Author: asawula

The Western Province u18 girls’ team will enter day two of the South African Junior Water Polo Championships in East London in high spirits after going unbeaten on the opening day of the tournament at the Joan Harrison Swimming Pool.

Province had been tabbed as one of the favourites after their impressive showing at last year’s Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament where they narrowly lost to Central Gauteng in the final.

They announced themselves to the East London crowd in superb fashion on Thursday, clawing their way to a nail-biting 15-12 win over Buffalo City in their opener.

Hannah Banks and Emily van Heerden grabbed hattricks, while Alexa de Villers struck four times. In response, Tori Voke put six into the back of the Western Province net for Buffalo City.

Coach Connor Whiting‘s side then took on the stern challenge of Central Gauteng in a clash that had, no doubt, been circled by the players and supporters.

With the Western Province boys’ team backing them from the stands, the Province girls dug deep, twice hauling themselves back into the contest after falling behind.

Roxanne Uys contributed a brace, while Emily van Heerden added a double to her earlier hattrick, but it was Hannah Banks, with five goals, who was the driving force behind a 12-6 win for Western Province.

Another team that impressed on day one was KwaZulu-Natal, under the guidance of coach Jason Sileno.

After a nervous start, in which they played to a 9-9 draw against Nelson Mandela Bay, before winning on penalties, KZN rectified their errors in their second match of the day to claim a 16-11 win over the hosts.

They will need to bring their A-game early on Friday when they take on a bruised Central Gauteng side.

Meanwhile, Nelson Mandela Bay will be confident of securing a semi-final spot after they bounced back to defeat Buffalo City in the final game of day one.

Top performances by Teagan Harty and Matipa Karimazondo steered the side to a dramatic 10-9 victory.

Friday’s action sees Central Gauteng tackling Buffalo City at 08:00. An hour later, KZN battles Western Province, with the two semi-finals set to be played late in the day.

Scores

Kwa-Zulu Natal 13: Inge Southey, Kayla Andrews, Lara Mervis, Claire Hind, Caitlin McMurray, Gemma Malherbe. Nelson Mandela Bay 10: Anna Pinto (x6), Lucy Rutherfoord, Teagan Harty (x2), Matipa Karimazondo.

Buffalo City 12: Tori Voke (x6), Meka Loots (x3), Jasmine Koch (x3). Western Province 15: Alexa de Villers (x4), Hannah Banks (x3), Emily van Heerden (x3), Isabella Tooley (x2), Bella Murray, Amy van Breeda, Erin-Bella Nordgaard.

Central Gauteng 17: Amy Smith (x4), Anastasia Hambakis (x4), Mia Loizides (x3), Ruby Carlson (x2), Jessica Black, Francesca de Villiers, Courtney Calenborne, Emma Pelicot. Nelson Mandela Bay 13: Teagan Harty (x3), Matipa Karimazondo (x3), Elizabeth Horn (x2), Lucy Rutherfoord (x2), Amie Jenner, Jasmine Witthuhn, Anna Pinto.

KwaZulu-Natal 9 (4): Inge Southey (x3), Kayla Andrews (x3), Lara Mervis (x2) (+1p), Clair Hind (x1 +1p), Caitlin McMurray (x1 +1p), Gemma Malherbe (+1p). Nelson Mandela Bay 9 (1): Anna Pinto (x6), Lucy Rutherfoord, Teagan Harty (x1 +1p), Matipa Karimazondo

Buffalo City 11: Jasmine Koch (x3), Meka Loots(x3), Tori Voke (x2), Roxy Van Eek, Tatum Knox, Megan Schwartz. KwaZulu-Natal 16: Inge Southey (x4), Lara Mervis (x3), Caitlin McMurray (x3) Kayla Andrews (x2), Gemma Malherbe, Alwande Zondi, Claire Hind, London Remley.

Central Gauteng 6: Amy Smith, Simphiwe Zulu, Julia Joseph, Ruby Carlson, Anastasia Hambakis, Mia Loizides. Western Province 12: Hannah Banks (x5), Emily van Heerden (x2), Roxanne Uys (x2), Isabella Tooley, Erin-Belle Nordgaard, Alexa de Villiers.

Nelson Mandela Bay 10: Matipa Karimazondo (x5), Teagan Harty (x2), Lucy Rutherfoord, Elizabeth Horn. Buffalo City 9: Jasmine Koch (x2), Kiyara Campbell, Megan Schwartz, Roxy Van Eek, Meka Loots, Gemma Hanafey.

Fixtures

Friday, 15 March 2024

08:00 – Central Gauteng vs Buffalo City; 09:00 –KwaZulu-Natal vs Western Province; 12:00 – Central Gauteng vs KwaZulu-Natal; 13:00 – Western Province vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 16:00 – Semi-final 1; 17:00 – Semi-final 2.

Saturday, 16 March 2024

08:00 – 3^rd/4^th play-off; 10:00 – FINAL.

The highly anticipated South African Junior Water Polo Championships got off to an exhilarating start in East London on Thursday with a number of teams asserting themselves and building early momentum ahead of a busy weekend in the Joan Harrison Swimming Pool.

