goals.

Defensively, Drake is solid as a rock and has improved his distribution skills from the back.

Selborne has a handful of skilled players this season, but there’s no doubt that coach KJ Friend will bank on Drake when it matters most.

Neilyandro van Schalkwyk – Grey College

Neilyandro van Schalkwyk has been a standout for Grey College for the past three seasons.

Affectionately known as “Neli” by Grey’s parents, Van Schalkwyk is a key player, and his maturity and experience will come in handy this season.

He might not be one of the top goalscorers, but he makes his presence felt in the midfield with strong carries, penetrative runs, and big tackles.

The lanky midfielder does the dirty work on the AstroTurf and occasionally leads the press for his side. He has also played at the highest level, representing Free State at the SASHOC National Week for three consecutive years.

Last year, he was selected for the SA u17 squad, which played at the Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia. There’s no doubt that the tricky Van Schalkwyk will cause trouble for teams at Nomads.

Liam Brooker – Pretoria Boys High

Brooker has entered his final season with the tournament hosts, PBHS, and he’ll be aiming to captain his side to glory in 2026 as the school celebrates its 125th anniversary.

The Northern Gauteng u18A player provides many qualities on the AstroTurf. He’s versatile and able to play multiple positions. As a leader, he is mature; he sets a good example and exhibits a cool and composed demeanour. 

Apart from representing his provincial side in 2025, he was also named in the SA u17 team, which travelled to Malaysia at the end of the year.

He impressed in green and gold to further underline why he deserves to be in the conversation about “top players” in the country.

He possesses excellent attributes, including ball skills, pace, and the ability to put his team on the front foot. Primarily, though, PBHS will rely on his leadership and experience to drive their challenge this season. It starts at Nomads.

Click HERE to view the Nomads Hockey Festival fixtures.

The small town of Komani in the Eastern Cape is expected to receive an economic boost this weekend when Queen’s College hosts the Founders Hockey Festival.

The annual event, which began in 1982, brings together some of the country’s top hockey-playing schools, along with those that have emerging hockey programmes.

The action takes place from 28 to 30 March at the Chris Harker AstroTurf.

In attendance, alongside Queen’s, will be the Eastern Cape duo of Kingswood College and Dale College.

Kingswood has enjoyed a positive start to the season under head coach Jose Smith. After five matches, they’ve racked up three wins, one loss, and a 2-2 draw, which came against Hudson Park at the Tony Godding Festival a fortnight ago.

Dale, meanwhile, will be aiming to hit their stride after a mixed bag of results at the Tony Godding Festival.

An exciting Western Cape contingent – South African College High School (SACS), Paarl Gimnasium, and the underdogs Somerset College – will make its way to Komani.

Many will be keen to see what SACS delivers after enjoying a splendid season in 2025.

They finished the year unbeaten with 33 victories and 2 draws– one of their draws was on a pre-season tour of The Netherlands – and they captured the prestigious Hibbert Shield title.

Litha Kraai, who has lit up schoolboy hockey over the past couple of seasons, is the SACS headliner. As an early-season festival, the event will offer coach Sam Holmes a chance to assess his side in match conditions.

Another Western Cape team eager to make a mark will be Paarl Gim. They’ve experienced some early-season teething problems, suffering shock defeats at the hands of Worcester Gimnasium and Durbanville.

Coach Jacques Grobler, however, will back his youngsters to bounce back when they tackle St Stithians College, Northwood School, and Dale.

Somerset College, led by coach Kyran Fortuin, will have a point to prove after a building season in 2025. They would’ve taken some confidence from their pre-season outings in the Western Cape.

Speaking of confidence, St Stithians College heads to Komani brimming with confidence after some impressive performances over the past week.

Coach Pat Ogwan‘s troops showed character to draw 2-2 with Jeppe High School for Boys before beating Pretoria Boys High 3-2 on the weekend.

The likes of Jason Joiner, Thomas Becker, and Mahlatse Maapola will play crucial roles for Saints during the festival. Their biggest test will come against SACS in the final match on the opening day.

