Author: vndudane

The Reddam House Bedfordview girls’ first team and the Reddam House Helderfontein boys’ first team clinched the 2024 Steyn City Water Polo Tournament titles on Sunday at Steyn City School after three days of competition.

Reddam House Bedfordview cantered to the girls’ crown, downing the St Stithians Girls College’s second team 9-3 in the final.

From their first game to their last, the Reddam girls were large and in charge. They opened their challenge with a comfortable 8-1 win over Steyn City School and were even more dominant in their next two group outings, thumping Reddam House Helderfontein 15-1 and Rand Park Ridge 20-0.

That left them with 43 goals scored and only two conceded after their group games. No other team came close to matching Reddam Bedfordview’s prolific scoring record.

Meanwhile, the silver medallists, St Stithians, endured a rough start, going down 2-5 to the Parktown High School for Girls’ first team and Crawford Lonehill by the same score.

In their final pool game, Saints pulled off a 3-1 victory over Roedean‘s second side. That win was enough to earn St Stithians a place in the quarterfinals, where they faced Steyn City. In a closely contested clash, Saints dug deep to pull out a 6-4 win.

In the semi-finals, they kept rolling, snatching a nail-biting 4-3 win over Crawford Lonehill to reverse their earlier loss to the same opposition in their pool game.

In the boys’ competition, there was little in it, but Reddam House Helderfontein had enough firepower to pull off a 7-5 victory over Steyn City School in the final. Both sides had emerged from their pools with unblemished records.

Steyn City blanked Crawford Lonehill 4-0 in their first match, then beat the Pretoria Boys High second team 4-2. The Affies second side pushed them all the way, but Steyn City sneaked a 6-5 win in that contest. It was more comfortable against the St Benedict’s College second side, with Steyn City claiming a convincing 8-2 victory.

Reddam House Helderfontein scored more freely in their pool matches. They powered out of the gate with an 18-4 win over Rand Park Ridge and followed up with a 12-2 romp against the St Alban’s College second side. They, then, secured full points with a 7-4 defeat of Reddam House Bedfordview.

Affies finished third, with Reddam Bedfordview fourth, Crawford Lonehill fifth, and Pretoria Boys High School sixth.

FINAL STANDINGS

GIRLS

Reddam House Bedfordview 1st team
St Stithians College 2^nd team
Parktown Girls High School 1^st team
Crawford High School-Lonehill 1^st team
Steyn City School 1^st team
Reddam House Helderfontein 1^st team
Rand Park Ridge HS 1^st team
Roedean SS 2^nd team

BOYS
Reddam House Helderfontein 1^st team
Steyn City 1^st team
Affies HS 2^nd team
Reddam House Bedfordview HS 1^st team
Crawford I. HS – Lonehill 1^st team
Pretoria Boys HS 2^nd team
St Benedict’s College 2^nd team
St Albans College 2^nd team

Gauteng’s schools opened their water polo season in Pretoria over the weekend at the St Alban’s Beach Tournament, which brought together 14 u18 teams, including 1st and 2nd sides, and CBC Bulawayo, from Zimbabwe, to compete for the title.

It came down to a showdown between two Johannesburg powerhouses in the final, with St John’s triumphing 16-13 over St Stithians in a nail-biter.

Their win began with a blistering start, which had St John’s 5-1 up after the first chukka. Saints, though, soon found their stride and worked their way back into the contest in the second and third chukkas, eventually drawing level at 9-9. The teams traded blow-for-blow, with the score advancing to 11-11 and, then, 12-12.

In the final chukka, however, St John’s grabbed the initiative and pulled clear to win by three goals. Nicholas Pearce and Ross Rovelli, both members of the Central Gauteng Schools team which finished as runners-up at the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament in December, led the way for St John’s, netting six goals each.

On the defensive side of things, Greg Pryce, the Defender of the Tournament at the Inter-Provincials, received the same award at St Alban’s and was also declared the Most Valuable Player. He scored four times. Rovelli picked up the Best Attacker Award.

The depth of the St John’s water polo programme was shown in the performance of the school’s 2nd side, which finished a commendable sixth out of the 14 teams.

The goals in the final were widely distributed for St Stithians, with Declan Wood bagging four, Liam Tebbutt, James Crick and Marc Smith netting a couple each, and Logan du Preez, Travis Donelly, and Kyle Kennerly also getting onto the scoresheet.

