Author: asawula

The 48^th edition of the Vides Water Polo Tournament, hosted by Selborne College in East London over the weekend, concluded with Clifton College downing Paul Roos Gymnasium in a tense penalty shootout to claim their first piece of silverware in 2024.

Both entered the title-decider unbeaten after dominating runs through their pools. Together, they scored a combined 86 goals in pool games, while conceding less than 30, heading into the playoffs.

There was also very little to separate the sides in the final with the game ending at 7-7 after four chukkas. Oliver Ditz’s penalty goal then proved to be the difference during the penalty shoot-out after Paul Roos missed two shots from the spot.

The excellent showing of both sides was reflected in the Team of the Tournament, which was announced after the final.

Both had four players named in the side, with Clifton’s skipper, Oliver Ditz headlining the team after also being named the Player of the Tournament.

He was joined in the squad by his goalkeeper, Ross Strauss, Nathan Burger, and Luc O’Brien, who matched Ditz by scoring a hattrick in the final.

Paul Roos goalkeeper Nicholas Ward was included in the 15-player lineup, alongside his teammates, Adam October, and the prolific goal scorers, Migael Terblanche, and Arkin Marias.

Selborne College had three of their standouts named in the team. They finished third and Liam Hansen, Sam van de Venter, and Dominic Stegman all cracked the nod.

Fourth place finishers, Reddam House Constantia had Jethro Montague-Fryer and one of the Brown brothers, Adam, included. Meanwhile, Jack Brady, from St David’s Marist Inanda, and Benjamin Melville, from St Alban’s College, were also recognised.

In the special awards category, Nicholas Ward scooped up the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament. Meanwhile, the Best Attacker Award was given to Liam Hansen, and the Best Defender went to Migael Terblanche, with Oliver Ditz claiming the Player of the Tournament.

Team of the Tournament

Liam Hansen (Selborne College), Arkin Marias (Paul Roos), Benjamin Melville (St Alban’s College), Migael Terblanche (Paul Roos), Jethro Montague-Fryer (Reddam House Constantia), Ross Strauss (Clifton College), Luc O’Brein (Clifton College), Dominic Stegman (Selborne College), Oliver Ditz (Clifton College), Nathan Burger (Clifton College), Nicholas Ward (Paul Roos), Jack Brady (St David’s Marist Inanda), Adam Brown (Reddam House Constantia), Sam van de Venter (Selborne College).

Clifton College will travel back to KwaZulu-Natal from the Eastern Cape with silverware following a 1-0 triumph from the penalty spot over Paul Roos Gymnasium after the teams finished the final of the Vides Water Polo Tournament level at 7-7 on Saturday.

The tournament, hosted by Selborne College in East London, culminated with a dramatic title-decider in which there was little to separate the finalists.

In their journey to the title game, Clifton was one of the standout teams, winning all of their pool matches before making it to the semi-finals after Grey High was disqualified for using an extended squad in their quarterfinal clash.

Coach Paul Martin’s side was deadly in front of goal, scoring 41 goals, while conceding only 10, in their three pool matches.

They went on to oust the hosts in a tough final four showdown. Clifton appeared to be cruising into the final when they built up an 8-4 lead, but Selborne came steaming back, eventually going down 7-8.

Paul Roos, on the other hand, went about their business quietly, but they were also sublime on both attack and defence.

They also started the final the brighter of the two sides and rushed into a 3-0 lead in the first chukka, courtesy of a brace by Migael Terblanche, and a solitary goal by Nicholaas van der Westhuizen.

Clifton came alive in the second chukka and levelled matters. Oliver Ditz, who alongside his team-mate Luc O’Brien ended the match with a hattrick, got the Durban boys back into the encounter, making it 3-3 at the break.

In the third quarter, Ditz struck twice, and Ethan Lyne then stretched the lead to 6-3.

Vaughn Marlow’s troops entered the final quarter trailing by two goal (4-6) after Oliver Perch pulled one back for the Stellenbosch team.

The final chukka was thrilling with both sides taking it to each other.

Luc O’Brien completed his hattrick for Clifton, while Paul Roos drew level at 7-7, thanks to Milan and Nicolaas van der Westhuizen.

When the final whistle sounded, the contest headed into a shootout.

First up, Nick Ward, pulled off a save for Paul Roos, but Ross Strauss did the same for Clifton. Then, PRG substituted Ward with Adam Lawrence, and he, too, kept Clifton out. Strauss, with a little help from his right-hand post, kept it all square, however.

Then, Oliver Ditz scored from the spot. With the pressure on, the next Paul Roos shot flew wide of the mark and Clifton had claimed their first title of the season.

Ditz and his team-mates Luc O’Brien, Ross Strauss and Nathan Burger, were named in the Team of the Tournament, with Ditz also being recognised as the Player of the Tournament.

In other matches on the final day, Selborne College claimed the bronze medal, winning by three goals against Reddam House Constantia in the third/fourth play-off match.

There were also wins for St David’s Marist Inanda against St Alban’s College, and for Wynberg Boys High, who beat Grey College 8-4 in the plate final.