Overnight rain freshened the water and, as the day progressed, the sun came out to play, making for perfect conditions for water polo.

The teams expected to stand out duly delivered as Western Province, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), and Central Gauteng dominated proceedings.

It was Province, and coach Rob Ambler’s KZN side, though, that grabbed the spotlight, with both units recording three wins apiece.

Coach Jabulani Sibiya‘s Western Province team, the tournament favourites, started their campaign with a 15-5 win over the Northern Tigers. In their second encounter, they overran Nelson Mandela Bay 23-8, with Arkin Marais, Thomas Truter, and Connor-Melling Williams scoring hattricks. Then, they outplayed Buffalo City 18-4, with Jandro Rojo-Ross netting four times.

KZN, on the other hand, were made to work hard to maintain their unbeaten record.

After edging out the hosts, Buffalo City, 14-11, in their opener, they took on Central Gauteng in what was arguably the match of the day, before outscoring Nelson Mandela Bay 18-11 in their last outing.

Against Central Gauteng, KZN trailed early on but managed to stay close, with very little to separate the sides through the first two chukkas.

KZN’s Meyer Malherbe and Oliver Ditz were ruthless in front of goal and made telling contributions for their team at critical points during contest.

Trailing 6-7 heading into the final chukka, after goals for Gauteng by Ross Rovelli, Greg Pryce, and Ross Stuart, Ambler’s troops changed the complexion of the contest by attacking with grit and determination, and capitalising on their opportunities.

Goals by Malherbe, Ditz, James Pohl and Luca Sandri eventually led to a convincing victory.

Gauteng, on the other hand, will rue their missed opportunities, but they have two opportunities to book a spot in the semi-finals on Friday.

After winning their third match against the Northern Tigers by a 21-4 margin, coach Jon-Marc de Carvalho’s charges take on Buffalo City and Western Province on Friday. A win in either match would be enough to secure a place in the top four.

In other matches on Thursday, Buffalo City won against the Northern Tigers to boost their chances of making the semis.

Their day two clash against Nelson Mandela Bay, on Friday at 14:00,, could determine which team joins KZN, Province and, likely, Central Gauteng in the battle for top honours.

Both Eastern Cape outfits will be eager to impress in their home province after a rough opening day. Buffalo City’s results included an 18-4 loss to Province, while NMB went winless in their three matches.

Meanwhile, day two will not be any kinder to the Northern Tigers. They face a confident KZN side at 13:00.

Friday’s action begins at 07:00 with a clash of the tournament’s two unbeaten teams, KZN and Western Province.

ALL the action will be LIVE on the SuperSport Schools App, and DSTV Channel 216.

Scores

Western Province (9) 15: Thomas Truter (x5), Nicholas Fall (x5), Arkin Marais, Ross Stewart, Zack Cicero, Connor Melling-Williams, Sebastian Kastern. Northern Tigers (4) 5: Kieron Potgieter, Criston Richter (x2), Adriaan Erasmus Vam Niekerk, Alexandre Kendrick Kelbrick.

Central Gauteng (6) 12: Greg Pryce (x2), Ross Rovelli, Marc Smith (x2), Zico Williams, Jack Wilkins (x2), Mark Hudson, Declan Wood, Karabo Mamaregane (x2). Nelson Mandela Bay (0) 3: Zandre Botha, Camden Christian, Luke Lightening.

KwaZulu-Natal (10) 14:  Luca Sandri (x3), James Pohl (x3), Tristan Uys (x3), Meyer Malherbe, Ethan Lyne (x2), Rhees Hall, Matthew Lortan. Buffalo City (6) 11: Liam Hansen (x2), Caleb Moon (x3), Kairon Roux (x3), Eythan Assem, Connor Maree (x3).

Nelson Mandela Bay (5) 8: Nicholas Franklin (4), Daylan van Niekerk, Zabdre Botha (x2), Calum Emslie. Western Province (12) 23: Ross Stewart (x3), Adam October (x2), Thomas Truter (x7), Matthew de Villiers, Arkin Marais (x4), Salahuddin Khan, Connor-Melling Williams (x3), Nicholas Fall, Zack Cicero.

Buffalo City 16: Caleb Moon, Liam Hansen (x4), Kairon Roux (x2), Thomas Caswell (x5), Armand van Rooyen, Connor Maree (x3). Northern Tigers 14: Julian Olivier (x2), Ben Melville (x7), Alexander Kelbrick (x5).

KwaZulu-Natal 12: Meyer Malherbe (x5), Luca Sandri, Oliver Ditz (x4), Max Scully, Kirk Wilson. Central Gauteng 8: Ross Rovelli (x2), Greg Pryce (x2), Ross Stuart (x2), Nicholas Searle, Karabo Mamaregane.

Western Province 18:  Jandro Rojo-Ross (x4), Nicholas Fall (x2), Adam October, Connor-Melling Williams (x2), Thomas Truter (x4), Sebastian Kastern (x2), Arkin Marais (x2), Ross Stewart. Buffalo City 4: Kairon Roux (x3), Eythan Assam.

