Author: vndudane

The experienced former Parktown Boys’ High coach, Kyle Reddy, has been appointed the head coach of Southern Gauteng’s u18A team for the forthcoming SASHOC National Week, set to take place at Maritzburg College from 30 June to 5 July.

Reddy’s appointment marks a significant milestone in his coaching journey.

Reflecting on his post, he said: “It’s something I’ve worked towards for a while now. I’ve worked in different roles over the years – assistant coach, manager, selector – all of it. So, it’s an honour now to lead this group, and I’m very proud to do so.”

Reddy will be supported by a top-tier technical team, with St David’s Marist Inanda coach, Andy Aldred, filling the role of assistant coach. Former head coach and Director of Hockey at St John’s College, Anthony Woodhouse, takes on the role of video analyst. James Furlonger, Master in Charge of Hockey at Parktown Boys’ High, serves as the team manager, while Jarred Marsh is the strength and conditioning coach.

Reddy is excited about the group. He told SuperSport Schools Plus: “I’ve worked with both Andy and Woody before, in different roles, and we get on brilliantly. There is trust. There is honesty. We challenge each other in a good way.

“We talk hockey for hours, which is probably not healthy, but it helps the team. It is great to have that kind of knowledge and experience around you.”

Last year, Southern Gauteng u18A finished fourth, losing out 0-1 to KZN Coastal u18A in the playoff for third spot.

Sevens schools are represented in their line-up this year. Unbeaten Jeppe High School for Boys provides five players, Parktown Boys’ High and St David’s Marist Inanda supply three each, there are two from King Edward VII, and one each from St Stithians College, Hoërskool Monument, and St John’s College.

“The boys all know each other from previous provincial teams and the JHL (Joburg Hockey League),” Reddy said. “They have played together. They’ve played against each other. So, the chemistry is already there, and the understanding is there.

“These players come in with a mature mindset. They know it’s not about your school badge here. It’s about representing Southern Gauteng. That’s what makes it work. It’s not difficult at all. It’s brilliant.”

The team is blessed with strong leadership. It includes the captains of five schools. However, a skipper has not yet been named.

“We’ve got the captains of Jeppe, Parktown, St Stithians, St David’s, and Monument all in the team. So, leadership is not a problem, not at all,” Reddy enthused. “We’ve got a proper leadership group and, no matter who wears the armband, we’ve got a lot of boys who lead with their actions and their attitude.”

As one of the traditional powerhouses of South African hockey, there are high expectations of Southern Gauteng A.

“At Southern Gauteng, there’s a big hockey culture. We’ve got the numbers. We’ve got the resources. We’ve got the history,” Reddy said.

“There’s an expectation to perform, but that’s what makes it exciting. Pressure means people care, and pressure makes diamonds. It means people expect something special. I love that, to be honest. That’s what you want in sport.”

SOUTHERN GAUTENG U18 A TEAM

Khotso Mabona (St David’s Marist Inanda), Ethan Kapanda (Jeppe High School for Boys), Khanyisa Kraai (Parktown Boys’ High), Owethu Sishuba (St John’s College), Benjamin Simon (King Edward VII), Cole Stanbury (Jeppe High School for Boys), Zeyad Davids (Parktown Boys’ High), Matteo Stipcevich (St David’s Marist Inanda), Jared Beilings (St David’s Marist Inanda), Aiden Blatch (St Stithians College), Ezray Stadt (Jeppe High School for Boys), Ndyebo Pongwana (Parktown Boys’ High), Reece Green (Hoërskool Monument), Jack Hodson (King Edward VII), Matthew McKenzie (Jeppe High School for Boys).

For most teams, the weekend presented them with their last matches of the second term. St Benedict’s College ensured it was one they would remember with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over St David’s Marist Inanda, away from home.

Keenly contested, the momentum swung back and forth as the sides took shots at one another.

Early on, Bennies enjoyed control and that earned them a reward when, from a penalty corner, Alex Johnston delivered a brilliant drag flick to put them 1-0 up.

