Author: vndudane

The National Co-Ed Water Polo Tournament came to an exciting conclusion at Pearson High School in Gqeberha on Sunday, with Reddam House Bedfordview (girls) and Woodridge College (boys) emerging as the champions after four tough days of all-out water polo action.

The tournament, which featured 36 teams from across the country, showcased the growing standard of schools’ water polo and delivered plenty of action, from narrow shootout wins to high-scoring thrillers.

In the girls’ category, Reddam Bedfordview completed a flawless campaign by defeating Kingswood College 10–7 in an exciting final.

Anastasia Hambakis, who represented South Africa at the World Aquatics Women’s U18 Water Polo Championships in 2024, powered her side to victory, scoring four goals, while Aimme Hattingh and Caitlin Scrimgeour netted three each. Kingswood replied through Megan Fletcher and Casey Williamson, who each scored twice, while Caitlin Steymann, Megan Sheard, and Kate Wilson struck once each.

Reddam’s dynamic forward line shone as they claimed a hard-fought win over a strong Kingswood side that refused to back down until the final whistle.

In the battle for the bronze medals, Pearson High edged out St Peter’s College 5–3, which delighted the home supporters. Hudson Park ended their campaign on a high note, too, beating Beaulieu College 7–4 to finish fifth.

In the boys’ division, Woodridge College produce a stunning display to claim the championship in emphatic style, with an 11-2 hammering of Pearson.

Christian Chandler netted four goals, while Carter Rosser and Oliver Martin both registered two each, with further strikes from Gian Moolman, Sam Barnes, and Daniel Henning aiding Woodridge’s winning effort. Rolan Swanevelder scored both goals for the hosts.

Pearson had dominated the tournament from the start, finishing the group stage unbeaten and with a positive goal difference of 37, which was 10 more than the 27 achieved by Woodridge, but they were well beaten in the final.

In the bronze medal playoff, Glenwood House overcame St Peter’s College 12–7 in an exciting contest filled with end-to-end action.

Steyn City School held on for a narrow 5-4 win over Reddam Bedfordview to finish fifth, while Stirling High School snatched a 6–5 win over their East London rivals, Hudson Park, to take seventh place.

RESULTS

Girls

17/18: Alex 1-10 NNMU/VC Invitational
15/16: Rand Park 3-7 Curro Hillcrest
13/14: Steyn City 5-8 Merrifield
11/12: Westerford 4-10 Woodridge
9/10: Crawford 3-7 Glenwood House
7/8: Stirling 1-5 Thomas More
5/6: Hudson Park 7-4 Beaulieu
3/4:  Pearson 5-3 St Peter’s
1/2: Reddam Bedfordview 10-7 Kingswood

Boys

17/18: Invitational 7-3 Co-ed Invitational
15/16: Alex Road 3-7 Rand Park
13/14: Thomas More 6-7 Reddam Helderfontein
11/12: Curro Hillcrest 2-7 Westerford
9/10: Merrifield 6-8 Kingswood
7/8: Hudson Park 5-6 Stirling
5/6: Reddam Bedfordview 4-5 Steyn City
3/4: St Peter’s 7-12 Glenwood House
1/2: Pearson 2-11 Woodridge

Saturday, day three of the National Co-Ed Water Polo Tournament, produced high-intensity action in both the girls’ and boys’ divisions as teams scrambled for playoff victories.

The hosts, Pearson High, and Glenwood House won through to the final of the boys’ competition, while Kingwood College and Reddam House Bedfordview progressed to the girls’ final.

On the girls’ side, the day began with the bottom quarterfinals, where Steyn City School impressed in a dominant 10-2 win over Alexander Road. The NMMU/VC Invitational side, meanwhile, beat Curro Hillcrest 7-3.

In the main quarterfinals, the top finishers from the group stage showed their class. Reddam Bedfordview scored a confident 12-5 win over Hudson Park High, while Pearson overcame Stirling High 8-4.

The clash between St Peter’s College and Beaulieu College ended with the sides knotted at 10-10 before St Peter’s triumphed 3-2 in a penalty shootout. Kingswood College was in in fine form against Kloof’s Thomas More College, beating the KwaZulu-Natalians 9-2.

In the qualifier rounds, NMMU/VC Invitational thrashed Alex Road 15-0, Crawford Lonehill edged out Westerford High 5-3, and Glenwood House bagged a 4-2 win over Woodridge College.

Meanwhile, in the qualifier semifinals, Steyn City crushed Rand Park High 11-0, while Merrifield College narrowly beat Curro Hillcrest 6-4 to advance.