Third place went the way of Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies), who beat Jeppe High School for Boys 13-11 in the third-place playoff.

Affies enjoyed a strong tournament, losing only once in the pool stage. They romped to a 9-2 win over the Pretoria Boys High School 2nd team, suffered a narrow 4-5 defeat to St John’s, and breezed to a 7-1 win over St Peter’s College.

Etienne Nortje was outstanding as the last line of defence for Affies and was named the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.

Jeppe also lost only once in pool play, but they were then rolled 16-5 by St John’s in the semi-finals. St David’s Marist Inanda finished fifth, while the St John’s 2^nd team finished sixth, just ahead of the hoss, St Alban’s.

RESULTS

Friday, 6 September

St David’s Marist Inanda 7-4 PBHS 1st
Affies 8-5 St Alban’s 1st
St Peter’s 5-9 CBC Bulawayo
Reddam Helderfontein 4-10 St John’s 1st
St Alban’s 2nd 2-9 St Benedict’s
St Stithians 6-2 St David’s
Jeppe 7-6 St John’s 2nd
Affies 9 -2 PBHS 2nd
CBC Bulawayo 2-10 St John’s 1st
St Peter’s 15-8 Reddam Helderfontein
St Alban’s 2nd 2-14 St Stithians
St Benedict’s 6-10 Jeppe
PBHS 1st 5-6 St John’s 1st
St Alban’s 1st 9-2 PBHS 2nd
St John’s  1st 5-4 Affies
St Stithians 13-5 Jeppe
PBHS 1st (1) 4-4 (3) St Benedict’s
St Alban’s 8-4 Reddam Helderfontein
CBC Zim 10-8 PBHS 2nd

Saturday, 7 September

PBHS 2nd 5 -10 Peter’s
St Stithians 7-2 PBHS 1st
St David’s 10-3 St Benedict’s
Reddam Helderfontein 2-9 CBC Bulawayo
St John’s 1st 13-3 St Alban’s
Affies 7-1 St Peter’s
St John’s 2nd 11-4 St Alban’s 2nd
Reddam Helderfontein 6-4 PBHS 2nd
St Benedict’s 1-9 St Stithians
PBHS 1st 9-2 St Alban’s 2nd
St David’s 4-5 Jeppe
Affies 10-2 CBC Zim
St John’s 16- 5 PBHS 2nd
St Alban’s 1st 8-3 St Peter’s
St David’s 9-0 St John’s 2nd
Jeppe 15-0 St Alban’s 2nd
St Alban’s 1st 10- 7 CBC Bulawayo
Affies 10-6 Reddam Helderfontein
St John’s 0-9 St Stithians
St David’s 10-5 St Alban’s
St Peter’s 3-10 St John’s
Jeppe 7-1 PBHS 1st
St John’s  2nd  8-4 St Benedict’s
Reddam Helderfontein 6-7 PBHS 1st
St Peter’s 4-10 St Benedict’s
CBC Bulawayo 8-10 St John’s 2nd
St Alban’s 1st 3-7 St David’s
Affies 10-15 St Stithians
St John’s 1st 16 -5 Jeppe

Sunday, 8 September

PBHS 2nd 14-6 St Alban’s
Reddam Helderfontein 9-7 St Peter’s
PBHS 1st 11-16 St Benedict’s
CBC Bulawayo 10-13 St Alban’s
St John’s 2nd 6-10 St David’s
Jeppe 11-13 Affies
St John’s 1st 16-13 St Stithians

Parktown Boys’ High made a welcome return to the upper tier of Southern Gauteng schools’ hockey in 2024, with Tristan Le Forestier assisting coach Kyle Reddy during a hugely encouraging season, which included a runner-up finish in the prestigious Aitken Cup.

He’s one of three brothers who have passed through Parktown in recent years and who are now making their marks in the game.

Tristan plays club hockey for Old Edwardians, whom he helped qualify for the 2025 Belgotex Elite Club Championships.

He began playing the game in grade 8 at Parktown in 2013. That first year, he earned selection for the Southern Gauteng u18D team.

However, he made rapid progress and ended up turning out for the school’s 1^st XI on 107 occasions. He also represented the Southern Gauteng u18A side.

This year, he’ll also run out for Witwatersrand at the Senior Inter-Provincial Tournament, which takes place at St Stithians from 9 September.