“The game was good. It was a tough game. We created quite a lot of chances earlier on,” St Benedict’s coach, Owen Mvimbi, told SuperSport Schools Plus after the game. “Then, St David’s got their momentum back.”

The Bennies’ coach also identified a couple of top performers, saying: “Connor Odgers played well. We started dominating the right-hand side. Matteo Stepcevich (St David’s) also dominated in the midfield. He played really well.”

St Benedict’s extended their lead from another penalty corner. This time, though, it was Josh Grobler who handled the drag flick.

St David’s was not about to go quietly, though, and a swift counterattack saw Jared Beilings providing the finish to make it 2-1.

“The game was hot. The crowd went crazy,” Mvimbi said, recalling the intensity of the second half, especially after Beilings’ strike.

Bennies thought they had scored a third, but Grobler’s effort was disallowed.

In a frenzied finish, both teams had opportunities to add to their tallies from penalty corners, but the goalkeepers and defenders stood tall.

“Johnstone saved one on the line, and their keeper made some good saves, too,” Mvimbi said. “Players started to panic a bit, getting a few more cards, but the game ended at 2-1.”

On the Weinberg Astro, at King Edward VII (KES), the Red Sticks were held to a 1-1 draw by Helpmekaar Kollege in their last outing of the term.

Meanwhile, in Pretoria, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) took on Die Hoërskool Menlopark.

After suffering a sobering 0-6 defeat to high-flying Jeppe last time out, Affies, with typical character, put that loss behind them and delivered a strong performance to down Menlo 4-1.

Nearby, Pretoria Boys High faced the daunting task of facing unbeaten Jeppe on the occasion of Boys High’s 124th birthday. Credit to the home team, they gave it their all. However, in the end Jeppe’s clean record remained intact, albeit by a slim 1-0 margin.

St Alban’s College enjoyed home ground advantage against St John’s College, but the visitors rose to the challenge against a team that has enjoyed a strong season.

It rained goals, but at the end of the four chukkas there was nothing to separate the sides, and it ended 3-3 after an enthralling clash.

This weekend marks a special occasion in South Africa’s capital city where Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) celebrates its 124th birthday on Saturday, with a full slate of sporting fixtures against Jeppe High School for Boys.

Those fixtures include the first team hockey match, with Boys High facing the daunting task of taking on unbeaten Jeppe, who recently successfully defended the Aitken Cup to lay claim to being the top hockey side in the Johannesburg region.

Pretoria will also witness St Alban’s College, a team that has enjoyed a strong season, in action against St John’s College. In a local derby, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) will face Hoërskool Menlopark.

PBHS heads into their clash with Jeppe on a run of mixed results. They recently claimed a 2-1 win over Sutherland High School. However, that performance was followed by 1-3 losses, first to St Alban’s and then to Michaelhouse, last weekend.

The Red Sox, with the home crowd to carry them, and the 124th birthday celebrations to motivate them, will be itching to pull off an upset. If they did, it would certainly be a big one. Jeppe has been in imperious form.

They head to Pretoria as one of only two top teams – the other being SACS – with an undefeated record in 2025.

Meanwhile, St Alban’s, following their 3-1 defeat of Pretoria Boys High, will be full of confidence. St John’s has been less convincing than the blue and grey.

They recently played to a goalless draw with Parktown Boys’ High and, before that, they fell to a 2-3 loss against St Benedict’s College.

In Johannesburg, King Edward VII School (KES) will close out their term’s hockey schedule against Helpmekaar Kollege. The sides meet at the Weinberg Astro.

While Helpmekaar has put together some good results, KES has enjoyed the more consistent season and will be favoured to claim victory at home.

With his squad having been struck by a number of injuries, St Benedict’s College coach Owen Mvimbi is anticipating a tough encounter when his side takes on St David’s Marist Inanda, in Sandton, on Saturday.

St Benedict’s will be without two key players – Ryan van Zyl and Christopher Burnham – but they welcome Emanuele Joseph, Phatu Muluadzi, and Mothei Mutloane into their squad.