Parktown Boys’ High and Helpmekaar College will also fly the Gauteng flag and will aim to shake off early-season rust as quickly as possible. Northwood, always well-drilled, will represent KwaZulu-Natal’s interests.

The action kicks off on Friday afternoon with a clash between Queen’s and Kingswood at 16:30.

FIXTURES

Friday, 27 March

16:30 – Queen’s College vs Kingswood College

Saturday, 28 March 

07:30 – Queen’s College vs Helpmekaar
08:50 – Dale College vs Kingswood College
10:10 – Somerset College vs Northwood
11:30 – SACS vs Parktown Boys’ High
12:50 – Paarl Gimnasium vs St Stithians College
14:10 – Dale College vs Helpmekaar
15:30 – Somerset College vs Kingswood College
16:50 – Queen’s College vs Northwood
18:10 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Parktown Boys’ High
19:30 – SACS vs St Stithians College

Sunday, 29 March 

07:30 – Helpmekaar vs Kingswood College
08:50 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Northwood
10:10 – Queen’s College vs Somerset College
11:30 – Dale College vs St Stithians College
12:50 – SACS vs Kingswood
14:10 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Helpmekaar
15:30 – Dale College vs Parktown Boys’ High
16:50 – Somerset College vs St Stithians College
18:10 – SACS vs Northwood
19:30 – Queen’s College vs Parktown Boys’ High

Monday, 30 March 

07:30 – Dale College vs Paarl Gimnasium
08:50 – SACS vs Helpmekaar
10:10 – Somerset College vs Parktown Boys’ High
11:30 – Northwood vs St Stithians College

The final weekend of March typically signals the start of a vibrant and action-filled festival season. 

This year is no exception, with several major boys’ hockey festivals set to get underway in various parts of the country.

The Founders Hockey Festival takes place at Queen’s College in Komani, while the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup will be hosted at the Riverside Hockey Club in Durban.

Meanwhile, the Nomads Hockey Festival will be hosted by Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) from 28 to 30 March. The festival, which features some of the country’s top sides, also forms part of the school’s 125th anniversary celebrations.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Ahead of the big event at PBHS, SuperSport Schools Plus takes a look at the teams in attendance. 

Gauteng teams

Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) and their neighbours and rivals, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies), will represent the Noordvaal region.

Both have made slow starts to the season. This past weekend, PBHS went down 2-3 against St Stithians College, while Affies showed grit and fight in their 2-4 loss against Paul Roos Gimnasium in Stellenbosch.

The festival will provide the teams’ coaches, Jacques Klopper (PBHS) and Jaydon Lincoln (Affies), with a chance to bounce back while testing out combinations.

Johannesburg will be represented by Jeppe High School for Boys, King Edward VII (KES), and St John’s College.

Jeppe has made a bright start to coach Gareth Heyns’ tenure, winning two of their three matches.

They defeated St Benedict’s College 3-0 in a gripping contest before playing out a nail-biting 2-2 draw with St Stithians. Last Friday, the boys from Kensington beat St David’s Marist Inanda 4-1, but coach Heyns will be the first to admit there is still plenty of work to be done.

KES, similar to Jeppe, has a new face in the dugout in the form of Siya Sityana, who led Jeppe to an unbeaten season in 2025. The Red Sticks beat St John’s College 4-0 last week, with Blaine Candy netting a hat-trick and Andrew Arouca joining him on the scoresheet.

KwaZulu-Natal teams

Teams from KwaZulu-Natal will be out to make a big statement at Nomads. Hilton College, Kearsney College, and Maritzburg College will fly the province’s flag.

Hilton showed character in their season opener, coming back from 0-1 down to beat Westville Boys’ High 2-1. 

That’s the type of grit and mentality that coach Damian Kimfley will demand at Nomads. He will look to experienced players like Tadi Hove and captain Robert Burman to lead the way.