It has been a balancing act for Tristan, who is also serious about his academics. He is a software engineer, with Honours from the University of the Witwatersrand. He explained that he was fascinated by technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) from a young age.

“I enjoy problem-solving and finding solutions, and computer science provides a platform to apply these skills meaningfully,” he said. “I completed my Honours degree in Computer Science at the University of the Witwatersrand, where I have had the opportunity to develop in various aspects of the field, including machine learning, data analysis, and software development.

“The dynamic nature of technology and its potential to drive innovation and solve real-world problems continuously inspire me.

In a world of rapidly evolving technology, he is clear about his goals: “I aspire to contribute to advancements in AI and technology, making a positive impact on society through my work.”

Performing well on the sports field and in the classroom at the same time is not a walk in the park. “Balancing studies and sport is tough, but my passion for both keeps me going,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus. “Good time management is key. It helps me to do well in both without having to sacrifice one for the other. I plan my schedule carefully to fit in training, matches, and study time.

“When I’m on tour, I always bring my work with me and use any free moments to catch up on my studies. This disciplined approach has allowed me to stay on top [of things]. Staying organised, and setting clear priorities, helps me manage everything and keep progressing in both areas.”

Meanwhile, his brothers, Michael and Cameron, helped the University of Pretoria‘s hockey side lift the title at the University Sports South Africa (USSA) tournament in July after a 6-4 win over Stellenbosch in the final.

Michael, another strong academic, said Tuks had to build as a team to achieve the victory. “Winning USSA is never an easy thing, and it takes so much out of you for so long to build towards it,” he explained. “Unlike most teams, our entire season is focused around the week at USSA, so our prep for it starts in January and builds to the tournament.

“From the very first week of pre-season, the goal was to not only physically prepare us for the season but also to mentally prepare ourselves for the tough moments in games and tough playing conditions. To then win it after all the work is such a rewarding feeling.

“Winning back-to-back USSAs with Tuks was something that I found incredible, but this year”s USSA meant a little bit more to me as it was my last.

“After the USSA win last year, I decided to stay on at Tuks for another year to win another USSA title, and to have it pay off was such an incredible feeling.”

Cameron concurred: “Winning USSA was amazing. It’s something that as a student you look forward to the whole year. To be able to win it two years in a row is so rewarding and it reminds me that all the early mornings and late nights put into training pay off.”

Apart from the lessons learned at Parktown, Michael said values instilled in the brothers by their mother, Leandra, have served them well.

“My mother raised us to always make sure that we’d be able to take care of ourselves, and to do that in today’s world we needed to get degrees in valuable fields.

Both my mom and dad represented their respective countries in waterskiing and still excelled academically. Hence, they proved to us it was possible to be both a high-level athlete and an academic.

“Parktown Boys’ High School helped in teaching me a balance between my academic and sporting codes,” he added. “Whenever we needed to find extra time to complete assignments or study, the sports faculty made sure we had a space to prepare and work to stay ahead of our work. They also made sure we were looked after by our teachers who provided us with any assistance or extra support we needed.”

Both Michael and Cameron will represent the Northern Blues at the forthcoming men’s IPT. Witwatersrand is in the opposite pool, in case you were wondering.

There’s no secret to succeeding on the turf and in the classroom, Cameron said: “Balancing studies with sport honestly just requires dedication – knowing when to work, train, or have fun with friends.

“It’s also very important to make sure you have a good support system for your friends and family so that you don’t feel alone. I find it helpful to write down upcoming tests and schedules so that I can prepare for them ahead of time.”

Tristan said sports and academics can serve as springboards for one another: “Sports can open many academic doors and provide resources to pursue your passions,” he explained.

“Developing small, consistent habits can lead to success. Work hard on the field and in the classroom, as sports can teach valuable soft skills beneficial in professional life. Stay organised and plan your time effectively, balancing both commitments.

“Seek support from coaches, teachers, and teammates to help manage your workload and stay motivated.

“Embrace challenges and learn from setbacks, as they will help you grow stronger in both areas.

“Above all, remember to enjoy the journey and have fun!”

Cam, who majors in Genetics and Biochemistry, had the last word: “⁠Taking studies further as a young sportsman or sportswoman is very important. Not only does it allow you to educate yourself further and grow your knowledge, but it also allows you to be in an environment that has your best interests at heart.