East London’s Stirling High avoided last place by claiming a 9-4 win over Pearson, and Gqeberha’s Grey High got one past Makhanda’s St Andrew’s College, taking a 7-6 win to claim seventh spot.

Scorers in the final

Paul Roos Gymnasium: Nicholaas van der Westhuizen (x2), Migael Terblanche (x3), Oliver Perch, Milan van der Westhuizen. Clifton College: Oliver Ditz (x3), Luc O’Brien (x3), Ethan Lyne.

Results: Day 3

@ Selborne College

St Alban’s College 8-7 Grey High
St David’s 9-6 St Andrew’s College
Clifton College 8-7 Selborne College
Paul Roos 11-5 Reddam House
Stirling High 9-4 Pearson High School
Woodridge College 9-6 Grey High 2^nd
Glenwood House 7-6 Collegians
Wynberg Boys High 8-4 Grey College
Grey High 7-6 St Andrew’s College
St David’s Marist Inanda 9-5 St Alban’s College
Selborne College 8-5 Reddam House Constantia
Clifton College 7(1)-7(0) Paul Roos Gymnasium

@ Clarendon High School

Grey High 2^nd 6-4 Stirling High
Woodridge College 6-3 Pearson
Wynberg Boys High 8-3 Glenwood House
Grey College 7-4 Selborne Collegians

Full standings

Clifton College
Paul Roos Gymnasium
Selborne College
Reddam House Constantia
St David’s Marist Inanda
St Alban’s College
Grey High
St Andrew’s College
Wynberg Boys’ High
Grey College
Glenwood House
Selborne Collegians
Woodridge College
Grey High 2^nd
Stirling High
Pearson High School

There were goals galore, a disqualification, and semi-final spots cemented on the second day of the Vides Water Polo Tournament, being hosted by Selborne College, in East London on Friday.

The home team, Clifton College, Paul Roos, and Reddam House Constantia booked their spots in the semi-finals as the tournament headed towards its conclusion.

Coach Paul Martin’s Clifton side was the first to secure a place in the final four after their quarterfinal clash with Grey High ended in a controversial disqualification for the side from Gqeberha.

SuperSport Schools understands that Grey fielded players who had also represented their second team at the tournament.

The tournament rules specify that each team is allowed to register only 13 players, and by using some of their second-stringers, Grey exceeded that number, leaving the organisers with no choice but to disqualify them.

Before the match was ended, Clifton led 4-2, which included a brace from Nathan Burger. Bryce Minderon and Spensor Adshade netted for Grey, but those goals proved to be in vain, with the match being called off before the second chukka.

In another quarterfinal match, Paul Roos maintained their unbeaten record by holding off St David’s Marist Inanda, 7-4.

Vaughn Marlow’s Stellenbosch boys will go up against Reddam House Constantia in an all-Western Cape affair for a spot in the final on Saturday.

Selborne College also kept alive their hopes of winning the Vides for the first time since 2017 when they breezed past St Alban’s College.

They dominated proceedings from the get-go and led 10-3 after the third chukka. Then, they added a further three goals to seal a 13-4 victory. They’ll tackle Clifton College on Saturday for a place in the title-decider.

It was an excellent day for Reddam House. After defeating Wynberg Boys’ High, they edged St Andrew’s College in the last quarterfinal of the day.

In a tightly contested affair, the Cape Town boys led 3-1 at half-time. St Andrew’s bounced back brilliantly in the third, scoring five goals, to carry a 6-5 advantage into the final chukka.

Coach Chad Uys‘s side dug deep, however, and responded with three goals, led by the efforts of the Brown brothers, Adam and Blake. The match ended 8-7 in Reddam’s favour, which means they have a daunting date with Paul Roos on Saturday.

The first semi-final, between Selborne and Clifton, takes place at 09:40, with Paul Roos and Reddam locking horns at 10:30.

The final is scheduled for 17:10, and all the action will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

 Results: Day 2

@Selborne College

Grey High 8-3 Selborne Collegians
Wynberg Boys’ High 15-2 Woodridge College
Selborne College 11-4 Reddam House Constantia
St Andrew’s College 7-4 Grey College
Paul Roos 17-1 Selborne Collegians
Clifton College 4-2 St David’s Marist Inanda
St Alban’s College 12-7 Grey College
St Andrew’s College 13-4 Stirling High School
Glenwood House 9-6 Grey High 2^nd
Grey High vs Clifton College – Grey disqualified, Clifton advances. 
Paul Roos 7-4 St David’s Marist Inanda
Selborne College 13-4 St Alban’s College
Reddam House Constantia 8-7 St Andrew’s College

@Clarendon

Clifton College 14-1 Grey High 2^nd
Paul Roos 13-3 Glenwood House
St David’s Marist Inanda 14-0 Pearson High
St Alban’s College 18-1 Stirling High
Grey High 19-9 Glenwood House
Grey High 2^nd 9-3 Pearson High
Reddam House Constantia 7-6 Wynberg Boys’ High
Selborne College 15-0 Woodridge College
Selborne Collegians 5-4 Pearson
Wynberg Boys’ High 12-1 Stirling High
Grey College 9-4 Woodridge College