Coach Mvimbi acknowledged the difficulty of having to adjust his team ahead of the important clash.

“This week’s preparation has been a mix of hard work and reflection, especially with the injuries,” Mvimbi told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“Bringing in new players and helping them integrate into the team environment, adapt to the game level, and understand our rules has been a challenge.

“We’ve watched a lot of video, and we’ve talked through our tough (0-6) loss to KES (King Edward VII School. We are working on getting back into our stride.”

Despite the disruptions, Bennies has some regular standouts to rely on, including Connor Odgers, Rhett Zillen, Amraj Mangat, Alex Johnston, and Josh Grobler.

“Those guys look sharp right now,” Mvimbi enthused. “Hopefully, they can lift the level of those around them, so we deliver a strong, unified performance.”

Mvimbi expects an intense contest on Saturday. “Both teams are in a similar place this season,” he explained. “We’ve had our ups and downs – some great performances and others where we were shocked by the result.

“It’s not just about winning; it’s about fight and desire. Sometimes our strikers give up too soon. I want them to see it through, play with pride and passion, play for the school and their brothers.

“Hopefully, we can get the win. We beat them three times last year.”

Meanwhile, St David’s coach Shaun Laubscher is keeping his team grounded as they approach the fixture.

“Our preparation has been consistent with what we’ve done all season,” he said. “St Benedict’s is always a tough opponent. They play good hockey and can punish you if you make mistakes. They’re a well-drilled side.”

Laubscher also praised his own team’s efforts throughout the season.

“We’ve focused on performance over results this year. It’s been an up-and-down season, but I’m proud of how the boys have worked and pushed themselves.”

Pushback is at 10:15.

Fresh off of a 2-0 victory over Hoërskool Centurion and a 2-1 win against Hoërskool Waterkloof last weekend, Hoërskool Eldoraigne‘s boys’ hockey 1^st team is rolling under the guidance of Head Coach Stefan Coertzen.

They’ve taken on a busy schedule this season, playing 25 tournament and league matches, winning 14 and losing 11, but they’ve now won six matches on the trot.

Though the results earlier in their campaign were mixed, they now appear to have hit their stride. His team’s success hasn’t come by accident, Coertzen said.

“We’ve gone through different phases of growth,” he explained. “We worked on ironing out weak moments in games and learning from our mistakes.

“The consistency has come from simply trying to be better every match, even if it’s by just one percent. The wins are a result of all the lessons from previous matches and the commitment to constant improvement.”

While victories are always a welcome product of training and lessons learned from matches, Coach Coertzen insisted that the foundation of his team’s approach is focusing on the quality of hockey the team plays.

“No one coaches to lose, of course, but our focus is on playing good hockey. The wins are important because they show the players that there is a reward in sticking to the process. It takes time and patience, but it pays off.”

Finding the right balance between pushing players to perform and ensuring they enjoy the game is no easy task, but Coertzen believes that’s where values come in.

“The type of child we have at Eldoraigne responds well to being challenged, especially when it’s through values. When we break down the process to success, they find joy in every small achievement along the way. That short-term enjoyment leads to long-term performance.”

Mental and physical preparation go hand-in-hand to help a team achieve consistency, the coach said: “Mentally, it’s quite easy once we’ve built that value-based culture early in the season. It becomes part of everything we do during the lead-up to a match.

“Physically, we follow a structured plan of high- and low-intensity sessions, depending on where we are in the week. Sticking to that process helps us stay sharp and match ready.”

During the season, some important individual milestones have been achieved: Hanco Nel and Nico Janse van Rensburg both earned their 50th caps against Glenwood High. Aidan Troskie and Nathan van Zyl reached theirs during a derby clash with Hoërskool Zwartkop, while Daniël Fourie marked his 50th appearance in the weekend’s win over Waterkloof.