Later, in the playoff qualifiers, Hudson Park recovered from their loss to Reddam House Bedfordview, beating Stirling 6-2, and Beaulieu secured a 7-3 victory over Thomas More.

In the semi-finals, Reddam Bedfordview kept rolling, picking up a 10-5 victory over Pearson High, while Kingswood booked their place in the final after a 9-6 defeat of St Peter’s College.

Meanwhile, Pearson delivered a powerhouse performance in the boys’ quarterfinals, dismantling Hudson Park 19-4, while St Peter’s got by Reddam Bedfordview 10-5. Woodridge won a high-scoring thriller 15-9 against Stirling, and Glenwood House secured a comfortable 11-4 win over Steyn City.

In the qualifiers, the Invitational team beat the Co-ed Invitational side 7-3, Merrifield eased past Curro Hillcrest 10-2, and Kingswood handed Westerford a 7-1 defeat.

Then, in the qualifier semifinals, Thomas More dominated Alex Road 8-2, and Reddam Helderfontein proved too strong for Rand Park, winning 17-0.

In the semifinals, Woodridge stormed their way into the title game after cruising to a 16-6 win over Glenwood House, while Pearson booked their place with a 12-8 victory over St Peter’s.

RESULTS

GIRLS

Bottom Quarterfinals
Steyn City 10-2 Alex Road
Curro Hillcrest 3-7 NMMU/VC Invitational

Quarterfinals
Reddam Bedfordview 12-5 Hudson Park
Stirling 4-8 Pearson
St Peter’s (10) 3-2 (10) Beaulieu
Kingswood 9-2 Thomas More

Qualifiers
Alex Road 0-15 NMMU/VC Invitational
Westerford 3-5 Crawford Lonehill
Glenwood 4-2 Woodridge

Qualifier Semifinals
Steyn City 11-0 Rand Park
Merriefield 6-4 Curro Hillcrest

Qualifiers
Hudson Park 6-2 Stirling
Beaulieu 7-3 Thomas More

Semifinals
Reddam Bedfordview 10-5 Pearson
St Peter’s 6-9 Kingswood

BOYS

Bottom QF
Invitational 0-0 Thomas More
Reddam Helderfontein 10-5 Co-ed Invitational

Quarterfinals
Pearson 19-4 Hudson Park
Reddam Bedfordview 5-10 St Peter’s
Woodridge 15-9 Stirling
Glenwood 11-4 Steyn City

Qualifiers
Invitational 7-3 Co-ed Invitational
Curro Hillcrest 2-10 Merrifield
Westerford 1-7 Kingswood

Qualifier Semifinals
Thomas More 8-2 Alex Road
Rand Park 0-17 Reddam Helderfontein

Qualifiers
Hudson Park 4-10 Reddam Bedfordview
Stirling 3-7 Steyn City

Semifinals
Woodridge 16-6 Glenwood
Pearson 12-8 St Peter’s

The most impressive teams from day one of the National Co-Ed Water Polo Tournament, Reddam House Bedfordview, in the girls’ division, and Pearson High, in the boys’ competition – continued to make their presence felt on Friday, at Pearson, in Gqeberha.

In Pool A of the girls’ competition, Reddam House Bedfordview added two more wins to the two they scored on Thursday.

They were given a tough workout in their first assignment on Friday by Beaulieu College but claimed a 4-2 win, with Alisha Beswick scoring three and Caitlin Scrimgeour netting Reddam’s other. Jaime Napier and Jessica Muller replied for Beaulieu. In their second match, Reddam rolled to an 11-1 win over Woodridge College.

Beaulieu, who beat Merrifield College and Woodridge on day one, bounced back from their loss with a big 15-4 win over Steyn City School. Woodridge, meanwhile, beat Merrifield 9-4.

Merrifield and Steyn City tied at 10-10, but Merrifield won 3-1 on penalties.

In Pool B, four goals from Jorja Linke and further strikes from with Nicola Schwartz and Jordan van Eek helped Stirling maintain their lead at the top of the standings after a 6-3 win over Thomas More College. Westerford High outplayed Alexander Road 11-2.

Pearson clinched a hard-fought 4-2 win over St Peter’s College in Pool C. With St Peter’s having won both of their day one games, and Pearson having gone one and one, it was a crucial victory. Hudson Park enjoyed a smooth 12-2 win over Curro Hillcrest.

Glenwood House enjoyed a good day in Pool D, where they battled their way to two hard-fought wins. After defeating NMMU/VC Invitational 5-2, they played to a 3-3 draw with Crawford Lonehill but won the penalty shootout 2-0.

