Author: cschiwanza

Two teams from Northerns will contest the forthcoming SASHOC u18 Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), and one of them, the u18A team, has set its sights on bringing the title to Gauteng.

St Anne’s DSG, in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, hosts the event for a second successive year. It runs from Monday, 29 June, to Saturday, 4 July.

“This year, we aim to go for the title,” Sinoxolo Mbekeni, the Northerns u18A coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

“However, we know that we first need to make sure we qualify for the semis to achieve that.”

Fulfilling that ambition would be an improvement for the province’s flagbearers, who finished in fifth place last year.

Mbekeni and the Northerns’ think tank view that as a blip in their journey and have faith in the side they have put together and the brand of hockey they are encouraging the team to play.

“Honestly, we would like to repeat what we did two years ago, but making it to the final and hopefully winning,” Mbekeni said. In 2024, Southern Gauteng edged out Northerns 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the teams had played to a 2-2 draw in the final.

The coach’s confidence is not misplaced because Mbekeni leads a side laden with experience. Ten of their players competed at last year’s event.

Six – Jana Seebach, Moya Reinach, Cameron Holworthy, Amogelang Motlatle, Beracah Mosaka, and Thato Dimpe – played for the u18A team, while four others – Annika Kloppers, Lize Wiltz, Mia Perold, and Mila Badenhorst -played vital roles in ensuring the u18B side maintained its A section status.

Kloppers, who is enjoying a brilliant season in goal for Die Hoërskool Menlopark, will provide Northerns with a solid last line of defence. She will work hand-in-hand with a robust defence led by Waterkloof’s captain, Mia Perold. Caitlin Arendse, Mila Badenhorst, Kaylan Crawford, and Moya Reinach complete the defensive unit.

Mosaka and Dimpe provide valuable experience in the midfield, which also includes Chanette Jansen van Vuuren, Rearabetsoe Masepe, Jana Seebach, and Lenique Vogel. That sextet, the link between defence and attack, will have a significant say in the tempo of games.

Northerns has turned to the experienced quartet of Holworthy, Motlatle, Wiltz, and Aphelele Mbatsha for goals.

“The brand we want to play this year is a brand that really complements the type of players we have. I have always believed in a brand that provides a lot of go-forward. We have good speed and skill going forward, and a very strong defence to match it,” Mbekeni explained.

Northerns u18B has been tasked with ensuring the province maintains a strong presence in the A section. The squad, which brings together players from eight schools, aims to cause a few upsets. They’ll also be focused on bettering their 11th-place finish of last year.

Waterkloof is well-represented with four players in the side: Elaine Haycock, Milandri Muller, Nicole Smuts, and Kyra van der Walt.

Three schools provide two players each: Katelynn Blokpoel and Kathleen van Rooyen are from Die Hoërskool Menlopark, Larona Gaoraelwe and Adrienne King will fly the flag for Pretoria High School for Girls (PHSG), and St Mary’s DSG Pretoria is represented by Oyami Mjobi and Siyazingca Nthoesane.

Lisa-Marie Janker (Affies Meisies), Blanca Kotze (Curro Hazeldean), Thato Mpshe (Cornwall Hill College), Kaylee Vermeulen (Midstream College), and Owethu Zulu (Tyger Valley College) are the sole representatives from their schools.

TEAMS

Northerns u18A: Caitlin Arendse (Midstream College), Mila Badenhorst (Waterkloof), Kaylan Crawford (PHSG), Thato-ya-Ona Dimpe (PHSG), Cameron Holworthy (Midstream College), Chanette Jansen van Vuuren (HS Menlopark), Annika Kloppers (HS Menlopark), Rearabetsoe Masepe (Homeschool), Aphelele Mbatsha (Midstream College), Beracah Mosaka (CBC Mount Edmund), Amogelang Motlatle (Curro Hazeldean), Mia Perold (Waterkloof), Moya Reinach (Garsfontein), Jana Seebach (Garsfontein), Lenique Vogel (Waterkloof), Lize Wiltz (Waterkloof).

Northerns u18B: Katelynn Blokpoel (Menlopark), Larona Gaoraelwe (PHSG), Elaine Haycock (Waterkloof), Lisa-Mari Jonker (Affies), Adrienne King (PHSG), Blanca Kotze (Curro Hazeldean), Oyama Mjobi (St Mary’s DSG Pretoria), Thato Mpshe (Cornwall Hill), Milandri Muller (Waterkloof), Siyazingca Nthoesane (St Mary’s DSG Pretoria), Nicole Smuts (Waterkloof), Kyra van der Walt (Waterkloof), Kathleen van Rooyen (Menlopark), Kaylee Vermeulen (Midstream College), Owethu Zulu (Tyger Valley College).