To start their season, Kearsney, coached by the highly regarded Keegan Pearce, went down at Clifton College before scoring successive victories over St Charles and Glenwood, so their confidence will be on the up. 

On Saturday, they powered to a 7-2 win over Glenwood on the Mason Astro, so their sharpshooters’ eyes appear to be in. Standing in their way at Nomads will be Jeppe, Affies, KES, and St John’s.

Maritzburg College has flown under the radar, but they’ve played some impressive hockey early in the season, moving the ball impressively around the park. 

After snatching a 2-2 draw with Clifton, College went 0-1 down at halftime against Westville on the past weekend, but then rallied to score a 3-1 win. They tackle Selborne, KES, Grey College and Jeppe.

This early in the season, it is difficult to ascertain which schools are the frontrunners in KZN but the performances of Kearsney, Hilton, and Maritzburg College at Nomads will provide valuable insight into their strengths in 2026. 

Eastern Cape teams

Selborne College and Grey High School will carry Eastern Cape hopes in Pretoria. In 2024, both were unbeaten when Maritzburg College hosted Nomads. They’ll face a tough challenge trying to match those sparkling records.

Grey missed out on Nomads last year because they were on a tour of The Netherlands, while Selborne endured an up-and-down 2025 campaign. They, however, concluded it as a much-improved team, which was playing some very good hockey.

Coaches Andrew Beynon (Grey) and KJ Friend (Selborne) will be pleased with the preparations they’ve had before Nomads.

Both sides shook off the early-season rust at the Tony Godding Festival in East London, where Grey defeated Selborne, Eldoraigne, and St Andrew’s School.

Selborne, meanwhile, picked up wins over Jim Fouché and Sasolburg before sharing a thrilling 3-3 draw with Grey College.

Free State – Grey College 

Grey College will feel it’s their time to shine in 2026.

Headmaster Braam van Wyk has taken over as the 1st XI’s head coach after Dalan Phillips returned to Pearson High. Van Wyk will be assisted by Jayden Leech, who played for the side just two seasons ago.

Grey College has a massive opportunity to stake a claim as one of 2026’s top teams, but they face a stiff schedule, which includes taking on Pretoria Boys High, Affies, Maritzburg College, and Hilton College.

The retention of key players, including Raphael Kambanis, Wian Griesel, and SA Schools’ star Neilyandro van Schalkwyk, will help their cause.

In their last outing, coach Van Wyk’s side drew 2-2 with Hoërskool Waterkloof.

They have been a little loose on defence at times early in the season. Such lapses will cost them dearly at Nomads, so they’ll be focused on tightening up.  

Western Cape – Wynberg Boys’ High

Many of the Western Cape top guns will be at either the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup or at the Founders Festival. Wynberg Boys’ High, though, will be at Nomads.

The Cape Town school, because it travels from so far, will arrive as an “unknown”, and that places them in a position to pull off some upsets.

They’ll be led by coach Devin Stanton, who is also part of the South African Men’s coaching staff, assisted by Ben Wiley.

Wynberg bade farewell to some talented players last year, but they have retained some experienced players in their ranks, who will be required to step up in 2026.

Chad Julius is one of those, alongside Mustapha Kajee and the talented Michail Tarentaal, who is also the captain of the Wynberg cricket 1st XI.

The challenges they face in Pretoria will be a good test for Wynberg and excellent preparation for the tests that lie ahead in the highly competitive Western Cape.