Kingswood College suffered a narrow 5-6 loss to the Invitational team but overran Rand Park High 16-1. Crawford Lonehill also beat Rand Park, winning 11-2.

In cross-pool fixtures, Beaulieu overcame Westerford 7-3, while Thomas More edged out Woodridge 4-3 in a thrilling encounter. Hudson Park impressed in a 7-3 win over Crawford Lonehill, and Pearson escaped with a dramatic 5-4 victory over Glenwood House.

In the boys’ competition, Pearson extended their perfect start in Pool A, recording two solid wins – 5-1 over Curro Hillcrest and 7-2 over Kingswood College. The Invitational side downed Rand Park 9-3 but lost to Kingswood after a penalty shootout.

Reddam House Bedfordview edged out Stirling High 4-3 in a tense Pool B clash, while Steyn City maintained their winning form with a 4-1 triumph over Thomas More College, with Brett Litten (x2), Zack Thomas, and Cobus Lombard netting for Steyn City, while Jack Morgan replied for Thomas More.

In Pool C, Woodridge College continued their fine form, posting a dominant 12-4 win over Westerford. Meanwhile, Reddam House Helderfontein picked up their first victory of the tournament with a narrow 7-6 defeat of Merrifield College.

St Peter’s College enjoyed a fantastic day in Pool D, defeating Hudson Park 10-6 and Alex Road 13-1. Glenwood House also picked up back-to-back wins, beating the Co-Ed Invitational team 9-5 and Hudson Park 9-4.

Then, in cross-pool clashes, Stirling dominated Curro Hillcrest 13-1, Steyn City downed Kingswood 8-3, and Hudson Park edged out Merrifield 3-1 after penalties. St Peter’s closed the day strongly with a 6-4 win over Westerford.

RESULTS

GIRLS

Pool A

Beaulieu 2-4 Reddam Bedfordview
Woodridge 1-11 Reddam Bedfordview
Merrifield (10) 3-1 (10) Steyn City
Beaulieu 15-4 Steyn City
Merrifield 4-9 Woodridge

Pool B
Stirling 6-3 Thomas More
Alex Road 2-11 Westerford

Pool C
Hudson Park 12-2 Curro Hillcrest
Pearson 4-2 St Peter’s

Pool D
Glenwood 5-2 NMMU/VC Invitational
Crawford Lonehill 11-2 Rand Park
Kingswood 5-6 NMMU/VC Invitational
Rand Park 1-16 Kingswood
Glenwood (3) 2-0 (3) Crawford Lonehill

Cross Pool Playoffs
Beaulieu 7-3 Westerford
Thomas More 4-3 Woodridge
Hudson Park 7-3 Crawford Lonehill
Glenwood 4-5 Pearson

BOYS

Pool A
Pearson 5-1 Curro Hillcrest
Rand Park 3-9 Invitational
Pearson 7-2 Kingswood
Curro Hillcrest 9-5 Rand Park
Kingswood (4) 5-5 (1) Invitational

Pool B
Thomas More 1-4 Steyn City
Stirling 3-4 Reddam Bedfordview

Pool C
Reddam Helderfontein 7-6 Merrifield
Westerford 4-12 Woodridge

Pool D
St Peter’s 10-6 Hudson Park
Glenwood 9-5 Co-ed Invitational
Alex Road 1-13 St Peter’s
Glenwood 9-4 Hudson Park
Alex Road 2-10 Co-ed Invitational

Cross Pools
Curro Hillcrest 1-13 Stirling
Steyn City 8-3 Kingswood
Merrifield (1) 5-5 (3) Hudson Park
St Peter’s 6-4 Westerford

The National Co-Ed Water Polo Tournament splashed off in style on Thursday at Pearson High School, in Gqeberha, with 36 schools competing across both the boys’ and girls’ divisions.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

In Pool A of the girls’ competition, Reddam House Bedfordview wasted no time in stamping their authority on proceedings. They opened their challenge with a one-sided 21-3 win over Steyn City School before powering past Merrifield College 16-5.

Beaulieu College also impressed, downing Merrifield 9-3 before handing Woodridge College a 9-2 loss.

Pool B also produced its share of excitement. Stirling High School got off to a strong start with a 10-1 victory over Alexander Road High and later added another win against Westerford High.

Thomas More College also picked up two wins, beating Westerford 7-3 before blanking Alex Road 5-0 to keep a clean record.