 Nelson Mandela Bay 10: Luke Lightening, Coel Trollip, Calum Emslie (x2), Nicholas Franklin (x4), Raoul Eia (x2). KwaZulu-Natal 18: Luca Sandri (x2), Kirk Wilson, Rhees Hall (x3), Tristan Hall, James Pohl (x2), Max Scully (x4), Oliver Ditz (x2), Meyer Malherbe (x3).

 Northern Tigers 6: Alexander Kelbrick (x2), Ben Melville (x4). Central Gauteng 21: Ross Rovelli (x4), Nicholas Searle (x2), Greg Pryce (x2), Jack Wilkins (x4), Ross Stuart (x2), Zico Williams (x3), Karabo Mamaregane (x2), Mark Hudson (x2).

Day 2

Friday, 15 March 2024

07:00 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Western Province; 08:00 – Central Gauteng vs Buffalo City; 09:00 – Northern Tigers vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 12:00 – Western Province vs Central Gauteng; 13:00 – Northern Tigers vs KwaZulu-Natal; 14:00 – Buffalo City vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 16:00 – Semi-final 1; 17:00 – Semi-final 2.

The Hoërskool Witteberg girls’ first team will be out to maintain their unbeaten run in the WesGrow Series when they travel to Hoërskool Sentraal for their second match of the series in Bloemfontein on Thursday.

Witteberg, who played their first Wesgrow match of the season on Tuesday, were ruthless in front of goal and dominated, claiming an emphatic 7-1 win over Jim Fouché.

That victory was highlighted by an impressive showing from Arné Maritz, who netted four times for her team.

She was joined on the scoresheet by Juané Loubser and vice-captain, Juné Lombard, who struck twice to seal an emphatic win.

Before that performance, the school from Bethlehem produced positive showings during their pre-season games at the Balling Festival and Kovsie pre-season tournament.

Despite narrow losses to Monument and Hoërskool Sasolburg at the Balling Festival, they continued fighting hard and were rewarded with a 3-3 draw against Our Lady of Fatima.

That preparation, along with the challenges the team has faced so far, will place the side in good stead ahead of the season, said head coach Casey-Jean Terblanche.

“The start of the season has been positive, as we have gained valuable game time at the Balling Tournament and the Kovsie pre-season tournament,” she told SuperSport Schools.

“The Balling Tournament provided a great opportunity to assess players and determine the best positions for them, based on the style of play I want to implement.”

Terblanche’s side is a mix of youth and experience, with a handful of young players enjoying their debut seasons on the first team scene.

The coach says the newbies have gelled well in the environment as they seek to defend their league title and climb the country’s rankings.

“This year marks a rebuilding phase for us, with seven new players joining the team,” Terblanche said.

“While the team is relatively young, they show immense potential.

“The 2023 Wesgrow season was fantastic, with the first team girls clinching the Wesgrow league title.

“Our primary objective is to defend that title and improve our ranking in the SA schools’ standings.”

Witteberg will also use the game as a final preparation for the Greg Beling Festival in East London. Ahead of a big week for the side, one of their players, Juané Loubser explained what makes them a team to be reckoned with.

“We are not just a regular team. We are like sisters to each other. We always support, motivate, and laugh together, and we strive to improve as a team after every match and learn from our mistakes together,” she revealed.

“When we step onto the field as the first team, it is not just a responsibility for us but a privilege.

“I hope that, as a hockey team, we will always step onto the field with gratitude in our hearts and be a living testimony of Jesus’ love and grace. We rely not on our strength but know where our power comes from.”

Thursday’s game in Bloemfontein starts at 14:30, with Evané du Toit leading Witteberg.

Fixtures

Thursday, 14 March 2024

13:30 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Boys u19A)
14:30 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Girls u19A)

Friday, 15 March 2024

14:00 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Boys u14A)
15:00 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Boys u16A)
16:00 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Girls u16A)

Saturday, 16 March 2024

09:00 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Boys u19B)
10:00 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Girls u14A)
11:00 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Girls u18B)
12:00 – Witteberg vs Sentraal (Girls u16B)

The Western Province u18 boys’ water polo team will enter this year’s National Junior Water Polo Championship in East London with the “favourites” tag, but fully aware that a stern task lies ahead of them.

The side, coached by the energetic Jabulani Sibiya, arrives in the coastal city seeking more silverware after claiming top honours in last year’s Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament in Gqeberha.

They defeated a gritty Central Gauteng side 8-7 on penalties in that final after regulation time had finished level at 8-8.

The Junior Nationals, known as the Currie Cup, will, no doubt, require the title contenders to dig deep throughout the three days of competition.

It’s not only silverware on the line but also places in the national team for this year’s World Aquatics Men’s u18 Water Polo Championships, which take place in Argentina from 2-8 July.

Sibiya guides a star-studded team after a very competitive first half of the season for the Western Cape schools.

The 13-player squad includes, among others, players from Bishops, SACS and Rondebosch Boys – all schools lifted titles in the first half of the season.

SACS claimed the SAC Shield in Makhanda, Bishops took gold in the SACS Nite Series and Mazinter Cup, and Rondebosch pulled off a shock by claiming the KES Water Polo Tournament title.