Day 3, Saturday, 17 February 2024

@ Selborne College

08:00 – Grey High vs St Alban’s College; 08:50 – St David’s vs St Andrew’s College; 09:40 – Selborne College vs Clifton College; 10:30 – Paul Roos vs Reddam House; 11:20 – Loser 33 vs Loser 34 (41); 12:10 – Winner 33 vs Winner 34 (42); 13:00 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38 (43); 13:50 – Winner 37 vs Winner 38 (44); 14:40 – Loser 35 vs Loser 36 (45); 15:30 – Winner 35 vs Winner 36 (46); 16:20 – Loser 39 vs Loser 40 (47); 17:10 – FINAL.

@ Clarendon High School

08:00 – Grey High 2^nd vs Stirling High; 08:50 – Pearson vs Woodridge College; 09:40 – Glenwood House vs Wynberg; 10:30 – Selborne Collegians vs Grey College.

The favoured teams at the Vides Water Polo Tournament, being hosted by Selborne College in East London, got off to a perfect start on Thursday, asserting themselves in the pool and collecting maximum points.

Clifton College, Paul Roos, St Andrew’s College, Reddam House Constantia, and Selborne were a cut above the rest, although the boys from Makhanda were pushed hard.

KwaZulu-Natal’s Clifton kicked matters off with an emphatic 23-7 win over Gqeberha’s Pearson High School.

Makhanda’s St Andrew’s College found St Alban’s College to be a tough test in the Clarendon High Swimming Pool. There was little in it, but St Andrew’s eventually sneaked a 6-5 win.

Reddam House came into the event off the back of an 8-14 loss to Paul Roos in round four of the SACS Nite Series the previous day. They, however, looked like a different side, and dominated every facet of their game against Woodridge College, netting 17 goals, while conceding only six.

Paul Roos, on the other hand, made light work of Grey High, scoring 15 times, while the boys from Gqeberha replied with nine goals of their own.

The final match of the day at the Selborne College pool was a clash between the hosts and Cape Town’s Wynberg Boys High.

Wynberg started the brighter when they opened the scoring early in the first quarter through Aden de Costa.

Selborne launched several attacks on the Wynberg defence, but Christian Foxx remained resolute in the cage, keeping his side in the battle.

Then, coach Storm Siebert‘s side came out firing in the second chukka, netting twice through Armand van Rooyen and Mitchell Holl.

De Costa scored two more goals for Wynberg, to snag a hattrick, but his goals were cancelled out in the final two chukkas when Van Rooeyn scored his second before Liam Hansen made his presence felt with a hattrick.

Selborne put the nail in the coffin when Daniel Breetzke got his name onto the scoresheet to seal an 8-4 win for the hosts.

In other matches at the Clarendon Pool, St David’s Marist Inanda defeated the Grey High 2^nd team 16-2, while Grey College saw off Stirling High, taking a 12-5 win.

Day two’s action begins with a clash between Grey High and Selborne Collegians at 08:00 at the main pool.

The Grey High 2^nd team will face Clifton College at the Clarendon Pool.

Results: Day 1

@Selborne College

Clifton College 23-7 Pearson High School
Selborne Collegians 9-6 Glenwood House
Paul Roos 15-9 Grey High
Selborne College 8-4 Wynberg Boys High

@ Clarendon High School

St David’s Marist Inanda 16-2 Grey High 2^nd
St Andrew’s College 6-5 St Albans
Reddam House Constantia 17-6 Woodridge College
Grey College 12-5 Stirling High School

Day 2, Friday, 16 February 2024 @ Selborne College

08:00 – Grey High vs Selborne Collegians (10); 08:50 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Woodridge College (12); 09:40 – Reddam House Constantia vs Selborne College (14); 10:30 – Grey College vs St Andrew’s College (16); 11:20 – Paul Roos vs Selborne Collegians (18); 12:10 – Clifton College vs St David’s (20); 13:00 – St Alban’s College vs Grey College (22); 13:50 – St Andrew’s College vs Stirling High (24); 14:40 – BREAK; 15:30 – Pool A 3^rd vs Pool B 4^th (25); 16:20 – Pool A 1^st vs Pool B 2^nd (29); 17:10 – Pool B 1^st vs Pool A 2^nd (30); 18:00 – Pool C 1^st vs Pool D 2^nd (31); 18:50 – Pool D 1^st vs Pool C 2^nd (32).

@ Clarendon High School

08:00 – Grey High 2^nd vs Clifton College (9); 08:50 – Glenwood House vs Paul Roos (11); 09:40 – Pearson High vs St David’s (13); 10:30 – St Alban’s College vs Stirling High (15); 11:20 – Grey High vs Glenwood House (17); 12:10 – Grey High 2^nd vs Pearson High (19); 13:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs Wynberg Boys’ High (21); 13:50 – Woodridge College vs Selborne College (23); 14:40 – BREAK; 15:30 – Pool B 3^rd vs Pool A 4^th (26); 16:20 – Pool C 3^rd vs Pool D 4^th (27); 17:10 – Pool D 3^rd vs Pool C 4^th (28).