In Pool C, St Peter’s College ended the day on top of the standings after two convincing wins, by 10-1 over Curro Hillcrest and by 12-2 over Hudson Park.

The tightest competition was in Pool D, where Kingswood College edged out Glenwood House 5-4. They had an easier time against Crawford Lonehill, recording a 9-2 victory. Glenwood House bounced back from their narrow defeat with a 5-2 win over the NMMU/VC Invitational side.

In the boys’ competition, Pearson put on a show for the home crowd. They hammered Rand Park High 22-2 before cruising to a 9-1 win over the Invitational team, which put the hosts in early control of Pool A.

Pool B featured tightly contested games. Reddam House Bedfordview opened with an 8-4 win over Steyn City but stumbled against Stirling High. However, they recovered quickly, sneaking a 3-2 win over Thomas More College in their second outing. Steyn City also showed resilience after their loss to Reddam, handing Stirling a 10-5 loss.

Woodridge College dominated Pool C, making a strong statement with a 12-1 win over Reddam House Helderfontein and a 12-4 triumph against Merrifield College. Merrifield picked up a win against Westerford, cruising to a 10-2 victory.

In Pool D, Glenwood House fired off the blocks with a commanding 15-2 win over Alex Road. They were extended by St Peter’s in their second match but won 9-6. Hudson Park, also, notched back-to-back victories, beating Alex Road 11-3 and the Co-Ed Invitational side 8-3.

The tournament continues through until Sunday, 5 October.

RESULTS

Girls

Pool A
Steyn City 4-10 Woodridge
Reddam Bedfordview 21-3 Steyn City
Merrifield 3-9 Beaulieu
Merrifield 5-16 Reddam Bedfordview
Beaulieu 9-2 Woodridge

Pool B
Stirling 10-1 Alex Road
Westford 3-7 Thomas More
Thomas More 5-0 Alex Road
Stirling 9-4 Westford

Pool C
Pearson 3-4 Hudson
St Peter’s 10-1 Curro Hillcrest
Curro Hillcrest 1-9 Pearson
St Peter’s 12-2 Hudson Park

Pool D
Crawford Lonehill 8-6 NNMU/VC Invitational
Kingswood 5-4 Glenwood House
NMMU/VC 13-0 Randpark
Crawford Lonehill 2-9 Kingswood
Glenwood House 18-3 Randpark

BOYS

Pool A
Pearson 22-2 Rand Park
Invitational 1-9 Pearson
Kingswood 19-1 Rand Park
Invitational 6-3 Curro Hillcrest
Curro Hillcrest 6-3 Kingswood

Pool B
Stirling 6-2 Thomas More
Reddam Bedfordview 8-4 Steyn City
Stirling 5-10 Steyn City
Thomas More (2) 2-2 (3) Reddam Bedfordview

Pool C
Reddam Helderfontein 1-12 Woodridge
Westerford 2-10 Merrifield
Merrifield 4-12 Woodridge
Reddam Helderfontein 4-8 Westerford

Pool D
Glenwood House 15-2 Alex Road
Hudson Park 8-3 Co-ed Invitational
St Peter’s 6-9 Glenwood House
Hudson Park 11-3 Alex Road
Co-ed Invitational 1-10 St Peter’s

Former St Anne’s Diocesan College head coach Megan Sileno made a triumphant return to Hilton on the weekend, leading St Stithians College to the title at the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

In a dramatic final, on Sunday, St Stithians edged out Roedean 7–6 in a penalty shootout after the sides were tied 4–4 at full time.

The final, like most of the day’s playoff games, was very tightly contested, with the defences dominating in an evenly matched battle.

St Stithians’ journey to the title was a gauntlet through some of the country’s top teams. In the quarterfinals, they dispatched Durban Girls’ College (DGC) 8-6, which was a significant win, considering that DGC had already won the KZN Top 10 and Mackenzie Cup tournaments.

They then met Herschel Girls School in an action-packed semi-final, which was also decided on penalties, with Saints holding their nerve to move into the final after a 7–6 (4–4) win.

On the other side of the draw, Roedean defeated St Anne’s 8–6 in their semi-final, to end the hosts’ unblemished run.

After winning the title, St Stithians had more reasons to celebrate, with Isabella Imbriolo being named the Defender of the Tournament, while Danielle Sassenberg, who named the MVP.

The bronze medal match was every bit as dramatic as the final, with the contest needing to go to penalties to be settled.

In regulation time, St Anne’s and Herschel finished level at 5-5, but the Capetonians then edged out the home side, triumphing 7-6.