There’s no doubt that Sibiya has a group of confident players in his arsenal, and in an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools he revealed how difficult it was picking the side, the importance of experience in the team, and how they will aim to deal with pressure situations at the Currie Cup.

“It’s been one of the most competitive seasons in the Western Cape, while I have been involved with the first teams,” he said, “just in the sense that we have seen SACS win the SAC Shield, Rondebosch win KES, and Bishops win the Nite Series and the local league.

“It’s quite a competitive unit of schools. It has been exciting because it’s kept us all honest on our results. With that said, I’m super proud to see Province flourish in the age group, and I’m proud to be a part of the set-up.”

When asked about the challenges he and the selectors faced when picking a team for the Currie Cup, Sibiya had the following to say: “The selection was quite a difficult one, just because of the variety of players available in the Western Cape.

“I think some positions were easier to select than others, but it’s always difficult when you have the top four teams in the country in the province. You have to ask yourself a lot of questions but, for me, it always came down to what it was going to look like for the team – just seeing that we’ve got a nice balance and mix of players that offer us different combinations that we can play, and I think the players we have chosen are the right ones.”

The side also has a handful of players who were part of that IPT-winning side in Gqeberha last year.

Shot-stopper Jordan De Sousa starred in the cage for Province, and he returns to the side along with Adam October, Arkin Marais, Conor Melling-Williams and Nicholas Fall.

Sibiya says he will be banking on the chemistry and experience within the team.

“We have quite a few players that played in the IPT side. There’s quite a lot of chemistry between the players, and confidence from playing that final last year, and winning it.

“The experience is quite important for me because it always helps in different forms.

“I also think it’s important to have the new players, who add a different sort of play and contribute to how we can show up as a side.”

Whether they like it or not, Province will be the favourites to claim the title, particularly because of the quality they possess up front.

Coach Jabz says the term “favourites” doesn’t put much pressure on his charges but instead motivates the side to prove exactly what they can deliver in the pool.

“I think it’s always good to be considered as contenders for a national tournament. I think it speaks to the talent that’s in the group,” said Sibiya.

“I think, naturally, that could be seen as adding pressure, but we’ve got a team that has experience of playing at this high level. They are confident and they know that even if we are dubbed as favourites, we still have to go out there and play the game.

“I don’t think it adds any pressure, but I think it adds a little bit of responsibility that we be consistently humble, work hard, and I think it’s all in our attitude and approach to the game.

“Although we can be considered as favourites, we still have a lot of work to do, a lot to prove, and we’re just excited to get another opportunity to be playing at a high level,” he concluded.

Western Province Team

Adam October, Arkin Marais, Conor Melling-Williams, Jandro Rojo-Ross, Jordan De Sousa, Matthew De Villiers, Nicholas Fall, Pierre Du Plessis, Ross Stewart, Thomas Truter, Salahuddin Khan, Sebastian Kastern, Zack Cicero.

Non-travelling reserves:
Blake Brown, Bryn Parry, Luke Burger, Mac Lecuona, Max Hart, Nicholas Ward, William Jack Robinson.

Fixtures

Thursday, 14 March 2024

07:00 – Western Province vs Northern Tigers; 08:00 – Central Gauteng vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 09:00 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Buffalo City; 11:00 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Western Province; 12:00 – Buffalo City vs Northern Tigers; 13:00 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Central Gauteng; 15:00 –Western Province vs Buffalo City; 16:00 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs KwaZulu-Natal; 17:00 – Central Gauteng vs Northern Tigers.

Friday, 15 March 2024

07:00 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Western Province; 08:00 – Central Gauteng vs Buffalo City; 09:00 – Northern Tigers vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 12:00 – Western Province vs Central Gauteng; 13:00 – Northern Tigers vs KwaZulu-Natal; 14:00 – Buffalo City vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 16:00 – Semi-final 1; 17:00 – Semi-final 2.

Saturday, 16 March 2024

09:00 – 3^rd/4^th play-off; 11:00 – FINAL.

The 2024 hockey season swings into full gear this coming weekend with several festivals and tournaments taking place around the country.

Amid the chaos, many hockey enthusiasts will turn their eyes to East London, in the Eastern Cape, where some of the country’s best hockey-playing schools will do battle at the Greg Beling and Tony Godding Festivals.

The two festivals, to be played at different venues, will ensure East London is a hive of hockey activity, with the action starting on Thursday and running through until Sunday.

Bloemfontein’s Oranje Meisieskool is one of the sides that will be gracing the coastal city, and they’ll be champing at the bit, eager to build on a superb start to the season.

After an outstanding 2023, which saw them finish second in the country, the Bloemfontein girls have started this year like a rocket, claiming five one-sided wins in five outings at the Balling Hockey Festival in Bethlehem last month.

They scored a mammoth 33 goals during the three days, while conceding only one during their 5-1 win over the hosts, Voortrekker.

They breezed past St John’s DSG 3-0, and thumped Johannesburg’s St Stithians College 10-0, before handing Noordheuwel a 7-0 drubbing and closing their weekend off with an emphatic 8-0 win over Beaulieu College.