Reflecting on his side’s journey so far, the Eldos‘ mentor admitted they went through a tough start to the season. “We began the season with 11 new players in our 18-man squad. It was a challenge to get everyone on the same page. But to their credit, the boys adjusted quickly and were open to major changes in the way we play.”

He concluded by pointing out that the 2025 team is the most inexperienced side he has worked with in his four years at Eldoraigne, which makes their current run of form even more impressive.

“It just shows that our programme gives players the tools they need to grow and succeed. I’m incredibly proud of the commitment and progress they’ve shown so far,” Coertzen commented.

LAST 10 RESULTS

Eldoraigne 1-2 Affies
Eldoraigne 2-1 Waterkloof
Eldoraigne 1-2 Kearsney
Eldoraigne 0-2 Maritzburg College
Eldoraigne 5-0 Oos-Moot
Eldoraigne 3-1 Midstream
Eldoraigne 3-0 Zwartkop
Eldoraigne 4-1 Montana
Eldoraigne 2-0 Centurion
Eldoraigne 2-1 Waterkloof

There were plenty of goals scored on the final weekend of May in the Gauteng region, with a couple of the top dogs, Jeppe High School for Boys and St Stithians College, racking up big victories alongside King Edward VII (KES).

In Pretoria, Hoërskool Zwartkop delivered a bold statement with back-to-back dominant victories.

Under the guidance of coach Connor Flowers, the team showed tactical discipline and clinical finishing to dispatch both Hoërskool Centurion and Hoërskool Oos-Moot in style.

In their first outing, against their local rivals, Centurion, Zwartkop controlled the tempo of the contest from the first whistle. Their accuracy and well-calculated moves were rewarded with a convincing 5-0 win.

Against Oos-Moot, Zwartkop came away with a 3-0 victory. Coach Coertzen’s charges have grown as the season has progressed, and they lived up to the expectations of their ever-improving game.

In Johannesburg, Jeppe continued their phenomenal unbeaten run in 2025. Now, following a 3-1 win by SACS over Paul Roos Gimnasium on Friday, the title of South Africa’s best in 2025 surely rests between the Cape Town school and Jeppe.

The Kensington kids warmed up for their weekend showdown with Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) with a 3-0 victory over St David’s Marist Inanda on Wednesday. That was a solid win, but they were razor-sharp on the weekend in crushing Affies 6-0.

Jeppe was on fire from the start, scoring three times in the first chukka. Adriaan Laubsher grabbed the spotlight with a superb hat-trick, while Ezra Stadt, Juan Martin, and Jaydon Da Silva also got in on the goal-scoring act.

Jeppe’s coach Siya Sityana was full of praise for his team’s performance but remained grounded in his assessment of their effort: “This game was good. It’s actually our best start this year. I mean, scoring three goals in the first chukka is something we’ve been working towards,” he said.

“That said, we still need to be more lethal. After we scored those early goals, we started relaxing, and that’s something we need to fix. We’ve got to play for 60 minutes.”

St Stithians, another Johannesburg school that has put together a strong season, dominated against St Charles College.

They’ve enjoyed good finishing all season long and there was more of that on display as they rolled to an 8-3 win over the visitors from Pietermaritzburg.

KES was also on fire, romping to a big 6-0 win over St Benedict’s College.

The game between Parktown Boys’ High and St John’s College was tightly contested. Playing at the “Lion’s Den,” the sides left it all out on the pitch, but the defences dominated, and their clash ended in a goalless draw.

RESULTS

Zwartkop 5-0 Centurion
Zwartkop 3-0 Oos-Moot
Jeppe 6-0 Affies
St Stithians 8-3 St Charles
KES 6-0 St Benedict’s
Parktown Boys’ High 0-0 St John’s

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) is all set and raring to go in their forthcoming clash with Jeppe High School for Boys on Saturday, in Johannesburg.

Jeppe has been in superb form throughout the season and has compiled a fantastic unbeaten record. They’re an awfully tough unit to break down, and they, also, have a good number of threats at the other end of the park.

Affies faces them on the Boden AstroTurf on Saturday and the Pretoria School, too, is a tough nut to crack. They field a well-disciplined team and they have designs on shaking things up against their highly regarded opponents.