St Anne’s head coach Cameron Wiid was thrilled with how the event unfolded. “The tournament was a massive success,” he enthused. “Having 16 of the best u19 ladies’ teams from across the country, all staying on the St Anne’s campus, created a unique atmosphere not often found elsewhere on the calendar.

“Five out of the six match officials have represented South Africa at the World Aquatics Championships, with two officiating at the Olympic Games. That level of experience elevated both the competition and the officiating to the highest standard.”

Wiid also expressed his excitement at the tight level of competition. “With all top medal matches and even the 5th/6th playoff going to penalties, it’s clear that the level of women’s water polo in South Africa is on the rise,” he said.

“I was proud of my team’s performance in finishing fourth after a narrow shootout loss to Herschel. I’m excited to see what this special group can achieve at the upcoming Stayers and Interprovincial tournaments later this year.”

In other games, after working hard the whole weekend, the defending champions, Reddam House Constantia, finished fifth, sneaking by Reddam House Bedfordview 7-6 on penalties after their playoff ended 5-all.

Reddam Bedfordview, nonetheless, put together a strong run, winning their first three games to go undefeated in their group. In the quarterfinals, though, Herschel controlled the contest to run out 9-2 winners.

Meanwhile, DGC beat Reddam House Umhlanga 5-3 to finish seventh, while St Mary’s Waverley claimed the Plate, beating St Dominic’s 5-3 in the final.

RESULTS

Plate Semifinals

St Mary’s Waverley 3-2 Beaulieu
St Dominic’s (5) 3-3 (3) Kingsmead

Cup Semifinals

St Stithians (7) 4-4 (6) Herschel
Roedean 8-6 St Anne’s

Plate

7/8: St Mary’s DSG, Kloof 4-10 Maris Stella
5/6: Rhenish 4-3 St Cyprian’s
3/4: Beaulieu 0-2 Kingsmead
1/2: St Mary’s Waverley 5-3 St Dominic’s

Cup

7/8: DGC 5-3 Reddam Umhlanga
5/6: Reddam Bedfordview (5) 5-5 (7) Reddam Constantia
3/4: Herschel (7) 5-5 (6) St Anne’s
1/2: St Stithians (7) 4-4 (6) Roedean

The St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament got off to an action-packed start on Friday, as top girls’ water polo schools from across Gauteng and the Western Cape joined KwaZulu-Natal’s finest in Hilton to do battle for the prestigious trophy.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

St Anne’s Diocesan College, playing in front of their home crowd, wasted no time setting the tone. They opened their campaign with a dominant 16-1 victory over St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, and followed that up with a clinical 12-1 win against Kingsmead College.

Carrying that momentum into day two, the hosts overcame a spirited Herschel Girls School side 9-7 to finish the group stage in first place in Pool A.

That set them up with a quarterfinals’ clash against Reddam House Umhlanga. In another hard-fought match, they came away with an 8-5 victory, raising hopes that they might match or even better last year’s runner-up finish.

Second in Pool D, Herschel convincingly handled Reddam House Bedfordview, the winner of Pool B, in the quarterfinals, easing to a comfortable 9-2 victory.

Roedean School, third in 2024, made a strong statement on day one, beating Rhenish Girls’ High 10-3 before downing the KZN Top 10 and Mackenzie Cup champions, Durban Girls’ College (DGC) 5-2

They completed a clean run through a tough Pool B with a 9-2 triumph over St Dominic’s. Their reward was a tricky and tough tie against the defending champion, Reddam House Constantia. It took everything they had, but Roedean pulled off a slim victory, advancing after a penalty shootout, which they edged 3-2, following a 7-7 draw in regulation time.

Reddam House Constantia and St Mary’s Waverley had got the ball rolling on Friday with a thrilling contest, won 4-3 by Reddam. St Mary’s bounced back later on Friday with a tight 8-7 win over Maris Stella.

After their loss to Roedean, Reddam House Constantia responded with character in the playoff round, brushing aside Reddam Umhlanga 7-1.

Herschel Girls School delivered arguably the most emphatic performance of the tournament so far when they dismantled St Mary’s Kloof 20-0 in a ruthless attacking display in Pool D. They also beat Kingsmead 10-3 to end day one undefeated.

Reddam Bedfordview got off to a strong start, defeating Reddam Umhlanga 11-6 before cruising to a comfortable 10-3 win over St Cyprian’s.

St Stithians College also impressed, rolling to an 18-4 victory over Maris Stella. Then, in a key clash between title contenders, they recorded a composed 7-3 victory over Reddam Constantia.