Speaking to SuperSport Schools ahead of the Greg Beling Festival, head coach Gyster van Schalkwyk said his team has put 2023 behind them and is fully focused on tackling the challenges that lie ahead this season.

“The 2023 season was a great season, despite our ending on the rankings,” he said, which also revealed the fact that number one is a position Oranje aims for and is used to achieving.

“We are much more than that. We are ready, excited, and looking forward to the 2024 season.

“Greg Beling and all other tournaments are important to us because we see it as an opportunity for us to showcase our God-given talents and greatness. We were unbeaten last year at Greg Beling.”

The Oranje side has welcomed six new members to the team this season – one in grade 8, one in grade 9, three in grade 10, and another in grade 11 – while also retaining a handful of experienced players.

Together, their first taste of first-team hockey came at the Balling Festival, and coach Van Schalkwyk was pleased with what he saw on display.

“⁠I am extremely happy and proud of their performance in Bethlehem, at the Balling Festival.

The coach says his side is ready for the healthy competition 2024 will bring and has full belief in the ability of his captain, Anriette Otto, and her deputy, Carolien Wessels, to lead them to success.

Oranje kicks off their Greg Beling Festival schedule with a clash against Makhanda’s Diocesan School for Girls on Friday at 15:15 at the Clarendon Girls High Astroturf.

Oranje’s fixtures at the Greg Beling Festival

Friday, 15 March 2024
15:15 – Oranje vs DSG Makhanda @Clarendon Astro

Saturday, 16 March 2024
10:45 – Oranje vs Woodridge @ Clarendon Astro
18:15 – Oranje vs Clarendon @Clarendon Astro

Sunday, 16 March 2024
08:15 – Oranje vs Hudson Park @ Clarendon Astro

The South African National Water Polo Championships, formally known as the “Currie Cup”, kick off this week in the Eastern Cape where the country’s u18 provincial teams will be chasing silverware, while players will vie for places in the national side.

The action commences on Thursday at the Joan Harrison Swimming Pools and will culminate with the boys’ and girls’ finals being played on Saturday morning.

The last edition of the event, in 2022, was also hosted in the coastal city. On that occasion, the Central Gauteng boys claimed top honours, while KwaZulu-Natal grabbed gold in the girls’ section.

It’s an important tournament on the country’s water polo calendar, as it serves as trials for the teams that will participate in the World Championships later this year.

The players selected from the boys u18 section will take part in the World Aquatics Men’s u18 Water Polo Championships, to be held at the Olympic Park Natatorium in Buenos Aries, Argentina from 2-8 July.

Meanwhile, the World Aquatics Women’s u18 Water Polo Championships will be held in China from 17-24 August.

Unlike the annual inter-provincial Tournament (IPT), the Currie Cup allows provinces to field only one team. This year, Buffalo City, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Tigers, Western Province, Central Gauteng and Nelson Mandela Bay will battle for supremacy.

Western Province, Central Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal are, undoubtedly, the favourites in the boys’ section, with the bulk of the players selected in those teams coming off impressive schools season.

Province will be coached by Bishops’ head coach, Jabulani Sibiya. He’s in charge of an all-star team, which includes, among others, Bishops’ Jordan De Sousa and Ross Stewart, SACS’ Nicholas Fall and Zack Cicero, and Adam October and Pierre Du Plessis of Paul Roos.

Central Gauteng, on the other hand, will be led by Jon-Marc de Carvalho, from St John’s College.

His side features a mix of players from St John’s, King Edward VII, and St David’s Marist Inanda.

St John’s star Greg Pryce is among the players to look out for in that side, and alongside his schoolmates, Ross Rovelli and Nicholas Searle, will be eager to land another Currie Cup title for the province.

Rob Ambler’s KwaZulu-Natal side are not to be ruled out and will be sniffing an opening after they finished third in last December’s IPT.

The girls’ section will also be interesting, with very little likely to separate the top sides.

Central Gauteng is one of the favourites to claim the title. In December, they won the Inter-Provincial crown, edging out Western Province 12-10 in a heated final at Grey High School.

Province, however, has a more settled team, with a majority of the players who took part in the IPT, returning for the Currie Cup.

Led by Connor Whiting, the side welcomes back the likes of Alexa de Villiers, Amy van Breda, Emma Catto, Isabella Tooley, and Reddam House Constantia’s Hannah Banks.

Another team that will be aiming to cause an upset and give the home crowd something to cheer is the Buffalo City team, coached by former South African player, Hanna Muller.

Muller impressively led the side to a sixth-place finish in last year’s IPT and will rely on players like Jasmine Koch, Maya Klopper, and Tori Voke to ignite a spark in the home side.

In the boys’ pool, Western Province will get matters underway against Northern Tigers bright and early at 07:00 on Thursday morning. The girls’ section will launch an hour later, with KwaZulu-Natal taking on Nelson Mandela Bay.

Fixtures

u18 Boys

Thursday, 14 March 2024

07:00 – Western Province vs Northern Tigers; 08:00 – Central Gauteng vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 09:00 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Buffalo City; 11:00 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Western Province; 12:00 – Buffalo City vs Northern Tigers; 13:00 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Central Gauteng; 15:00 –Western Province vs Buffalo City; 16:00 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs KwaZulu-Natal; 17:00 – Central Gauteng vs Northern Tigers.