“University doesn’t only allow for further academic success but also sporting success with the amazing sporting facilities and programmes that are put in place.”

Fresh from captaining the Central Samurais to a 3-1 win over the Griffins in the Johannesburg Hockey League (JHL) final, meet the trailblazing high school hockey star, Reabetswe Phume, from St Stithians Girls College.

Phume, who is in grade 12, has dominated at the high school level and has already represented the South African Hockey 5s team in senior competition and she has been in the national to the Paris Olympics Games 2024.

She began playing hockey six years ago out of curiosity, when she was in grade six at Brescia House School. Little did she know how much that decision would impact her life. Once she got a stick in her hands, she found a purpose and she chased greatness with unwavering determination.

“I wasn’t competitively playing the sport. It was more socially, until I gradually started to fall in love with it and came to the realisation that I wanted to play it seriously,” she told SuperSport Schools Plus.

The 17-year-old has transformed from being a social player into one who has designs on playing hockey professionally.

“I chose hockey because, funnily enough, I never knew what the sport was. I saw a bunch of students playing it and they were holding hockey sticks, but I never really understood the game or the excitement around it. That is until I signed up socially just to play for fun, and that was when I understood the hype around it because the sport opened up my competitive side and I always wanted to be challenged.

“That’s what hockey was about – many challenges – and hockey is one of the sports that challenges you mentally and physically as a player, and it gets you out of your comfort zone.

“I later developed a huge passion for the sport and realised that this is what I wanted to continue to do and to take it further through the years,” she revealed.

Phume very quickly made massive strides to improve her game and it blossomed at St Stithians College, which she lauded for the support she has received on and off the field. In 2022, she made her junior international debut when she represented South Africa in Hockey 5s.

In the winter holidays, she achieved another memorable milestone when she led the Southern Gauteng A team to the u18 SASHOC National Week title in Bloemfontein.

In a tension-filled final, Phume and her teammates edged out Northern Gauteng A 4-3 from the penalty spot after they had finished regulation time level at 2-2.

Southerns shone throughout the tournament, scoring 19 goals and keeping a clean sheet in every match until the final.

After the tournament, she was chosen as the Player of the Tournament and selected for the SA U18 A squad.

Another highlight followed shortly after in July when, with her club team, Crusaders, which is based at St Stithians, she won the Belgotex Elite Club Challenge, hosted at the Riverside Hockey Club in Durban.

Phume’s electric year began in January with a call-up to the South African  Team for the inaugural Women’s Hockey 5s World Cup in Oman. There were 16 teams in action and the South Africans did their country proud by finishing in fourth place overall.

SA topped their pool, ahead of Ukraine, Australia, and Zambia, which secured them a place in the quarterfinals against Malaysia. South Africa won that match 6-4, which put them into the semi-finals against India. The Indians took a 6-3 win there to advance to the final. South Africa, meanwhile, played Poland for third and went down 2-4.

It was, nonetheless, a hugely successful tournament for South Africa, and for Phume personally. Toni Marks led the goal-scoring for the team, with 11 goals. Dirkie Chamberlain netted eight times, and Phume was South Africa’s third-highest scorer, with five goals.

In a short space of time, she has represented her school, her province, and the country at the top level, and playing in different teams with different individuals stands out to Phume as something special.

“My special moments on the field will be playing alongside different people and different players and learning from every single one of them how I can better and improve my skill set and my abilities on the field,” she said.

“I think, also, of the special moments that you make, whether it be winning tournaments, scoring goals, or the little special celebrations in the game, which always drives me to want to do better, not just for myself but for the badge that I wear.

“The most important special moments on the field for me would be when I am having fun, and when I have fun I normally play at my best, where I can showcase my talents and my abilities and what I bring to the game, where I can create a lot of special and memorable moments,” she added

Phume revealed that she draws inspiration from the legendary tennis player Serena Williams. “I love tennis because it is a sport that challenges your individuality as a person and as a player,” she explained. “I used to play it, so I understand the level of commitment, time, and effort that tennis requires to become the best.

“I love tennis because of my idol and role model, Serena Williams, who is responsible and famous for revolutionizing women in sport and has won many titles in her career despite her being a woman of colour and facing many challenges on the sporting field.”

With her career having reached great heights already, it’s not a stretch to imagine Phume starring at the highest level of hockey and she’s committed to giving it her best shot.