Day 3, Saturday, 17 February 2024 @ Selborne College

08:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 31 (35); 08:50 – Loser 30 vs Loser 32 (36); 09:40 – Winner 29 vs Winner 31 (39); 10:30 – Winner 30 vs Winner 32 (40); 11:20 – Loser 33 vs Loser 34 (41); 12:10 – Winner 33 vs Winner 34 (42); 13:00 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38 (43); 13:50 – Winner 37 vs Winner 38 (44); 14:40 – Loser 35 vs Loser 36 (45); 15:30 – Winner 35 vs Winner 36 (46); 16:20 – Loser 39 vs Loser 40 (47); 17:10 – FINAL.

@ Clarendon High School

08:00 – Loser 25 vs Loser 27 (33); 08:50 – Loser 26 vs Loser 28 (34); 09:40 – Winner 25 vs Winner 27 (37)- Plate semi-final; 10:30 – Winner 26 vs Winner 28 (38)- Plate semi-final.

Individual brilliance in team sports is almost guaranteed, with each team usually armed with one or two players that stick out from the rest of the pack.

That brilliance is often spotted from a young age, then groomed and nurtured into a powerful force. 

However, the true value of a player with individual brilliance is his or her ability to contribute those skills to a team, through a willingness to be a team player at all times, thus helping to make each of the other team members better players.

One player who has excelled in this department is Selborne’s College rising water polo star, Liam Hansen. 

He provides a vital cog in the Selborne first team, with his skills and leadership delivering important attributes to the unit. His knack for goalscoring, linking up with teammates, and fighting for his side to the final whistle, sets him apart. 

Hansen has represented Buffalo City at the annual Inter-Provincial Water Polo Tournament since he was u14 and during the past two campaigns he has led the provincial side. 

This coming weekend, he and his team will seek to capture Selborne’s first Vides Trophy since 2017, when they host the tournament. 

In an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools, he spoke about where his love for water polo began, his achievements in the pool, and his team’s objectives for the 2024 season.

The beginning

Selborne College is renowned for its rich sporting history, having produced many household names across the sporting codes the school offers. 

However, the school’s swimming pools and corridors were not always familiar territory for Hansen, who began his schooling almost 30 minutes away at Hudson Park. That’s where he met a teacher who encouraged him to take up the sport.

“I attended Hudson Park Primary School from grade R to grade 7, before moving across to Selborne College in my grade 9 year,” Hansen said.

“I am extremely thankful to Mr Le Roux Loock, who is now teaching at Grey Bloem, who persuaded me to try out for water polo in grade 7.

“I tried the sport out and immediately fell in love with it. I had been a provincial swimmer but gave up swimming at that time as I preferred the idea of playing a team sport in the pool.”

That nudge from Mr Loock received further fuel when Hansen, in grade 7, joined East London’s Eagles Water Polo Club. 

There, he met two young but very influential coaches, who both spotted something special about the way he played the game. 

Hansen said their guidance in the water and out of it contributed to the player he is today. 

“I joined Eagles Polo Club during my grade 7 year and grew from strength to strength under the coaching wings of Ms. Hannah Muller and Mr Khanyisa Mpumlwana,” he reckoned. 

“They kept encouraging me to pursue water polo and build on my natural talents.

“After making the Border IPT u14 team in grade 8, under the coaching of Mr Storm Siebert, he constantly encouraged me, guided me, and supported me in working hard to improve my skills.

“The coaches I have mentioned contributed to my dream of becoming an SA player one day.”

Finding the balance:

Despite being only 17 years old, with little experience in the first team, what he has achieved in the pool is impressive.

In the past two years, Hansen has scooped up four awards, which speak to his impact in the water. Firstly, he shared the award for the Most Promising Junior Water Polo Player at Selborne in 2022. Then, he went on to claim the “Most Valuable Player” award at the Ian Mellier Tournament in Cape Town.

Last year, he laid claim to the same award at the 2023 Nick Rey DHS U16 Water Polo Tournament in Durban, steering Selborne to the title, before leading the Buffalo City u16 side to a bronze medal at last year’s IPT in Gqeberha.

He does admit, though, that a busy schedule in the pool and classroom can get tiring, but knowing his priorities and receiving the support of his family keeps him focussed on the main goal. 

“It isn’t always easy, especially when fatigue kicks in,” he admitted. “However, my mom helps me stay focussed and I try to work consistently as much as possible.

“Paying good attention in class is also important, as well as finding a balance between sport, academics, and private time.”

Teamwork makes the dream work:

As the first part of this year’s season draws closer to its conclusion, Selborne has a shot at adding to the silverware they’ve already won this term.

Coach Storm Siebert’s side finished in sixth place at the SAC Shield in Makhanda last month against an elite field. A week later, they successfully defended their ITEC Grey College Water Polo Tournament title in Bloemfontein. 