Mia Perold understands that low morale impedes good performances. So, the Hoërskool Waterkloof captain takes it upon herself to lift her teammates’ spirits on and off the field.

Those efforts have earned her a moniker that matches her energy, DJ Mia.

“Mia is really a vibe, fun to be around, and creates buy-in from the players,” Jonathan Lottering, the Waterkloof biokineticist, shared.

“The girls naturally connect with her because she brings energy, positivity, and togetherness to the team environment.”

Perold is, however, more than just a morale booster. The Waterkloof skipper, who has close to 100 first-team caps to her name, is also a matchwinner and calming influence at the back in pressure situations.

“As simple as it sounds, I just slow everything down and control my own pace,” Perold told SuperSport Schools News.

“One of my previous coaches was the first person to introduce me to the slogan ‘Pressure is a privilege’, and it really stuck with me. Every time my heart starts beating out of my chest, I remind myself that I can do only two things: my best, and enjoy it.”

The teenager’s hockey journey began after her sister gifted her an old Grays stick and asked her to play with her in the backyard. Perold resisted at first because she struggled with handling the stick. However, she fell in love with the sport once she got the hang of it.

She observed and imitated her older sister, who was her first role model. With better skill acquisition came the drive to establish herself as a player who was independent from her sister. That is when she “discovered” Chad Futcher.

“I distinctly remember in my first few years of indoor hockey training, he taught us to drag flick and left such an impact on my younger self that I wanted to not only play but also be just like him,” Perold revealed.

She built her game around the basics she learned in her early years and added more pieces as she progressed through the age groups. But it wasn’t just Perold’s technical ability that drove Omari Pienaar-Geyer, the Waterkloof coach, to give Perold a first-team debut in 2025. The player’s willingness to take responsibility when it mattered the most also played a significant role.

“Her growth has been remarkable. She has developed from a promising player into a captain who balances tactical sharpness, emotional resilience, and leadership,” Pienaar-Geyer explained.

Perold leads from the front, the Klofies‘ coach said. There was no better example of that than at the 2025 SASHOC u18 Girls IPT.

Perold was one of the shining lights in Northerns u18B’s battle for survival in the A Section. She was a force in the backline, executing the team’s plan and taking control of the defence.

“For me personally, my best performance outside of school was the 2025 IPT, alongside two other Waterkloof girls. We fought tooth and nail to stay in the A section. I played some of my best hockey at that tournament,” Perold shared.

When asked about her finest performances for Waterkloof, both coach and student pointed to the Belgotex Sport Girls Challenge Cup, which Waterkloof won at the beginning of May against a high-quality field.

All of Perold’s best qualities were on display in the final against Collegiate Girls’ High. She was a strong defensive presence, playing with patience and confidence, and making sound decisions.

She was, undoubtedly, one of the primary reasons why Waterkloof clinched the title.

“Holding the Girls Challenge Cup trophy after an intense final against Collegiate, and being the captain of my team, was such an honour,” she reflected.

Despite all the praise heaped upon her after her side had claimed the prestigious title, Perold acknowledged that hockey was a team sport, insisting that she was able to do what she did in those matches only because of her teammates.

“I have a lot of gratitude for my teammates who also play a big role in the overall mindset of the team and in keeping everyone motivated,” Perold explained.

Her biggest wish is to keep contributing to the team with her skills on the field and with her infectious character off it. DJ Mia will continue to uplift the team spirit and help her teammates maintain high energy levels.

Hockey, after all, is bigger than the result. “Hockey isn’t just always about the sport. I’ve made some of the best memories with teammates who became my best friends in life,” she said.

Oranje delivered a masterclass in teamwork on their way to a 3-0 win over Our Lady of Fatima to claim the title at the St Anne’s Cup in Hilton on Sunday afternoon.

Oranje’s goals came from Xylia Choene, Kayla du Preez, and Daniella Grobbelaar.

It was their first participation in the St Anne’s Cup, but their third trophy of the year. Under the guidance of former St Anne’s Director of Hockey, Morné Odendaal, the Bloemfontein school has been a consistent force this season, also winning the St Mary’s Waverley Festival and National All Girls’ Festival.

In addition to the title, three Oranje players were also recognised for their outstanding work on the Astro.

Marichelle Crous took home the Player of the Tournament Award, while Dané Janse van Vuuren shared the Goalkeeper of the Tournament Award with St Anne’s netminder, Lilli-Anna James. Kirstin Booysen was named the Best Defender alongside Inati Ngcobo, also from St Anne’s.

“When this group started the journey for the 2026 season, the goal was simple: to play a beautiful brand of hockey that people would stop and watch. A team that played with freedom, intensity, courage, and connection. Somewhere along the way, that vision turned into something special,” Morné Odendaal, the Oranje coach, said after the final.