“I plan on playing hockey for quite some further along in my future and my career. Alongside my studies, I would love to play hockey competitively and professionally and travel around the globe where I will have many opportunities to learn and grow in the sport,” she said.

As her school career draws towards its conclusion, she spoke glowingly about the impact her coaches and teammates have had on her. “All of my teammates and coaches that I have played alongside and been coached by have been different. However, they all have been amazing and very supportive of me and my career,” she said.

“Whether it was in school, nationally, provincially, or even club, I have been surrounded by a lot of great talent and experience, and I have been able to apply myself in many ways and learn a lot in the hockey and sporting community through my coaches, as well as my teammates.”

Jeppe High School for Boys‘ 1st XI coach, Siya Sityana, at only 29 years of age, has a bright future in South African schools’ hockey.

Born in the Eastern Cape, in King Williams Town, Sityana first joined his friends to play hockey in grade 4 and his passion for the game soon revealed itself.

The former Dale College student, who is also a big fan of rugby and cricket, began his coaching career in 2014 as an assistant to Gavin Jelley, a top player in his day, both in indoor and field hockey.

“I started to coach hockey straight after high school at Maritzburg College and I had the privilege of being the u16A assistant coach,” Sityana recalled.

After moving to Gauteng, he was appointed the coach of the Jeppe first team in 2023, taking over from Gilbert De Villiers, who moved to St John’s College.

Sityana claimed the first medal of his promising coaching career with his u16 team at the Top 8 last year. There was also a bronze medal finish at the u16 IPT, and another bronze with Wits.

The u16B team, which he coached, was named the Team of the Year at the annual Jeppe Hockey Awards.

This season, Sityana helped Jeppe reclaim the Aitken Cup, with a 2-0 win over Parktown Boys’ High School in the final.

Jeppe, as the most successful school in the history of the competition, had won it seven times consecutively until 2023, when they were beaten in a penalty shootout by St Stithians. Helping his charges capture the title, after an inconsistent early part of the season, was particularly meaningful, Sityana said.

“There is no doubt the highlight of my career is the Aitken Cup, after the toughest year of being a coach, where nothing seemed to go my way,” he explained.

“I had to shift my focus, do what I know the best, and start to believe in my processes, even though it was the toughest of times.”

As a young coach who took over from an astute mentor, Sityana said he remains focussed on building trust, chemistry, and cohesion with his players.

“I am trying to get the boys to trust me and the information I give them. We have different approaches to the game and life, as there are many ways to do things.

“There is a lot of learning along the way, and I am fortunate to have several people that I am getting knowledge from, the likes of Damian Kimfley, Devon van der Merwe, Bryan Hillock, and Owen Mvimbi.

“There are many others helping me to learn about these kids and learn more about myself as a coach,” he added.

Despite an inconsistent season, Jeppe had Boipelo Koloti, Ben Benjamin, Ethan Kapanda, Joshua Renders, and Juan Martin selected for the Southern Gauteng u18A side, which contested the SASHOC National Week in Bloemfontein, with Sityana serving as Team Manager.

After the inter-provincial tournament, Kapanda was named the Defender of the Tournament while Martin was named in the SA Schools team.

That duo shone when they wrapped up their Gauteng assignments with a 3-0 win over Northcliff, with Kapanda striking twice and Martin once. That was followed by a 2-1 win over a revitalised Parktown Boys’ High, whom they had beaten in the final of the Aitken Cup. In their last outing of the season, they went down 2-3 to a strong Durban High School (DHS) outfit in Durban.

Sityana said it’s a dream come true to mold young sportsmen, knowing that one is producing future stars, and it is fulfilling to see them approach the game with confidence, tapping into their skills and talent, which make them unique as players.

“I am living my dream and coaching a senior team at one of the biggest boys’ schools in the country. It’s a blessing.

“This is what we dreamt of when we were younger and I will continue to try my best to get myself and the boys to the next level,” he concluded.

His close friend and fellow member of the Jeppe staff, Buhle Ngcwelane weighed in: “Siya is a very positive and supportive coach with the ability to uplift people around him and on the field. He is always optimistic, with a diehard attitude.”

Trent Jessop struck for Northwood as they successfully defended the u18 Guschkie Top Schools title they had won in 2023, beating Grey College in a repeat of the previous year’s the final.

In 2023, they won 2-0. This time around, it was tighter, but the Knights won 1-0 to repeat as champions in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Both schools were the class of their groups, winning all of their matches.