This term, they will participate in two more tournaments, the Vides and the KES Water Polo Tournament, early next month.

Hansen says Selborne has big goals and ambitions for those events, and teamwork will be critical if they are to succeed. 

“Our team dynamic is very special, as we are all good friends, and we work very well together, focussing on team performance and continual improvement, rather than individual success,” he said.

“We have quite a young team, but we are going from strength to strength, and I am confident that we have earned our spot in the big tournaments as we strive to play a very competitive game of water polo.

“We are aiming to do very well at our very own Vides Tournament, and also hoping to make the quarterfinals at both the annual KES Festival in Johannesburg and the SACS Festival in Cape Town, towards the end of the year.”

Selborne has been drawn in Pool C for the Vides this weekend, where they’ll face Woodridge College, Reddam House Constantia, and Wynberg Boys’ High.

They open their campaign against Wynberg on Thursday at 17:40 in the final match of day one.

Catch all the action LIVE ON SUPERSPORT SCHOOLS.

The 2024 SACS Nite Series has proven to be very unpredictable with a series of upsets highlighting the competition which reaches its fourth round on Wednesday this week.

One team that has stood out, after being dubbed underdogs, is Rondebosch Boys High, who have impressed in the first three rounds of the series.

They’re currently unbeaten in the competition and are playing an attractive, structured, and well-orchestrated brand of water polo.

They opened their campaign with an emphatic 14-6 triumph over Reddam House Constantia. In round two, they defied the odds, edging the hosts, SACS, 9-7 in a highly competitive and entertaining match to hand coach Devon Card’s side an improbable second loss of the series. ‘Bosch then followed that up a 12-5 win over Wynberg Boys’ High last week.

This week, Rondebosch faces arguably their toughest test of the season when they take on Bishops Diocesan College, who are also unbeaten in the Nite Series, in a showdown for top spot ahead of the play-off matches, which loom at the end of the month.

Speaking exclusively to SuperSport Schools ahead of the big clash, ‘Bosch head coach Jared Wingate-Pearse said he was satisfied with his team’s performances of late, but he reiterated the need to stay focussed as the series draws to its conclusion.

“I’m very happy with the performances. We have worked hard in the season, and the season has been up and down so far, but it’s nice to have gone three for three in the Nite Series,” he said.

“Our match against SACS last week was a big confidence-booster for us. However, I believe there is still room for improvement, so we will keep working hard.”

Apart from participating in the Nite Series, Rondebosch has also faced many of the country’s leading teams this season. Last month, at the SAC Shield in Makhanda, they finished in fourth place, just above Paul Roos and Selborne College.

However, Wingate-Pearse revealed that his side was dissatisfied after they missed out on a podium place, saying that they have used that disappointment as motivation for the remainder of the Nite Series.

“We played a great game plan against SACS, and the boys executed it very well,” he said about ‘Bosch’s win over the Nite Series hosts.

“We were the underdogs going into the game, so you could say we didn’t have the pressure on us, but the boys wanted a big performance after a disappointing St Andrew’s tournament.

“Our composure on attack was the difference in the game as a good offence leads to a good defence.”

Bishops have been in superb form this season, finishing as runners-up at the SAC Shield, while remaining unbeaten through the first three rounds of the Nite Series.

Coach Jabulani Sibiya’s side has also beaten SAC Shield winners SACS twice this season and they’ll go into round three intent on keeping their Nite Series record clean.

Wingate-Pearse says his side understands the task at hand and they will need to be sharp in every department to claim victory.

“Bishops are definitely one of the form teams this year and also unbeaten in the Nite Series,” he said.

“They have a well-drilled team and a great coach.

“We will have to be very sharp on defence for those quick balls into the centre and shoot well to take this one. I look forward to a cracker game, hopefully,” he concluded.

In other matches, SACS will look to make it two Nite Series wins in a row when they face Wynberg Boys’, while Paul Roos tackle Reddam House.

All the action will be LIVE on SuperSport School.

Fixtures: Round 4

17:00- SACS vs Wynberg Boys High
18:00- Rondebosch Boys High vs Bishops
19:00- Reddam House Constantia vs Paul Roos

There will be new champions crowned at this year’s Vides Water Polo Tournament. The action kicks off later this week at Selborne College in East London.

Last year’s winners, South African College High School (SACS), and Kearsney College, will miss out on the 48^th edition of the event and are replaced by Clifton College and the Grey High School 2^nd team.

The oldest schoolboy water polo tournament in South Africa commences with eight fixtures on Thursday, with the play-offs coming into the frame the next day, and the final scheduled for 17:10 on Saturday.

The home side enters the tournament playing confident water polo after recently claiming top honours at the ITEC Grey College Water Polo Tournament.

They’ll have an opportunity to follow up that success by breaking their hoodoo at their home event, which they last won back in 2017.

Stellenbosch’s Paul Roos are also among the favourites after showing positive signs early on in the season. They’re currently ranked in the top four of the ongoing SACS Night Series and they beat Selborne in the playoff for fifth place at the SAC Shield in January.