Saints faced DGC in the quarterfinals, hardly a kind reward for their hard efforts, but the Johannesburg school rose to the challenge and booked their place in the semi-finals with an 8-6 win.

Beaulieu College endured a mixed opening day, scoring a tense 8-5 win over St Cyprian’s College before narrowly falling 6-5 to Reddam Umhlanga in the afternoon.

Durban Girls’ College had a rocky time in the group stage. They won their Pool B opener 9-4 against St Dominic’s, but came up short against Roedean second time out. St Dom’s, meanwhile, bounced back with an assertive 12-3 victory over Rhenish.

RESULTS

Pool A
Reddam Constantia 4-3 St Mary’s Waverley
St Stithians 18-4 Maris Stella
Maris Stella 7-8 St Mary’s Waverley
Reddam Constantia 3-7 St Stithians
St Stithians 6-2 St Mary’s Waverley
Reddam Constantia 12-3 Marist Stella

Pool B
Roedean 10-3 Rhenish
DGC 9-4 St Dominic’s
Rhenish 3-12 St Dominic’s
DGC 2-5 Roedean
Rhenish 2-9 DGC
Roedean 9-2 St Dominic’s

Pool C
St Cyprian’s 5-8 Beaulieu
Reddam Umhlanga 6-11 Reddam Bedfordview
Beaulieu 5-6 Reddam Umhlanga
Reddam Bedfordview 10-3 St Cyprian’s
St Cyprian’s 7-8 Reddam Umhlanga
Beaulieu 4-9 Reddam Bedfordview

Pool D
St Anne’s 16-1 St Mary’s Kloof
Herschel 10-3 Kingsmead
Kingsmead 1-12 St Anne’s
St Mary’s Kloof 0-20 Herschel
St Mary’s Kloof 1-0 Kingsmead
St Anne’s 9-7 Herschel

Plate Quarterfinals

St Mary’s Waverly 12-2 Rhenish
St Dominic’s 6-4 Marist Stella
Beaulieu 5-0 St Mary’s Kloof
Kingsmead 2-0 St Cyprian’s

Cup Quarterfinals

St Stithians 8-6 DGC
Roedean (7) 10-9 (7) Reddam Constantia
Reddam Bedfordview 2-9 Herschel
St Anne’s 8-5 Reddam Umhlanga

Plate Playoffs

Rhenish (3) 7-6 (3) St Mary’s Kloof
Maris Stella (3) 4-5 (3) Reddam Bedfordview

Cup Playoffs

DGC 4-6 Reddam Bedfordview
Reddam Constantia 7-1 Reddam Umhlanga

 St Anne’s Diocesan College is gearing up to host one of the country’s premier girls’ events, the St Anne’s Water Polo Tournament, from Friday, 26 September, to Sunday, 28 September.

The competition features 16 top teams from around South Africa.

On Friday, each of them will take to the water for two matches, with 16 being played in total.

The action amplifies on Saturday, with 20 games on the schedule, including group stage and playoff contests.

On Sunday, 12 matches are scheduled, including the classification games, the semi-finals, and the final.

Leading the charge in Pool A is the defending champion, Reddam House Constantia, who will surely be in the running for the crown again. Recently, playing at home, they finished as the runner-up to Durban Girls’ College in the Mackenzie Cup.

Reddam opens their challenge against St Mary’s Waverley, another school with a strong tradition in the sport. Also in Pool A, St Stithians, under the guidance of Megan Sileno, who coached St Anne’s to second place last year, will face Maris Stella in their opener.

In Pool B, Johannesburg’s Roedean, last year’s bronze medallists, begin with a North vs South clash when they take on Stellenbosch’s Rhenish Girls’ High. Durban Girls’ College (DGC), one of the favourites after landing back-to-back titles at the KZN Top 10 and Mackenzie Cup tournaments, launches their campaign against Benoni’s St Dominic’s.

Pool C brings together an interesting mix of teams, which makes predicting the outcome of their group stage games a coin flip, although, perhaps, Reddam House Bedfordview will fancy their chances. They’re up against Reddam House Umhlanga, St Cyprian’s School, and Beaulieu College.

St Cyprian’s and Beaulieu meet in the pool’s first match, with the two Reddams going head-to-head in their first outings.

St Anne’s contests Pool D, taking on Herschel Girls School, the fourth-place finishers in 2024, St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls (DSG), Kloof, and Kingsmead College.

The home team’s challenge begins against their fellow KZN side, St Mary’s DSG, while Herschel tackles Kingsmead.