Oranje was the most well-rounded side at the tournament. Their forwards were ruthless, and they headed into the final with 22 goals to their name, while their defence had allowed only two goals.

They needed to maintain that discipline to defeat an Our Lady of Fatima side that netted 14 times and conceded twice on their way to the title game.

Reflecting on his team’s performance in the final, Odendaal said: “Their work rate off the ball was outstanding. Players constantly moved to create options and make the ball carrier look good.”

Oranje didn’t allow Our Lady of Fatima to settle into their stride. Odendaal’s charges hit the ground running and scored just over a minute into the contest. Our Lady of Fatima was still trying to recover when Oranje struck again a minute later.

After that punch to the gut, credit to Our Lady of Fatima, coach Matthew Smith‘s charges regrouped and swung the pendulum in their favour with good passing. They almost pulled back a goal eight minutes into the match, but were denied by Dané Janse van Vuuren, who pulled off a great save.

The Durban North school was unrelenting and came close again from a penalty corner two minutes later, but Oranje’s short corner defence stood firm.

“Mentally, the group handled pressure well. They stayed composed in key moments and trusted the process and structure,” Odendaal said. “We defended as a unit, pressed well, and forced teams into low-percentage areas.”

Early in the second chukka, Our Lady of Fatima tested Oranje’s defence again, spending the first five minutes in their opponent’s half. They went unrewarded, though.

One of the hallmarks of Oranje’s game throughout the tournament was their discipline and consistency. They stuck to their guns as they absorbed the pressure from Our Lady of Fatima.

“We converted defence into attack very quickly. Counter-attacking opportunities became genuine goalscoring threats within seconds,” Odendaal said.

Those words described the manner in which Oranje turned the tables on Our Lady of Fatima in the blink of an eye and extended their lead three minutes before the break with a penalty corner conversion.

In the second half, Our Lady of Fatima’s defence was sturdy and denied Oranje goals. They also took the attack to the Bloemfontein side, but a common refrain is that defences win titles, and that proved to be the case on Sunday.

“The team kept standards high regardless of the opposition or scoreline. The intensity without the ball stood out. The willingness to track, recover, and compete in small moments gave us control in games,” Odendaal said.

Our Lady of Fatima won a penalty corner shortly before the final whistle, creating one last opportunity to get the ball past Oranje’s tight defence, but there was no give.

Odendaal returned to Oranje this season. Previously, in a magnificent first stint with the school, he coached his sides to 380 wins in 400 matches. This year, he passed 400 wins with Oranje.

Looking back on the season, he said: “What started as a dream slowly became a fairytale, as this group went on to win three cups in a row. But more important than the trophies is the way they achieved it. The girls played a brand of hockey that reflected who they are. They were brave on the ball, relentless without it, and fully committed to each other.

“They entertained, they inspired, and they represented the badge with pride. Most importantly, they played for each other.

“The connection, energy, and togetherness within the squad were special to watch.”

RESULTS

Final: Oranje 3-0 Our Lady of Fatima
3rd/4th place: St Anne’s (3) 0-0 (1) St Mary’s DSG Kloof
5th/6th place: Durban Girls’ College 2-0 St Stithians College
7th/8th place: Eunice 5-2 The Wykeham Collegiate
9th/10th place: Helpmekaar 1-1 Ashton College
11th/12th place: Epworth School 3-2 Hoërskool Noordheuwel

Semifinals

Oranje 3-1 St Mary’s DSG Kloof
Our Lady of Fatima 4-2 St Anne’s

Daniel Holliday scored a hat-trick, and goalkeeper Georg Wolhouter kept a clean sheet, as Clifton College dominated St David’s Marist Inanda at the Riverside Sports Club on Saturday, winning 8-0 on their Old Boys’ Weekend.

“I think we delivered a performance that I’m sure [Clifton Headmaster] Mr. [Adam] Rogers, the rest of the team, and the boys, can be proud of. It was outstanding,” Calvin Price, the Clifton coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

A clinical performance made amends for a 1-2 loss to St Alban’s College on last year’s Old Boys’ Weekend.

“We’ve played a lot of hockey. This is our 25th game, so this week was really about just keeping the legs going, and I think we were good at that,” Price said.

With so many matches in the bag, Clifton didn’t train intensely for the St David’s match. Instead, they polished their connections and focused on maintaining their structure.

At times this season, one of Clifton’s shortcomings has been reacting to the opposition’s approach, rather than imposing their own. Against St David’s, they stuck to their game and processes, and it paid off handsomely.

Clifton moved the ball well and dominated possession in the first chukka. However, they had nothing to show for it until the final moments of the quarter, when they opened their account with a field goal from Dan Holliday after penetrative approach play from his frontline partner, Dan Rea.