Northwood ran out comfortable 4-0 winners over both DF Malan and St Andrew’s School, but were pushed harder by Worcester Gimnasium and Menlopark, winning those games 2-1. The also beat Somerset College 4-1.

It was an impressive run, but the Knights’ coach Justin Collins felt his charges were not at their best in pool play.

“We did not play our best hockey in the pool stages but had some good results,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus, before adding, “The Northwood boys definitely stood up in the final and everyone did their jobs really well.”,

Grey also cruised through the group stage. They won their first match comfortably, beating Hoërskool Eldoraigne 4-0. They followed up with a 3-0 win over Menlopark, and then beat St Andrew’s School 2-0. They also kept a clean sheet against DF Malan, winning that game 5-0.

Saturday evening’s title-decider was a tight clash. At half-time, the teams were deadlocked at 0-0. Then, in the third chukka, Northwood was presented with a golden goal-scoring opportunity.

“We put an overhead into the circle and the ‘keeper closed down the striker’s space, resulting in a penalty stroke. Trent Jessop stepped up and scored the goal,” said Collins

“It was a well-contested game with both teams creating opportunities. It was a game of tactics where both teams were strong. We identified some areas that we could take advantage of, and we threatened in the correct areas,” he explained.

Northwood’s South African Schools’ goalkeeper Harlee Jagga was in superb form, keeping Grey at bay. “Grey had a couple of short corners but Harlee Jagga in goal was up to the task, making some key saves in the first half and in the dying moments of the game,” Collins said.

“Northwood winning 1-0, this is a great send-off for our matrics in their last tournament,” he added.

Grey’s coach Wayne Coetzee said his team worked hard, but they just couldn’t find a way through the Knights’ stubborn defence.

“The boys played okay. We just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the goals. We tried everything, even took off the keeper with five-and-a-half minutes to go, and we still couldn’t get a goal.”

The tournament’s host, Grey College, and KZN’s Northwood triumphed in the quarterfinals of the u18 Guschkie Top Schools Tournament on Friday to keep their records clean.

Last year, they met in the final, with Northwood winning 2-0.

The tournament kicked off on Thursday with a double-header, with Worcester Gim facing DF Malan in a meeting of Western Cape rivals, while Northwood’s Knights faced St Andrew’s School.

Gimmies and DF Malan were involved in a titanic struggle, which was settled only seconds from the final whistle when DF Malan scored the winning goal to capture a 3-2 victory.

Meanwhile, Northwood showed off their intentions to defend their title when they rolled to a 4-0 victory over St Andrew’s. They repeated that score later in the day in a victory over DF Malan.

On Friday, they continued their free scoring ways, slotting four times against Somerset College, who did, at least, manage to pierce the Northwood defence once.

Grey College has impressed. They opened their challenge with a 4-0 romp against Hoërskool  Eldoraigne 4-0.

Then, on Friday they brushed aside Menlopark, winning 3-0, thanks to goals from Matthias Visser, Waldo Konig, and MJ Bam.

In their second outing of the day, they took on their Bloemfontein rivals, St Andrew’s. After a tight opening chukka, the game was broken open in the second quarter when Grey struck two brilliant field goals through Ayanda Ngxaki and Wian du Plooy. Those were the only goals of the contest.

Grey College coach Wayne Coetzee felt his team could have performed much better: “We were not at our best, but we will take the result as we had different goal scorers on the sheet, which will give them confidence going forward,” he said.

The semi-finals will see Grey take on DF Malan, who handed Saints a 0-1 defeat later in the day.

RESULTS

Thursday

Worcester Gimnasium 2-3 DF Malan
Northwood 4-0 Saints
Grey College 4-0 Eldoraigne
Somerset College 1-2 Menlopark
Saints 1-3 Worcester Gimnasium
DF Malan 0-4 Northwood

Friday

Grey College 3-0 Menlopark
St Andrew’s School 0-1 DF Malan
Somerset College 2-3 Eldoraigne
St Andrew’s School 0-2 Grey College
Northwood 4-1 Somerset College
DF Malan 3-2 Eldoraigne
Worcester Gimnasium (3) 1-1 (1) Menlopark

The 2024 Guschkie Top Schools Hockey Tournament bursts into action early on the morning of Thursday, 8 August, with top high school and primary school teams taking to the turf.