Friday, 15 March 2024

07:00 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Western Province; 08:00 – Central Gauteng vs Buffalo City; 09:00 – Northern Tigers vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 12:00 – Western Province vs Central Gauteng; 13:00 – Northern Tigers vs KwaZulu-Natal; 14:00 – Buffalo City vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 16:00 – Semi-final 1; 17:00 – Semi-final 2.

Saturday, 16 March 2024

09:00 – 3^rd/4^th play-off; 11:00 – FINAL.

Fixtures

u18 Girls

Thursday, 14 March 2024

08:00 – KwaZulu-Natal vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 09:00 – Buffalo City vs Western Province; 12:00 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Central Gauteng; 13:00 – Buffalo City vs KwaZulu-Natal; 16:00 – Central Gauteng vs Western Province; 17:00 – Nelson Mandela Bay vs Buffalo City.

Friday, 15 March 2024

08:00 – Central Gauteng vs Buffalo City; 09:00 –KwaZulu-Natal vs Western Province; 12:00 – Central Gauteng vs KwaZulu-Natal; 13:00 – Western Province vs Nelson Mandela Bay; 16:00 – Semi-final 1; 17:00 – Semi-final 2.

Saturday, 16 March 2024

08:00 – 3^rd/4^th play-off; 10:00 – FINAL.

After putting on impressive showings during their pre-season encounters, Grey College will be aiming to keep that momentum rolling when they make the trip down to East London from Bloemfontein for the Tony Godding Festival.

The annual festival sees some of the country’s most competitive schools headed to the coastal city, with the action kicking off on Thursday and running through to Sunday.

A lot of hockey lies ahead, so the weekend’s matches will provide teams with opportunities to not only test themselves against different opposition from around the country, but it will also give them a chance to sharpen their structures, get some game time, and finalise their preferred starting teams.

The Bloemfontein boys appear to be in good nick after winning all three of their pre-season games in the past two weeks.

First up, coach Wayne Coetzee’s side visited Pretoria to tackle Hoërskool Menlopark, and Hoërskool Waterkloof.

Their first encounter saw them breeze past Menlopark, scoring three goals through Dayne Kitching, MJ Bam, and Andrew Koupis.

In their second outing, they defeated a gritty Waterkloof side 1-0, with Matthias Visser netting the game-deciding goal.

This past weekend, Grey welcomed another Pretoria-based side to their shores, with Hoërskool Garsfontein making the trip down to the Free State.

It was a good examination for the hosts, who had their supporters behind them in full voice.

In a five-goal game, Grey grabbed a 3-2 victory, courtesy of a Luke Visser brace and a goal from Waldo Konig.

Coach Steven Paulo’s Garsfontein team kept pushing hard and clawed their way back into the match with two goals of their own.

They had an opportunity to draw level from a penalty corner right on the final whistle, but Grey kept them out and secured a hard-fought victory.

Coach Coetzee’s side opens its challenge at the Tony Godding Festival against Cambridge High School, on Friday, at 10:15.

They will play five matches in total, including facing Queen’s College, and Gqeberha’s Pearson, who produced a particularly nuggetty team in 2023.

Grey’s matches will be good preparation for a stiff schedule, which includes the Nomads Festival and the King Edward VII Easter Festival later this month.

Grey College pre-season results

Grey College 3-0 Menlopark
Grey College 1-0 Waterkloof
Grey College 3-2 Garsfontein

Grey College fixtures at the Tony Godding Festival

 Friday, 15 March 2024

10:15- Grey College vs Cambridge High School @ Cambridge Astro
17:15- Grey College vs Pearson High School @ Selborne College Astro

Saturday, 16 March 2024

09:30-Grey College vs Hudson Park @ Bunkers Hill Astro
13:15- Grey College vs Queen’s College @ Merrifield College Astro

Sunday, 17 March 2024

09:30- Grey College vs St Andrew’s College @ Selborne College Astro

St John’s Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) became the third side to book themselves a spot in the Grand final of the Spar Hockey Challenge after defeating Epworth on penalties in the final of the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional on Sunday.

The third round of the festival was hosted by Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Astroturf.

The hosts, who won the title last year, were joined by Carter High, Russell High, Alexandra High, Epworth, St John’s DSG, and Maritzburg Christian School.

It was, however, St John’s DSG who shone throughout the day, claiming victory in all six of their matches, to assert their dominance in the region.

On their way to the final, the side from Scottsville scored 19 times and kept a clean sheet in all of their games.

After dominating the round-robin stages, they met Epworth High School, who had also impressed, losing only 0-1 to their opponents for the title, in the final showdown. Epworth had sealed their spot in the title-decider with a crucial 1-0 win over Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High.

With silverware on the line, the action went back and forth, but there was nothing to separate the sides after 20 minutes, with the contest ending in a goalless stalemate as neither team was able to capitalise on the opportunities they created. That meant the winners would be decided from the penalty spot.

After Epworth missed their first take, Rebecca Macquet and Isobel Cobbald both calmly slotted their opportunities to see their side to a 2-0 win.