FIXTURES

Saturday, 28 March

08:00 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Jeppe
09:10 – Hilton College vs Selborne College
10:35 – St John’s College vs Maritzburg College
11:45 – Pretoria Boys High vs Grey College
13:10 –  Kearsney College vs Jeppe
14:20 – Affies vs Hilton College
15:45 – Selborne College vs Maritzburg College
16:55 – Pretoria Boys High vs Grey High
18:05 – St John’s College vs Wynberg Boys’ High

@Pretoria High School for Girls

08:00 – Affies vs Kearsney College
09:10 – Grey High vs KES

Sunday, 29 March 

08:00 – Affies vs Grey High
09:10 – Hilton vs St John’s College
10:35 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs KES
11:45 – Pretoria Boys High vs Kearsney College
13:10 – Grey College vs Affies
14:20 – Grey High vs Jeppe
15:45 – Maritzburg College vs KES
16:55 – Pretoria Boys High vs Selborne College
18:05 – Kearsney vs St John’s College

@Pretoria High School for Girls

08:00 – Maritzburg College vs Grey College
09:10 – Selborne College vs Jeppe
15:45 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Hilton College

Monday, 30 March 

07:30 – Kearsney College vs KES
08:40 – St John’s College vs Grey High
09:50 – Pretoria Boys High vs Wynberg Boys’ High
11:00 – Selborne vs Affies
12:30 – Grey College vs Hilton College
13:40 – Jeppe vs Maritzburg College

There was early-season joy for Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), Parel Vallei, and Hoërskool Durbanville on the first weekend of schoolboy hockey action in the Western Cape.

Paul Roos put on a spirited performance to beat Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) 4-2; Parel Vallei edged out Bishops 2-1; and Durbanville claimed the massive scalp of Paarl Gimnasium 5-4.

While the matches ran concurrently, all eyes were on the Edgars Friday Nite Lights clash between PRG and Affies at the Maties AstroTurf.

It was the first competitive outing for both sides after a handful of pre-season encounters.

The match got underway at full throttle when the hosts opened the scoring with seconds played through skipper Seth Paterson.

Paterson intercepted the ball 10 metres into the Affies’ half and dribbled into the circle untouched before slamming it past Erik Botha for the game’s opener.

Affies went on the attack and were rewarded in the third minute after Ruahardt Nienaber found himself in space to tap the ball in on the far post.

The score remained unchanged until the third chukka, where both sides upped the ante.

Affies grabbed the lead after a thunderbolt drag flick from Rudolf Thiart before PRG responded with two goals by Louis Kriel and the ever-present Caleb Cilliers.

Logan Lackay added the final nail to the coffin in the fourth chukka to seal the win.

“We knew it would be tight because it’s an interschools derby, and it’s Affies, a school that has history and tradition,” PRG head coach Michael Baker told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I’m happy with the character the boys showed and how we responded when we were down. I promised that every game we play this year would be exciting, and we lived up to that.”

Paul Roos will head to Durban for the annual Coastal Cup next week. Coach Baker says there are areas in their game that need improvement.

“We definitely need to work on attacking PCs,” he added.

“I think we had nearly 15 and didn’t score one clean. Most teams might press deep like Affies did tonight, so we need to get more prepared for those scenarios at Coastal Cup.”

Other matches:

While PRG battled Affies in Stellenbosch, Parel Vallei hosted Bishops in Somerset.

The boys, led by coach Michael van Rensburg, were aiming to maintain their strong start to this season.

At their pre-season festival, PV racked up three wins against Reddam House Constantia 3-0, Outeniqua 2-0, and Worcester Gimnasium 6-1.

They backed those performances up with the 2-1 win against Bishops courtesy of goals by the dangerous Luka Meets.

In Paarl, Hoërskool Durbanville made history after beating Paarl Gimnasium 5-4.

It was Noah Jansen at the forefront of it all, and he scored a hat-trick while Sven Gouwsventer and Robbie Wilson joined the scoring action.

Paarl Boys’ High bagged a win against Outeniqua, while Worcester Gimnasium were also on the right end of the scoreboard after edging Hoërskool Upington 4-2.

Western Cape Results

Paul Roos 4-2 Affies
Parel Vallei 2-1 Bishops
Paarl Boys’ High 2-0 Outeniqua
Durbanville 5-4 Paarl Gimnasium
Worcester Gimnasium 4-2 Hoërskool Upington

Selborne College, along with Queen’s College, Hudson Park High, and Dale College, will all be in 1st team hockey action for the first time this year at the Border Schools’ Day in East London on Friday.