Eastern Cape tussles will also be front and centre with Grey High and Pearson High set to face each other during the pool stages.

Grey faces a tough challenge in Pool A, where, apart from taking on their neighbours from Gqeberha, they go up against Clifton and St David’s Marist Inanda.

Pool D will be another group to keep an eye on. It’s a tough one to call.

Both Grey College and St Andrew’s College will fancy themselves to finish in the top two, but St Alban’s College and Stirling High won’t be pushovers.

Pool C will also see two teams from Cape Town, Wynberg Boys’ High and Reddam House Constantia, face each other, while Woodridge College will brace itself for a massive encounter against the hosts.

The tournament will be played at Selborne College and Clarendon High School.

At Selborne, the action kicks off at 15:10 when Clifton takes on Pearson. The Grey High 2^nd team plays St David’s at the same time at the Clarendon Pool.

Pools

Pool A: Clifton College, St David’s, Pearson High, Grey High (2^nd team)
Pool B: Paul Roos, Grey High, Glenwood House, Selborne Collegians
Pool C: Woodridge, Reddam House Constantia, Selborne College, Wynberg Boys’ High
Pool D: St Andrew’s College, St Alban’s College, Grey College, Stirling High School

Fixtures

Day 1, Thursday, 15 February 2020 @ Selborne College

15:10 – Clifton College vs Pearson High (1); 16:00 – Glenwood House vs Selborne Collegians (3); 16:50 – Paul Roos vs Grey High (5); 17:40 – Selborne College vs Wynberg Boys’ High (7).

@ Clarendon High School

15:10 – Grey High 2^nd vs St David’s (2); 16:00- St Andrew’s College vs St Alban’s College (4); 16:50- Woodridge College vs Reddam House Constantia (6); 17:40- Grey College vs Stirling High (8).

Day 2, Friday, 16 February 2024 @ Selborne College

08:00 – Grey High vs Selborne Collegians (10); 08:50 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Woodridge College (12); 09:40 – Reddam House Constantia vs Selborne College (14); 10:30 – Grey College vs St Andrew’s College (16); 11:20 – Paul Roos vs Selborne Collegians (18); 12:10 – Clifton College vs St David’s (20); 13:00 – St Alban’s College vs Grey College (22); 13:50 – St Andrew’s College vs Stirling High (24); 14:40 – BREAK; 15:30 – Pool A 3^rd vs Pool B 4^th (25); 16:20 – Pool A 1^st vs Pool B 2^nd (29); 17:10 – Pool B 1^st vs Pool A 2^nd (30); 18:00 – Pool C 1^st vs Pool D 2^nd (31); 18:50 – Pool D 1^st vs Pool C 2^nd (32).

@ Clarendon High School

08:00 – Grey High 2^nd vs Clifton College (9); 08:50 – Glenwood House vs Paul Roos (11); 09:40 – Pearson High vs St David’s (13); 10:30 – St Alban’s College vs Stirling High (15); 11:20 – Grey High vs Glenwood House (17); 12:10 – Grey High 2^nd vs Pearson High (19); 13:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs Wynberg Boys’ High (21); 13:50 – Woodridge College vs Selborne College (23); 14:40 – BREAK; 15:30 – Pool B 3^rd vs Pool A 4^th (26); 16:20 – Pool C 3^rd vs Pool D 4^th (27); 17:10 – Pool D 3^rd vs Pool C 4^th (28).

Day 3, Saturday, 17 February 2024 @ Selborne College

08:00 – Loser 29 vs Loser 31 (35); 08:50 – Loser 30 vs Loser 32 (36); 09:40 – Winner 29 vs Winner 31 (39); 10:30 – Winner 30 vs Winner 32 (40); 11:20 – Loser 33 vs Loser 34 (41); 12:10 – Winner 33 vs Winner 34 (42); 13:00 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38 (43); 13:50 – Winner 37 vs Winner 38 (44); 14:40 – Loser 35 vs Loser 36 (45); 15:30 – Winner 35 vs Winner 36 (46); 16:20 – Loser 39 vs Loser 40 (47); 17:10 – FINAL.

@ Clarendon High School

08:00 – Loser 25 vs Loser 27 (33); 08:50 – Loser 26 vs Loser 28 (34); 09:40 – Winner 25 vs Winner 27 (37)- Plate semi-final; 10:30 – Winner 26 vs Winner 28 (38)- Plate semi-final.

There was drama galore, upsets, and hearts broken on Saturday as Durban Girls’ College (DGC) claimed the top honours in the National Aquatics Festival, hosted by Maris Stella in Durban.

The opening day had seen the favourites, predictably, dominate the pool stages, but the scripts were flipped in the playoffs as the underdogs pulled off upsets.

To reach the final, DGC had to undertake a difficult challenge after finishing second in Pool A behind last year’s winners, St Stithians College.

In the playoffs, though, DGC was a different beast, thumping the hosts 20-8, before grinding out an 8-7 win over East London’s Clarendon in the semi-finals.

Their opponents in the final, St Mary’s Waverley, also pulled off a stunner, to book their place in the title decider. They outlasted their Johannesburg neighbours, St Stithians, also by a single goal, winning 7-6.