Reacting after the match, head coach Philip Smerdon, expressed how delighted he was for his team as they look to go all the way in the Grand Finals later this year.

“I’m really proud of our players,” he told SuperSport Schools.

“They put on a great show from start to finish. We can’t wait to play at the Grand Finals. It’s a really great opportunity for our players to go up against the best.”

Before claiming victory in the Spar Hockey Challenge, DSG was in action at the Balling Hockey Festival, hosted by Bethlehem Voortrekker, in late January.

There, Smerdon’s side was in fine form, playing an attractive brand of hockey that saw them claim a deserved 4-2 win against last year’s number-one-ranked team in the country, Eunice.

The coach said his players certainly drew inspiration from their performances in Bethlehem.

“The Balling Hockey Festival was great for team dynamics and to iron out the creases before the season starts,” he explained.

“Our young players have settled in nicely due to the Balling Hockey Festival, and the confidence we gained as a team will help for the start of the season.”

Claiming gold at the Central Regional tournament was a big boost to the St John’s DSG hockey programme, with much expected from the side in 2024.

Smerdon said there’s no doubt the win will also serve to motivate the younger teams at the school.

“The St John’s DSG Hockey programme is in a really good space.

“We have hungry athletes wanting to achieve in all sports.

“As a 1st team, all the coaching staff want to see is players getting a little better every single day. Win or lose, our 1st team must set an example for the younger player coming through our programme.,” he concluded.

Results

Carter High 0-0 Russell High
Alexandra High 0-5 Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High
St John’s DSG 1-0 Epworth
Carter High 0-0 Maritzburg Christian School
Russell High 0-0 Alexandra High
Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High 0-2 St John’s DSG
Epworth 3-0 Maritzburg Christian School
Carter High 0-0 Alexandra High
Russell High 0-7 Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High
Alexandra High 0-5 St John’s DSG
Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High 2-0 Maritzburg Christian School
Carter High 0-4 Epworth
Russell High 0-1 Maritzburg Christian School
Alexandra High 0-4 Epworth
St John’s DSG 1-0 Maritzburg Christian School
Carter High 0-3 Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High
Russell High 0-5 Epworth
Alexandra High 0-0 Maritzburg Christian School
Carter High 0-5 St John’s DSG
Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High 0-1 Epworth
Russell High 0-5 St John’s DSG

Final

St Johns DSG 0(2)-0(0) Epworth

 

Schools in the Western Cape kicked off their 2024 hockey season when they participated in the Spar Challenge pre-season Hockey Festival in Cape Town over the weekend.

The one-day event was hosted at various locations, with DF Malan, Stellenberg High School, Durbanville, and Belville High all playing host to matches.

As is the case with pre-season festivals, it was also an opportunity for coaches to assess their teams’ combinations, teamwork, and fitness, among other aspects of the game.

Many of the recognised hockey powers played at the DF Malan and Stellenberg Astro turfs.

At DF Malan, Bloemhof Girls High stood out, winning three of their four matches.

They began their day with a 1-0 win over the hosts, before outscoring Fairmont High School 2-0. The Stellenbosch side went on to play out a 0-0 draw with Herschel Girls, before edging out St Cyprian’s by a solitary goal.

Somerset College was in red hot form. They scooped up wins over DF Malan, Herschel, and Fairmont, before thumping St Cyprian’s 4-1.

At Stellenberg, it was even Stevens in many of the matches. Parel Vallei won all four of their games, downing Paarl Girls’ High, Durbanville, Stellenberg, and Rustenburg Girls, to announce themselves as serious threats for the forthcoming season.

The action was even more entertaining at the Belville Astro, with most of the matches being tightly contested. Only Springfield’s 4-0 win over La Rochelle was a high-scoring affair.

Meanwhile, at Durbanville, Stellenbosch High picked up a win against Hugenote, before playing out to draws against Fish Hoek and Elkanah respectively.

The Western Cape Schools League matches officially start 5 April.

Results

Belville High School Astro

HTS Drostdy 1-0 Belville High
Charlie Hofmeyr 2-1 Curro Durbanville
Springfield High 4-0 La Rochelle
Belville High 1-0 Charlie Hofmeyr
La Rochelle 1-0 Curro Durbanville
Springfield High 1-0 HTS Drostdy
Belville 1-0 Curro Durbanville
HTS Drostdy 1-0 La Rochelle
Springfield High 1-0 Charlie Hofmeyr
Curro Durbanville 0-0 HTS Drostdy
Charlie Hofmeyr 1-0 La Rochelle
Belville High 0-0 Springfield High

Durbanville Astro

Elkanah 3-0 Fish Hoek
Stellenbosch 0-0 DF Malan Invitational
Milnerton 3-1 Hugenote
DF Malan Invitational 1-0 Fish Hoek
Stellenbosch 2-0 Hugenote
Milnerton 0-0 Elkanah
Stellenbosch 1-1 Fish Hoek
Elkanah 2-0 Hugenote
DF Malan Invitational 1-0 Milnerton
Stellenbosch 1-1 Elkanah
Hugenote 0-0 DF Malan Invitational
Milnerton 1-0 Fish Hoek