The action will be covered LIVE on SuperSport Schools

POOLS

Pool A: St Stithians College, Reddam House Constantia; St Mary’s Waverley; Maris Stella
Pool B: Roedean; DGC; Rhenish; St Dominic’s College
Pool C: Reddam Bedfordview; St Cyprian’s; Reddam Umhlanga; Beaulieu College
Pool D: St Anne’s; Herschel; St Mary’s DSG, Kloof; Kingsmead

FIXTURES

Friday, 26 September

08:00 – Reddam Constantia vs St Mary’s Waverley (1)
08:45 – Roedean vs Rhenish (2)
09:30 – St Cyprians vs Beaulieu (3)
10:15 – St Anne’s vs St Mary’s Kloof (4)
11:00 – St Stithians vs Maris Stella (5)
11:45 – DGC vs St Domnic’s (6)
12:30 – Reddam Umhlanga vs Reddam BFV (7)
13:15 – Herschel vs Kingsmead (8)
14:00 – Maris Stella vs St Mary’s Way (9)
14:45 – Rhenish vs St Dominic’s (10)
15:30 – Beaulieu vs Reddam Umhlanga (11)
16:15 – Kingsmead vs St Anne’s (12)
17:00 – Reddam Constantia vs St Stithians (13)
17:45 – DGC vs Roedean (14)
18:30 – Reddam BFV vs St Cyprians (15)
19:15 – St Mary’s Kloof vs Herschel (16)

Saturday, 27 September

07:00 – St Mary’s Kloof vs Kingsmead (17)
07:45 – Rhenish vs DGC (18)
08:30 – St Cyprians vs Reddam Umhlanga (19)
09:15 – St Stithians vs St Mary’s Waverly (20)
10:00 – Reddam Constantia vs Maris Stella (21)
10:45 – Roedean vs St Dominic’s (22)
11:30 – Beaulieu vs Reddam BFV (23)
12:15 – St Anne’s vs Herschel (24)
13:00 – Plate QF – 3rd Pool A vs 4th Pool (25)
13:30 – Plate QF – 3rd Pool B vs 4th Pool A (26)
14:00 – Plate QF – 3rd Pool C vs 4th Pool D (27)
14:30 – Plate QF – 3rd Pool D vs 4th Pool C (28)
15:00 – Cup QF – 1st Pool A vs 2nd pool B (29)
15:45 – Cup QF – 1st Pool B vs 2nd Pool A (30)
16:30 – Cup QF – 1st Pool C vs 2nd Pool D (31)
17:15 – Cup QF – 1st Pool D vs 2nd Pool C (32)
18:00 – Plate – Playoff Loser 25 vs Loser 27 (33)
18:30 – Plate – Playoff Loser vs Loser 28 (34)
19:00 – Cup – Playoff Loser 29 vs Loser 31 (35)
19:30 – Cup – Playoff Loser 30 vs Loser 32 (36)

Sunday, 28 September

06:30 – Plate Semi 1 – Winner 25 vs Winner 27 (37)
07:00 – Plate Semi 2 – Winner 26 vs Winner 28 (38)
07:30 – Cup Semi 1 – Winner 29 vs Winner 31 (39)
08:15 – Cup Semi 2 – Winner 30 vs Winner 32 (40)
09:00 – Plate 7/8 – Loser 33 vs Loser 34 (41)
09:30 – Plate 5/6 – Winner 33 vs Winner 34 (42)
10:00 – Plate 3/4 – Loser 37 vs Loser 38 (43)
10:30 – Plate Final – Winner 37 vs Winner 38 (44)
11:00 – Cup 7/8 – Loser 35 vs Loser 36 (45)
11:30 – Cup 5/6 – Winner 35 vs Winner 36 (46)
12:00 – Cup 3/4 – Loser 39 vs Loser 40 (47)
12:45 – Cup Final – Winner 39 vs Winner 40 (48)

Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria (AHMP) first played water polo competitively in mid-2023. These are still early days in the development of the sport at the school, but the girls have embraced water polo and are making strong progress under the guidance of head coach Ronan Perring.

The introduction of the sport at Affies was driven by the interest of the learners, many of whom had been exposed to the sport through their brothers at other schools.

What began as curiosity soon became a movement, with an increasing number of girls requesting that water polo be added to the school’s sports’ portfolio. Their wish was granted, and they haven’t looked back since.

“Since the launch, we’ve hit the ground running,” Perring said. “While we’ve faced our fair share of challenges, the girls have shown incredible determination, persistence, and a willingness to learn. Their progress in such a short time has been nothing short of inspiring.”