Speaking ahead of the clash, Colin Mendoza, the Head of Hockey at Affies, acknowledged the tough challenge that lies ahead, but said he was confident about his side’s approach.

“Yeah, Jeppe is strong this year,” Mendoza admitted. “But, in saying that, we have been watching a few of their matches, and it’s clear there are several individuals they rely on to have an impact on the game.

“From an Affies’ standpoint, we emphasise the importance of teamwork and a collective effort in executing the game tactics.”

Despite the Jeppe’s strong form, Mendoza believes his team’s unity on and off the ball could deliver them success.

“As a team, we play really well when we connect well on and off the ball. We are all on the same page. Going into the Jeppe match, that has been our main focus””

Affies will also be looking to make up for the disappointment of conceding a late goal in their last outing, which allowed King Edward VII School (KES) to snatch a 3-3 draw.

“We had a very good preparation week before KES, and we feel a bit disappointed about not getting rewarded with the win,” said Mendoza. “We played really well and ticked the necessary boxes during that game.”

The Affies’ coach also highlighted the individual talent and leadership within his squad and praised his players who were recently selected for provincial teams.

“We have several boys selected for Northern Gauteng teams, and we are very proud of them, namely Johan Pieterse (captain) and Wium van Niekerk in the A-side,” he said. “Over and above that, we are a team that is diverse in both age and experience. We are excited to put in a massive team shift this weekend.”

Johannesburg will feature an intriguing slate of top hockey clashes on Saturday. They’re tough to call, although Jeppe High School for Boys will be favoured to continue their excellent season.

Parktown Boys’ High hosts St John’s College in a league match at 11:45. Based on their recent games, it’s expected to be a high-paced, tight contest that could go either way.

St John’s heads into the clash with a mixed season’s record – seven wins, seven losses, and two draws from their 16 outings.

They’ve produced some gritty performances recently, including a 2-0 win over Helpmekaar Kollege, which was followed by a nerve-wracking penalty shootout win over St Benedict’s College. However, just last weekend, they suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of the same St Benedict’s team.

Earlier in May, St John’s put together a decent run at the Aitken Cup. They started their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Helpmekaar before flexing their attacking strength in emphatic 5-0 victories over both Hoërskool Noordheuwel and Northcliff High.

Those results saw them make it through to the quarterfinals, where they met St David’s Marist Inanda. That’s where the St John’s title challenge was ended, with St David’s triumphing 3-0.

The Blues rebounded with successive wins over Helpmekaar and St Benedict’s to finish fifth overall.

Parktown has played some good hockey recently Their recent draw against St David’s Marist, who needed a last-gasp goal to share the spoils, showed Parktown is no pushover.

With home-ground advantage, strong support, and plenty of momentum, Parktown will be eager to get one over St John’s.

King Edward VII School (KES), fresh off a thrilling 3-3 draw with Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies), takes on St Benedict’s.

It has been a good season for the Red Sticks, and they’ll be keen to continue their consistent form ahead of the mid-year exams and holidays.

Meanwhile, Jeppe High School for Boys, who are in the conversation with SACS and Paul Roos Gimnasium for the title of the top team in the country in 2025, welcome Affies to the Bowden AstroTurf.

The Kensington side has enjoyed a dominant season. They’re unbeaten, and they successfully defended the Aitken Cup recently. At the Standard Bank KES Easter Festival. they won five out of five.

Affies offers a serious challenge, however. Their well-structured approach makes them a difficult team to break down.

On Tuesday evening, St Stithians College faced Northcliff High, while Parktown High School for Girls took on Brescia House in midweek league hockey clashes. Both contests were tightly contested. 

St Stithians was at Northcliff, where the visitors were pushed hard. In the end, though, coach Lance Louw‘s Saints‘ side secured a narrow 2-1 victory.