DF Malan Astro

Somerset College 1-0 Herschel
Bloemhof 1-0 DF Malan
St Cyprian’s 5-0 Fairmont High
Herschel 0-0 Bloemhof
DF Malan 0-0 St Cyprian’s
Somerset College 2-0 Fairmont
Herschel 0-0 DF Malan
Somerset College 4-1 St Cyprian’s
Bloemhof 2-0 Fairmont
Somerset College 2-0 DF Malan
Bloemhof 1-0 St Cyprian’s
Herschel 1-0 Fairmont
Melkbosstrand 5-0 Parow
Robertson 1-1 Elshadai
Bridge House 9-0 President
Melkbosstrand 1-1 Elshadai
Robertson 0-1 Bridge House
Parow 1-1 Robertson
Bridge House 3-0 Parow
President 0-3 Elshadai
Robertson 7-0 Parow
Bridge House 0-1 Elshadai
Melkbosstrand 6-0 President

Stellenberg Astro
Rustenburg Girls 1-0 Durbanville
Wynberg Girls 0-2 Stellenberg
Parel Vallei 1-0 Paarl Girls’ High
Rustenburg Girls 0-0 Stellenberg
Wynberg Girls 0-1 Parel Vallei
Durbanville 0-3 Paarl Girls’ High
Rustenburg Girls 2-0 Wynberg Girls High
Parel Vallei 1-0 Durbanville
Stellenberg 2-0 Paarl Girls High
Wynberg Girls 1-0 Durbanville
Parel Vallei 2-1 Stellenberg
Rustenburg Girls 0-2 Paarl Girls’ High
The Settlers 1-0 Brackenfell
Hermanus 1-0 Swartland
Strand 2-1 Tygerberg
The Settlers 1-0 Swartland
Hermanus 0-0 Strand
Brackenfell 1-2 Tygerberg
The Settlers 1-0 Hermanus
Strand 1-0 Brackenfell
Swartland 2-2 Tygerberg
Hermanus 1-0 Brackenfell
Strand 1-2 Swartland
The Settlers 1-0 Tygerberg

After a penalty shootout, The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC) scored a nervy 2-1 win over St Anne’s Diocesan College in the final of the Pietermaritzburg North Regional Spar Hockey Challenge on Saturday.

TWC, the hosts, came into the weekend aiming to repeat as champions after they won the title in 2023, while St Anne’s were hunting their 10^th North Regional title, having last won it in 2022.

The two powerhouse sides were joined by Grace College, Howick High, Linpark, Treverton, and Riverwood College.

They showed good form from their first matches, with TWC opening their account with a 4-0 win over Howick High.

St Anne’s didn’t make any mistakes in their opener. They breezed past Grace College, scoring three unanswered goals to get off the mark.

The duo continued their dominance throughout the round-robin games, with St Anne’s enjoying the upper hand, scoring 24 goals in their six matches, while keeping a clean sheet.

They also got one over the eventual winners during the round robin stages, edging TWC 1-0.

It was, however, a different story in the final. Despite the side from Hilton dominating possession, the hosts were solid defensively.

The visitors had an opportunity to open the scoring with three minutes played after receiving a penalty corner, but it was well defended by TWC’s goalkeeper, Zoe Harper, and her troops.

TWC also had its chances in the St Anne’s half, with Erynne Marais causing problems for the visitors with her speed in the middle of the pitch.

There was, however, nothing to separate the two sides at the conclusion of the 20-minute one-way match, and it was down to three penalties for each side.

TWC’s Emily Wilson was first up, and missed, much to the disappointment of the home crowd.

Then, St Anne’s Ella Shuttleworth gave her side the advantage by netting their first penalty. That, however, proved to be their first and last goal in the shootout.

TWC’s Mary Jellis and Erynne Marais both converted, while their shot-stopper, Zoe Harper, kept out the sisters, Jasmin and Jade Kelly, to secure a 2-1 victory.

The win means TWC have now claimed their third North Regional title, and that has also secured them a place in the Spar Hockey Challenge Grand Final which will take place in July at St Mary’s DSG, in Kloof.

Results

Wykeham Collegiate 4-0 Riverwood College
St Anne’s 3-0 Grace College
Howick High 3-0 Linpark
The Wykeham Collegiate 5-0 Treverton College
Grace College 1-0 Riverwood College
St Anne’s 9-0 Linpark
The Wykeham Collegiate 0-0 Howick High
Grace College 0-2 Linpark
St Anne’s 5-0 Treverton College
Howick High 1-0 Grace College
Riverwood College 0-0 Treverton College
St Anne’s 1-0 The Wykeham Collegiate
Howick High 1-0 Riverwood College
Linpark 0-4 Treverton College
The Wykeham Collegiate 4-0 Grace College
St Anne’s 4-0 Riverwood College
Treverton College 1-0 Howick High
The Wykeham Collegiate 8-0 Linpark
Treverton College 0-0 Grace College
Riverwood College 1-0 Linpark High
St Anne’s 2-0 Howick High

Final

The Wykeham Collegiate 0 (2)-0(1) St Anne’s Diocesan College