Grey College hosts the 1st XI event, which will be played on the Grey College and Eunice AstroTurfs. A majority of the games, including the final, take place at Grey.

Tournament Director and Director Hockey at Grey, Wayne Coetzee, said in a welcome message: “It is a great privilege for Grey College to be hosting all the participating schools. The Guschkie tournament has become an important end to the hockey season, and it gives us all an opportunity to showcase the talents that were developed during the season.

“The spirit of the Guschkie tournament encourages fairness, sportsmanship, and comradeship. The boys must go out and form lasting friendships, which can affect their lives.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the organisers of the tournament, and to thank all the coaches and managers for giving up your precious time to help develop your men,” Coetzee said.

The tournament opens with a doubleheader on Thursday morning, with Worcester Gimnasium taking on DF Malan in an all-Western Cape clash at Grey, while Northwood, the defending champions, open their title defence at Eunice against St Andrew’s School.

Northwood beat Grey 2-0 in last year’s final. James Read, who was named the Defender of the Tournament, returns as captain of the Knights this time around.

Eldoraigne, whose hockey programme is ascending, face a tough task when they meet the hosts in the day’s third match.

Grey has enjoyed a strong season. They were victorious in all of their pre-season matches and then almost went unbeaten through the Tony Godding Festival losing only to St Andrew’s College on the final day.

They’ve been in good form and recently triumphed over their high-flying rivals, Grey High School, winning 1-0 in Bloemfontein.

After the Guschkie Tournament, they will have one more assignment on their schedule and it’s a tough one, taking on Paul Roos Gimnasium in Stellenbosch next week.

Somerset College will begin their challenge with an 11:00 game against Menlopark.

The second day of the tournament will see eight matches, including the quarterfinals, being played. Then, on Saturday, the event will conclude with the final being played under the lights at 17:30.

FIXTURES 

Thursday

08:00 – Worcester Gim vs DF Malan
08:00 – Northwood vs St Andrew’s School (Eunice)
09:30 – Grey College vs Eldoraigne
11:00 – Somerset vs Menlopark
12:30 – Saints vs Worcester Gim
14:00 – DF Malan v Northwood
15:30 – Menlopark vs Eldoraigne
17:00 – Grey College vs Somerset College

FRIDAY

08:00 – St Andrew’s School vs DF Malan
08:00 – Menlopark vs Grey College (Eunice)
09:30 – Worcester Gim vs Northwood
11:00 – Somerset College vs Eldoraigne
13:30 – Quarterfinal 1 (A1 vs B3)
15:00 – Quarterfinal 2 (A3 vs B1)
16:30 – Quarterfinal 3 (B2 vs A4)
18:00 – Quarterfinal 4 (B4 vs A2)

SATURDAY

8:30 – Loser 2 vs Loser 4
08:30 – Loser 1 vs Loser 3
10:15 – Winner 1 vs Winner 3
12:00 – Winner 2 vs Winner 4
13:45 – 5th/6th playoff
13:45 – 7th/8th playoff (Eunice)
15:30 – 3rd/4th playoff
17:30 – Final

The Parktown Boys’ High School 1st XI, under the coaching of Kyle Reddy, aided by his assistant coach Tristan Le Forestier, recently completed a resurgent season, which has raised optimism about the school’s hockey programme.

They claimed some good wins along the way, tasted some defeats, too, but they always battled hard, sometimes rescuing seemingly lost causes to grab a draw.

In their last home fixture, they trashed Northcliff 6-1, with the team’s captain Ryan Venter leading by example and scoring a hattrick.  Job done, he stated simply: “I think I played well. I did what I needed to do.”

After that game, they visited Garsfontein and returned home with an impressive 4-1 win over the Hibbert Shield semi-finalists, thanks to a double from Khanyisa Kraai and further goals by Zeyad Davids and Wade Jacobs.

The clearest evidence of Parktown’s upturn in performances and results came in the Aitken Cup, where they reached the final for a first time since 2010. A late goal earned Jeppe a 2-0 win over Parktown in the final, but it was clear the team was back in the conversation as one of the top sides in Gauteng.

Another highlight was a victory in May over a strong St Benedict’s side. Parktown edged a five-goal thriller 3-2, with Ryan Venter, Miles Makudo and Robert Bailey scoring. What made that win especially memorable was the achievement of Venter and Nicholas Townsend, who both earned their 100th caps in the match.