The annual event serves as a pre-season run-out for teams before a jam-packed calendar quickly picks up steam. For many sides, matches will start to come thick and fast from next week.

Merrifield College hosts this year’s instalment, and they’ll be keen to make a splash on their home turf. They’ll be joined by fellow East London schools, Cambridge High School and Stirling High.

The “unknowns” are Greenpoint and Stutterheim High, so they will offer an element of surprise.

Port Rex Technical High School has been in and out of the Border hockey scene, but they’ve returned and will be eager to rebuild their programme.

The fixtures are not classified as “official”, so neither will the results be official, but participating teams will be eager to get their respective campaigns off to a positive start.

For sides like Selborne, Merrifield, Hudson Park, Queen’s, Cambridge and Stirling, the Border Schools’ Day also offers an opportunity for them to build some momentum ahead of next week’s Tony Godding Festival.

The action kicks off with a clash between the hosts and Selborne College at 12:00.

Border Schools’ Day Fixtures

12:00 – Selborne College vs Merrifield College
13:00 – Hudson Park vs Queen’s College
14:00 – Port Rex Technical High vs Stirling High
15:00 – Cambridge High vs Dale College
16:00 – Greenpoint High vs Stutterheim High

Unbeaten seasons in schoolboy hockey seldom happen. It takes special teams, special players, and a strong programme to achieve such a feat.

That was the case for Jeppe High School for Boys in 2025 after they ended the year without a single loss.

Under the tutelage of former head coach Siya Sityana, Jeppe enjoyed a stellar season, playing 31 games, of which they won 29, while the other two ended in draws against Hilton College and Grey College.

The school had previously achieved an unbeaten season in 2018, when they also played 31 matches, winning 22 and drawing nine.

Building on the momentum created last year will be the goal for the forthcoming season, but Jeppe heads into 2026 with a new sheriff in town, Gareth Heyns.

Heyns took over the reins late last year from Sityana, who has joined King Edward VII.

“I think taking the coaching role was an absolute no-brainer,” Heyns told SuperSport Schools Plus. “I’m an Old Boy, and I coached the first team in 2016, so coming back just made sense.

“I love my school, and I have always kept in touch with the programme, so to have the opportunity to be involved again is something special.”

One of Heyns’ immediate goals will be to ensure the side remains strong and competitive against some of the country’s best sides.

Emulating the successes of last season is something he would like to achieve while impacting his charges on a human level.

“Whenever a new person takes over, naturally, there will be a change of the guard at some stage, but you never want to drop in standards.

“I think if we can emulate what the guys did last year, that would be great. However, playing good hockey is one thing, but we also want to build young men who will contribute positively to society.”

Jeppe has a handful of players who were members of the 2025 team, so coach Heyns won’t have to rebuild the squad. He is, however, keen on giving youngsters and some fringe players opportunities this year.

“The programme is generally quite strong, and there are some good young players in the u16 [age group] that will be trying to push their way into the team,” he said.

“The guys knocking on the door will keep the first team hungry, and that will hopefully create a strong environment and keep everybody on their toes.”

Besides participating in the Aitken competition this year, Jeppe will travel to Gqeberha to contest the Hibbert Shield.

The tournament, hosted by Grey High School, is undeniably the toughest schoolboy event in South Africa at present, and it brings together many of the country’s best teams.

“We’re looking forward to it. The boys are, as well,” Heyns reckoned.

“There’s a lot of noise that’s going around that tournament, and I think it’s important for us not to get sucked into that noise.

“We just want to get to a point where we’re playing good hockey, and the results will come. Don’t get me wrong, it will be a lovely challenge for the boys, and we’ll get to test ourselves against the best in SA.”

The Kensington crew opens their 2026 campaign on Saturday against Parktown Boys’ High at home. It’s a clash coach that Heyns is looking forward to.

“Traditionally, it’s a big rivalry, and I would like the guys to play a free-flowing brand of hockey.