The showdown for the silverware was an entertaining battle, with the teams going goal-for-goal until the final minute.

They were level at 3-3 after the first two chukkas and, somehow, both managed to score four goals in the second half to leave the scores level at 7-7 after the final whistle. It was the lottery of penalties that gave the KZN side the victory after a St Mary’s player missed from the spot.

The win saw DGC improve on the bronze medal they won in 2023, while St Mary’s also bettered their finish by two places after they ended fourth last year.

In other matches on the final day, St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) got one over Maris Stella in the fifth/sixth play-off, winning a tight contest by a 7-5 margin.

Clarendon ended their campaign on a satisfactory note, outlasting last year’s winners, Saints, 15-11 in a high-scoring third/fourth playoff match.

There were also wins for Our Lady of Fatima over Danville, while Durban Girls’ High defeated Pretoria High School for Girls to finish the tournament in seventh spot.

Results: Day 2

DHS Pool

Durban Girls’College 22-1 Danville
St Stithians College 17-2 Durban High School
St Mary’s Waverley 15-3 St Mary’s DSG
Durban Girls’ College 20-8 Maris Stella
St Mary’s Waverley 7-6 St Stithians College
Durban Girls’ College 8-7 Clarendon
Clarendon High 15-11 St Stithians College
Durban Girls’ College 7 (11)-7 (9) St Mary’s Waverley

Maris Stella Pool

Pretoria High School for Girls 8-2 Our Lady of Fatima
Clarendon High School 15-1 Maris Stella
Pretoria High School for Girls 6-0 Danville
Our Lady of Fatima 11-0 Danville
Durban Girls’ High 5-2 Pretoria High School for Girls
St Mary’s DSG  7-5 Maris Stella

Final standings

Durban Girls’ College
St Mary’s Waverley
Clarendon Girls’ High School
St Stithians College
St Mary’s DSG
Maris Stella
Durban Girls’ High
Pretoria High School for Girls
Our Lady of Fatima
Danville Park Girls’ High

 

The sun was out, there were clear blue skies, and the conditions favoured both the swimmers and the water polo teams on the opening day of the National Aquatics Festival, hosted by Durban’s Maris Stella at the Kings Park Pool on Friday.

The annual water polo tournament saw 16 matches completed, with a number of teams asserting their dominance ahead of the looming playoffs, which take place on Saturday.

Last year’s champions, St Stithians College were among the sides to impress, claiming emphatic victories in their first two matches over St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), and Danville.

They were, however, stopped in their tracks by a determined Durban Girls’ College (DGC) side, which held coach Etienne Le Roux’s team to a 6-6 draw, to make matters interesting in Pool A.

DGC also managed two wins on the day, claiming an 11-2 victory over St Mary’s DSG, before thumping their arch-rivals, Durban Girls’ High, 15-1.

Danville struggled to get going in the pool, and their lapses of concentration in defence resulted in the side conceding 44 goals, with St Mary’s DSG scoring 21 of those.

Clarendon High School ruled in the South Pool, blasting through all of their opponents to send out a message that they’re a top contender for the title.

They opened their campaign with an emphatic 22-0 win over Pretoria High School for Girls, before thumping Our Lady of Fatima 17-1. In their last match of the day, they held off a motivated St Mary’s Waverley, winning by a two-goal margin, 7-5.

Hannah Muller’s Clarendon was joined by St Mary’s Waverley at the top of their pool. The Johannesburg school, which hosted the National Aquatics Festival in 2023, is in second spot after winning three out of their four matches on the opening day.

They began the day by dismantling the hosts, Maris Stella, 14-2. They followed that up by scoring 20 goals against Our Lady of Fatima, before dishing out an 18-2 defeat to Pretoria High.

Maris Stella faces a tough start on Saturday, with an early showdown against Clarendon at 07:40.

Meanwhile, Durban Girls’ College and Durban Girls’ High take on Danville and St Stithians College respectively in their final pool matches.

The day’s first match starts at 07:00, at both the Durban High School (DHS) and Maris Stella pools, with the final scheduled for 12:05 at DHS.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools.

Results: Day 1

North Pool

St Stithians College 18-1 St Mary’s DSG
Durban Girls 12-0 Danville
Durban Girls College 11-2 St Mary’s DSG
St Stithians 11-1 Danville
Durban Girls College 15-1 Durban Girls’ High
St Mary’s DSG 21-1 Danville
St Stithians 6-6 Durban Girls’ College
St Mary’s DSG 5-1 Durban Girls’ High

South Pool

St Mary’s Waverley 14-2 Maris Stella
Clarendon High 22-0 Pretoria High
St Mary’s Waverley 20-1 Our Lady of Fatima
Maris Stella 8-3 Pretoria High
Clarendon High School 17-1 Our Lady of Fatima
St Mary’s Waverley 18-2 Pretoria High
Maris Stella 11-1 Our Lady of Fatima
Clarendon High School 7-5 St Mary’s Waverley.