The team’s gritty character was on display in a June clash with St David’s Marist Inanda. After trailing 0-2, Parktown clawed their way back to come away with a 2-2 draw.

It took a never-say-die attitude to grab a share of the spoils. With only five minutes to go, Robert Bailey pulled one back with a penalty stroke. Then, with two minutes left, captain Ryan Venter converted a penalty corner to complete the comeback.

Reflecting on his team’s achievements, Reddy said: “It was a long and challenging 34-game season. The boys saw immense growth both on and off the field.

“I think one of the highlights was our Aitken run. Although it ended in disappointment, it was a fantastic and special team effort,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

Parktown went down 1-3 to Jeppe in their last match of the season. That left their record as 19 wins, nine losses, and six draws, with 103 goals scored and 63 conceded.

Reddy commented: “It’s a pity to end on a loss but Jeppe took the chances that fell to them, and we, unfortunately, struggled to convert, albeit having more opportunities on goal than them.

“I’m incredibly proud of this group of boys. Thirteen of them are in matric, so it’s a proud moment to see them finish off their schooling hockey careers. I have every confidence that they are ready if they go on to play hockey after school at a high performance or social level.”

PARKTOWN SEASON RESULTS

Pre-season

Parktown 3-3 St Alban’s College
Parktown 6-3 Old Boys
Parktown 12-0 CBC Boksburg

Founders Festival

Parktown 0-5 Paul Roos
Parktown 1-7 SACS
Parktown 2-1 Queen’s College
Parktown 0-4 Kearsney College
Parktown 7-1 Dale College

KES Easter Festival

Parktown 4-1 Eldoraigne
Parktown 1-1 Grey College
Parktown 1-3 Selborne College
Parktown 0-3 Maritzburg College
Parktown 2-1 St Charles College

Gauteng Fixtures

Parktown 3-1 Northcliff
Parktown 2-2 KES
Parktown 4-0 Linden
Parktown 12-0 Springs Boys’ high
Parktown 0-3 Pretoria Boys High
Parktown 1-1 Glenwood
Parktown 4-1 Helpmekaar
Parktown 3-5 St Stithians College

Aitken Cup

Parktown 6-0 Rand Park High
Parktown 2-2 St Stithians College
Parktown 2-1 Helpmekaar
Parktown 2-1 St David’s Marist Inanda
Parktown 5-3 St John’s College
Parktown 0-2 Jeppe

Gauteng Fixtures

Parktown 3-2 St Benedict’s College
Parktown 2-2 St David’s Marist Inanda
Parktown 3-2 Waterkloof
Parktown 2-0 Krugersdorp High
Parktown 6-1 Northcliff
Parktown 4-1 Garsfontein
Parktown 1-3 Jeppe

Results Summary

Played: 34, Won: 19, Drew: 6, Lost: 9, GF: 103, GA: 63

St Mary’s Waverley might have missed out on qualifying for the Fairtree Top 12 for a first time in 2024, but they showed they remain a force to be reckoned with by capturing the Pullen Trophy on Saturday.

They beat Hoërskool Monument 2-1 in the final to succeed Top 12-qualified St Stithians Girls College as the champions.

In 2023, Saints won the title with a 3-1 win over Noordheuwel in the title-decider.

The Pullen and Howell competitions feature leading schools from the Johannesburg, Pretoria and the surrounding regions.

St Mary’s last won the Pullen Trophy in 2022, after a six-year wait, so it wasn’t a long title wait for the school’s renowned hockey programme to take hold of the silverware again. That same year, their u16 team finished fourth, losing to Monnas in the third and fourth playoff. On Saturday, St Mary’s got the better of the team from Krugersdorp.

The Waverley girls were first onto the score sheet when Zara Colyn struck four minutes from the end of the first chukka.

Monument levelled in the second chukka, when Hannah Quinton scored from a penalty corner.

The winner, though, came from Lucy Viljoen in the final chukka, also from a PC.

St Mary’s coach Cindy Brown said consistency won her team the trophy. “We were consistent throughout the tournament. I think we played some good hockey.

“Today was a tough game,” she added, “but we scored the goals when it counted.

“Monument played well, and I am chuffed that the girls pulled through,” Brown concluded.

In the u16 final Hoërskool Waterkloof beat their Pretoria rivals Garsfontein 3-0 to lift the Howell Trophy.