“It’s still early in the season, and I don’t want to put pressure on the boys. Hopefully, they can implement what we’ve been working on, be creative, comfortable, and play a selfless brand of hockey.”

“We are just a team that’s hungry for success.” – Those were the words of Bishops‘ captain, James Malan, after he led his side to a second consecutive KES Water Polo Tournament title in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Bishops defeated a strong St David’s Marist Inanda side 12-8 in the title-deciding clash to lay claim to the trophy again.

The boys from Cape Town dominated from the opening day and ended the group stage unbeaten in Pool A. Then, in the quarterfinals, they outplayed Hilton College 9-3 before edging out South African College High School (SACS) 13-11 in the semifinals.

St David’s, meanwhile, stunned Rondebosch Boys’ High 11-5 in the last eight. Next, they sneaked past Kearsney College. Their semi-final clash finished level at 8-8, but the Johannesburg side reached the final after winning the shootout 3-1.

That set up a rematch. St David’s and Bishops had met in a group stage game, with Bishops snatching a narrow 9-8 win.

The performances of the finalists measured up to the stature of the title game, with the spectators packed into the Mark Stevens Aquatic Centre being treated to an exciting show from the first whistle.

In the opening half, there was little to separate the sides. Bishops, though, led 7-5 at halftime, courtesy of goals by Tim Young, Ryan Dales, and Jack Grout, and braces from Harry Ford and Matt Fenn.

St David’s replied through Matthew Peacock, Connor McJannet, David Latilla-Campbell, Cooper Haworth, and Giorgio Ferreira.

In the third chukka, Bishops slightly extended their advantage by scoring three goals to two. Then, in the final quarter, the Capetonians finally put the game to bed.

They sealed the game late on when Harry Ford completed his hat-trick before Danilo Giuricich scored a consolation goal for his St David’s.

“It feels surreal,” Bishops’ captain, James Malan, told SuperSport Schools Plus after the match.

“We have worked so hard for this moment. We’ve been training since 4 January, and that’s the earliest we’ve ever had pre-season.

“Just to get the result means the world to us. All the matrics, it’s our last one, and we have a goal to win everything this year, and so far, we are on track,” he said after Bishops added the KES title to their SAC Shield and SACS Nite Series victories.

Malan said one of the key ingredients in his team’s run of success is the bonds and relationships that the players share outside of the pool. We have a really good team culture,” he explained.

“We’re just mates with each other. It doesn’t matter if a guy is in grade 10 or 12. Those friendships bind us together in and out of the pool, and I think that’s what makes this team so good.”

Malan also paid tribute to St David’s, who made their bow in the tournament one to remember.

“They are a team that never dies and never gives up, and they really gave us a run for our money in both the final and during the pool stage,” he said.

“You just have to give credit to them. They are a well-coached side. They have special players as well, so it’s always great competition against them.”

Bishops will return to action in the coming week at the Mazinter Cup.

Day 3 Results

Clifton College  (1) 5-5 (2) St Andrew’s College
St John’s College 6-2 Paul Roos Gimnasium
Pretoria Boys High 2-6 Selborne College
KES 4-5 Jeppe
St Stithians College 4-1 Westville Boys’ High
Hilton College 4-7 Rondebosch Boys’ High
Clifton College 6-3 Paul Roos Gimnasium
St John’s College 4-1 St Andrew’s College

Semi-finals
St David’s Marist Inanda (3) 8-8 (1) Kearsney College
Bishops 13-11 SACS

3rd/4th
SACS (3) 7-7 (2) Kearsney College

Final
Bishops 12-8 St David’s

Final standings
Bishops
St David’s Marist Inanda
SACS
Kearsney College
Rondebosch Boys’ High
Hilton College
St Stithians College
Westville Boys’ High
St John’s College
St Andrew’s College
Clifton College
Paul Roos
Jeppe High School for Boys
King Edward VII
Selborne College
Pretoria Boys High