 

Day 2 Saturday, 10 February

@ Durban High School

07:00 – Durban Girls’ College vs Danville; 07:40 – St Stithians College vs Durban Girls’ High; 08:30 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool B; 09:10 – 21a Pool A vs 31a Pool B; 09:50 – 1st Pool A vs Winner 21; 10:30 – 75t Pool B vs Winner 22; 11:25 – Loser 25 vs Loser 26; 12:05 – Winner 25 vs Winner 26.

@ Maris Stella

07:00 – Pretoria High vs Fatima; 07:40 – Clarendon High School vs Maris Stella; 08:40 – 4th Pool A vs 5th Pool B; 09:20 – 5th Pool A vs 4th Pool B; 10:00 – Loser 23 vs Loser 24; 10:40 – Winner 23 vs Winner 24; 11:20 – Loser 21 vs Loser 22.

A combination of team cohesion, good preparation, and confidence will be key for Clarendon High School for Girls this weekend when they participate in the National Aquatics Festival, which is being hosted by Maris Stella in Durban.

The two-day tournament will see some of the best girls’ water polo teams in South Africa lock horns in the pool for top honours as the season ramps up to full speed.

Clarendon finished in an impressive second place in the same event last year, behind St Stithians College.

They enter the tournament in high spirits after claiming some big scalps in recent weeks, and on the back of winning gold at the Buffalo City Water Polo Tournament in January.

One of their standout victories was at the Brian Baker Water Polo Tournament in Makhanda last month, where they beat St Stithians 12-11 in a humdinger.

The East London side reached the semi-finals in Makhanda, but were then beaten by Reddam House Constantia, which was followed by a loss to Roedean, resulting in a strong fourth-place finish, nonetheless.

In an exclusive interview with SuperSport Schools, Clarendon’s Head Coach, Hannah Muller, said her team is looking forward to the challenge ahead, and she believes the side will reap rewards for the hard work the players put in during the pre-season.

“The girls have been working hard, with a pre-season swimming and water polo camp at the beginning of the year,” she said.

“We are very privileged to have our Head of Aquatics, who runs our swimming programme for the girls, Kerry Voke. She has experience and knowledge of the swimming pool herself.

“The team has beaten some top schools over the past two weeks, increasing their confidence and team dynamic. I am very proud and excited to see how we do in Durban and at St Peter’s later this month.”

For the past two years, the water polo programme at Clarendon has made positive strides, with the school encouraging young learners to take up the sport from Grade 8.

Early last season, the first team began a rebuilding phase after losing several of their senior players.

The school has also invested heavily in the sport and a new Aquatics centre. That investment paid early dividends when Muller and her side defied the odds by winning the annual Clarendon Stayers Water Polo Tournament in October last year, defeating Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) 6-5 in the final.

Muller said it was challenging for her side at first, but they worked hard to turn things around.

“We had a rough start to our season last year. We had a brand-new team,” she said.

“There were many new players, who still needed to learn the ropes, and throughout the season we had time to build and improve as a team, which showed at the end of the season.

“Winning Clarendon Stayers was the highlight of our season last year, because Clarendon hadn’t won the trophy in the past 20 years, and doing it at our new Harrison Aquatics Centre was a definite highlight.”

This year, Muller’s team comprises both senior and younger players, who are seeking to drive the programme forward.

A majority of the team also represented Buffalo City in last year’s Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament in Gqeberha, where Muller, as the Head Coach, guided the side to a sixth-place finish.

One of the stand-out players during that week was Tori Voke, who was included in the South African Schools squad at its conclusion. She is still part of the Clarendon team and has been at the forefront of the side’s efforts this season.

Muller, a former South African player, however, praised all of her players, emphasising the importance of teamwork, ahead of their quest for glory in KwaZulu-Natal.

“The team has done so well. Each one of the players has her strengths, and that’s what makes us a team.

“You can’t have all 13 players being scorers or attackers. You need a good defensive structure. Every little puzzle piece, no matter how different, needs to fit into another to make the overall best picture possible.

“To single out one or two will be difficult because each player adds to the success of the team,” she added.

Clarendon has been drawn in Pool B, alongside Pretoria High School for Girls, St Mary’s Waverley, Maris Stella, and Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent School.

Playing at their best, with smiles on their faces, is what Muller will require from her charges during the weekend and for the rest of the season.

She said they will use the National Aquatics Festival as an opportunity to work on their game and to gain experience against other top schools,

‘The goal for every coach is to have a team that performs at its best,” she said. “My goal, as a coach, is the same, but sometimes, seeing a smile on a player’s face is way more rewarding than a ranking in a tournament.

“That being said, we are placed in the top 10 water polo schools in the country at the moment, and I would love to start chipping away and improve that ranking slowly.

“We are very pleased to have the newly built Fina-accredited Harrison Aquatic Centre, shared with the primary school, providing a top facility for the development of strong water polo players and swimmers,” she concluded.

Clarendon will kick off their tournament against Pretoria High at 14:40 on Friday.

Find all the teams and fixtures for the National Aquatics tournament, HERE.