Lucy Taylor netted for St Stithians and, crucially, Jessie Earlam scored her first-ever first-team goal. Both sides were effective at creating goal-scoring opportunities but less effective at finishing them, which made for an intense and nail-biting match.

Reflecting on his team’s performance, Louw expressed both satisfaction and frustration: “It’s always good to win, but we made it more difficult for ourselves than it needed to be,” he said.

“Northcliff is on the strong side, with some standout players. I asked the team to build on last week’s performance, and while we saw glimpses of that, it came in patches.

“The biggest lesson from tonight is to make the most of our opportunities. We created plenty of chances but made the game unnecessarily close by not finishing them off.”

Looking ahead, Louw highlighted areas that will need improvement: “We need to work on our finishing in the circle and being more confident and composed on the ball across the field. Consistency in our performance is also something we’ll be focusing on.”

Despite the missed chances, Saints held on to win and Louw praised his players for their overall effort and determination.

“It was a solid team performance, and that’s encouraging to see as we prepare for our upcoming ISSF (Independent Schools Sports Festival) tour to Durban. A special shoutout to Jessie Earlam for scoring the winning goal and her first ever for the first team. Well done, Jessie!”

In another evenly contested clash, Brescia House claimed a 2-1 win over Parktown High School for Girls.

Brescia showed grit, going a goal behind in the first chukka before fighting back to clinch a hard-fought victory.

While Parktown pressured Brescia in the first half, Brescia came out firing in the third chukka and struck twice to take the lead. Try as they might, Parktown was unable to break down their opponent’s sound defence in the last quarter.

In Pretoria, Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool (Affies) thumped Hoërskool Eldoraigne 5-0 in a one-sided outing.

Affies showed they meant business with an early goal, and they dominated from there.

Even though Eldoraigne lost, they displayed strong character and made Affies work hard for their victory. In the end, though, it was a comfortable outing for the winners.

St David’s Marist Inanda showcased strong resilience to hold Parktown Boys’ High to a thrilling 2–2 draw after a closely contested clash, on Saturday, at Parktown.

They trailed by a goal when Parktown scored six minutes into the third chukka, but St David’s dug deep and found a late equaliser to deny the hosts a victory.

The visitors made a promising start, coming out of the blocks with intensity and opening the scoring after seven minutes after a length of the field counterattack.

Just 15 seconds remained in the first chukka when Parktown levelled. Backed by a lively home crowd and the school band, the home team found their rhythm.

It was 1-1 at halftime.

Then, in the third quarter, Parktown, after a scramble following a penalty corner, hit the front for the first time.

St David’s pressed hard for an equaliser and two minutes from time their never-say-die efforts paid off after they turned over possession high up the field and finished a counterattack with a spectacular tomahawk shot that gave the Parktown ‘keeper no chance.

Reflecting on the match, Parktown captain Zeyad Davids said both teams had their chances and were guilty of mistakes.

“Going up against St David’s is always a challenge. They’re passionate, and they fight for every ball,” Davids said. “The game was close throughout, but mistakes crept in on both sides and ultimately led to goals.

“Being 2–1 up until the last minutes felt great. There was pressure, but the boys handled it well. Unfortunately, one slip in midfield allowed them to score.

“Still, I’m proud of my team, both sides played well and gave it their all.”

King Edward VII School (KES) travelled to Pretoria to face Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies). In a six-goal thriller, the Red Sticks netted late to pull off a stunning comeback and Affies to a 3-3 draw.

The home side enjoyed control of the contest in the early going and they went ahead in the first chukka, but KES, playing with composure and tactical discipline, equalised in the second chukka on the counter.

Affies replied with a second goal in the third chukka to take a 2-1 lead into the last quarter of the match.

With the game on the line, the fourth chukka was about all-out action, and only two minutes in KES was on level terms. Affies, though, edged in front once more and, with time running short, it appeared as if the Red Sticks were about to go down. They kept fighting, though, and snatched a late equaliser to rescue a share of the spoils.

RESULTS

Parktown Boys’ High 2-2 St David’s Marist Inanda
Affies 3-3 KES