Affies began their journey with matches against their neighbours, Pretoria High School for Girls. While early encounters between the senior teams resulted in tough losses, victories by the AHMP junior teams built up early confidence.

In 2024, the team participated in several tournaments, which was another important milestone in their development. At the Inspired Cup, hosted by Reddam House Bedfordview, in October, Affies celebrated their first wins in tournament play. Those victories underscored the team’s growing capabilities and spirit.

Another standout moment came in March this year, at the Reef Cup, at St Stithians College, where Affies beat Pretoria High School for Girls for the first time, claiming a heart-stopping 7-6 victory.

“That victory created a real shift in the team’s mindset, proving to the girls that they can not only compete but also become a force to be reckoned with,” Perring said.

“The girls have adapted incredibly well to the demands of the sport. Even though water polo is new at AHMP, the players have embraced it with passion and dedication. Each week, their skills, teamwork, and understanding of the game improve, and we are proud of how far they’ve come in such a short time.”

Perring said he has found it rewarding to watch his team stand their ground against more established water polo-playing schools: “Competing at tournaments alongside top Gauteng teams has given us exciting moments of growth,” he explained, “from scoring our first goals to celebrating our first wins. Watching their confidence build with every game has been incredibly fulfilling.”

Looking ahead, Affies is eager to continue to build momentum. Their schedule includes competing in the Steyn City Tournament from 26-28 September, which will serve as key preparation for the much-anticipated Inspired Cup at Reddam House Bedfordview, from 16-19 October.

“We’re aiming to field our most competitive team yet,” said Perring. “A lot of preparation is going into these tournaments to ensure we put our best foot forward.

“The Inspired Cup holds special significance for us, and we’re determined to make a strong showing.”

But beyond results and accolades, the heart of the AHMP water polo journey lies in the camaraderie that is found in the game.

“Above all,” Perring concluded, “we are looking forward to the friendships, the fun, and the unforgettable memories that water polo continues to bring.”

The water polo season is underway, and the action is Gauteng is happening thick and fast. On the weekend, the waters at St John’s College churned with many of the top water polo-playing schools in the province sharpening their skills ahead of some prestigious tournaments.

When the event kicked off on Friday, with most teams playing two or three fixtures, the hosts, St John’s, impressed by winning all three of their matches in convincing fashion.

They opened the festival with a dominant 11-0 victory over King Edward VII School (KES), asserting control from the first whistle.

Their winning momentum continued as they comfortably brushed aside Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS) 10-1 and then withstood a tough challenge from St Alban’s College, winning 6-3.

St Stithians College also caught the eye. They kicked off their campaign with a clinical 17-0 demolition of Parktown Boys’ High. Next up, they withstood a fierce challenge from Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies), picking up a 4-2 win, before ending the first day with a convincing 8-1 defeat of PBHS.

After losing to St John’s and St Stithians, Boys High rebounded with an emphatic 15-3 win over Parktown. St Alban’s, also won comfortably against Parktown.

The competition included some major milestones from St Stithians’ players, with Declan Wood and James Crick celebrating 150 caps for the first side, while Liam Tebbutt and Travis Donnelly turned out for the 100th time.

It’s that kind of experience that marks Saints as potentially one of the top teams in the country, and their win in the St Alban’s Beach Water Polo Tournament last weekend, further underlined that status.

On Saturday, St John’s continued their strong run with a 5-1 win over Affies and a 7-4 victory over Jeppe High School for Boys. However, their winning streak was brought to a halt in a thrilling encounter against St Stithians, who battled their way to an 8-6 win in a very tight match. Saints, then, closed off an unbeaten campaign with a commanding 12-5 defeat of KES.

Jeppe was in action on Saturday only and, after going down to St John’s, they picked up a couple of wins, beating Parktown 13-0 and PBHS 8-5.

RESULTS

Friday

St John’s 11–0 KES
St John’s 10–1 PBHS
St Stithians 17–0 Parktown
St Stithians 4–2 Affies
Parktown 3–15 PBHS
St John’s 6–3 St Alban’s
Affies 4–2 KES
St Stithians 8–1 PBHS
Parktown 2–13 St Alban’s

Saturday

St John’s 5–1 Affies
Parktown 0–11 St Alban’s
Affies 4–4 PBHS
St John’s 7–4 Jeppe
St Alban’s 2–7 Affies
St John’s 6–8 St Stithians
Parktown 0–13 Jeppe
St Alban’s 3–7 KES
PBHS 5–8 Jeppe
St Stithians 12–5 KES