The second chukka was more of the same for the hosts. They made forays into St David’s half but couldn’t convert their opportunities. Just as they did in the first quarter, though, they scored again through the predatory Holliday, who slotted a rebound from a penalty corner shot to make it 2-0 to the hosts at the break.

“At halftime, I said to them, ‘Make sure it’s clinical, zero goals against you. You don’t want to have a goal against you on your Old Boys’ Day’,” Price said.

Clifton’s players responded to that challenge by dialling up their offence to keep their defence from being tested. They scored their third goal almost immediately after the restart, with Luke Carolan firing in at the far post.

The visitors were still trying to get their wits about them when Clifton made it 4-0 six minutes into the chukka. Again, it was Dan Holliday, who got himself in front of his marker, moved the ball away from the defender with his first touch, then stretched to knock the ball past the goalkeeper for his hat-trick.

The hosts, who were on a warpath, added their fifth three minutes after their fourth goal, with Dan Rea providing the finish.

One of the secrets to Clifton’s success was the manner in which they consistently turned over possession. “We’ve worked a lot on the two-versus-one in our favour,” coach Price said, about his side’s defending.

“That’s what we were trying to do. I think that we’ve been bad in one-on-ones. So, we’ve tried to work on getting an extra number into that space. The boys did it well today.”

St David’s threatened at times, but Georg Wolhouter, who has been a rock in goal throughout the season, continued his solid work.

“Georg’s been outstanding between the posts. At St Alban’s, last week, we had eight short corners against us, and he cleared all eight. So, he’s got an unbelievable short corner defence that he’s controlling there,” Price said.

Not content with a 5-0 lead, the hosts remained hungry for more goals in the final chukka.

They secured their sixth goal from the penalty spot, converted by Tye Milne, with just over seven minutes left in the match. They buried their seventh three minutes later, with Milne firing in a penalty corner, and scored their eighth, courtesy of captain Ryde Brisset, from close range with just over a minute to go.

Result

Clifton College 8-0 St David’s Marist Inanda

Oranje, St Mary’s DSG Kloof, St Anne’s, and Our Lady of Fatima continued their brilliant runs and booked semifinal spots at the St Anne’s Cup in Hilton on Saturday.

St Mary’s DSG Kloof will face Oranje on the Upper Hockey Field, while St Anne’s will cross swords with Our Lady of Fatima on the Lower Hockey Field.

Both matches start at 08:45. The winners in those two semifinal contests will compete in the final at 12:30.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The semifinals were scheduled for Saturday evening. However, lightning caused them to be moved to Sunday. At the time, Durban Girls’ College and Eunice were in the second chukka of their clash. It will be replayed in full on Sunday.

St Mary’s DSG Kloof, the inaugural winners of the trophy in 2024, defeated Eunice High 5-2 to book their top-four spot. Georgia Short led the way for the KZN girls with a hat-trick, while Sarah Patterson and Bella Roberts added a goal each.

Their opponents, Oranje, continued their splendid run with a 5-0 triumph over Durban Girls’ College in their quarterfinal fixture. The ladies from Bloemfontein have now scored 19 goals in three outings and conceded only once. A victory over St Mary’s would send them into their third final in three major competitions this season. They won the previous two.

With a comfortable 4-0 victory over St Stithians College, Our Lady of Fatima boosted their tournament goal tally to 10. The ladies from Durban North caught the eye from their first matches on Friday, when they beat Durban Girls’ College 2-0 and Helpmekaar Kollege 4-1.

They’ll take on the hosts, St Anne’s, in their semifinal fixture. Coach Reggie Keates‘  ladies were subjected to a sterner test than the other three semifinalists.

Facing a determined The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC) side, which knows them well, they gave as much as they received, with Inati Ngcobo‘s goal helping St Anne’s to secure a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

That took the contest into a penalty shootout, where Holly Hofmeyr, Emma Thomas, and Zintle James converted as St Anne’s claimed a 3-2 win.

RESULTS

Quarterfinals

Our Lady of Fatima 4-0 St Stithians College
Oranje 5-0 Durban Girls’ College
St Anne’s (3) 1-1 (2) The Wykeham Collegiate
St Mary’s DSG Kloof 5-2 Eunice

Other matches

Ashton College 2-1 Hoërskool Noordheuwel
Helpmekaar 2-0 Epworth
Noordheuwel 3-3 Helpmekaar
Epworth 1-1 Ashton
St Stithians 2-1 The Wykeham Collegiate

Fixtures

07:30 – Durban Girls’ College vs Eunice; 07:30 – Ashton vs Helpmekaar; 08:45 – Our Lady of Fatima vs St Anne’s; 08:45 – Oranje vs St Mary’s DSG Kloof; 10:00 – The Wykeham Collegiate vs DGC/Eunice; 10:00 – Epworth vs Noordheuwel; 11:15 – 3rd/4th place playoff; 11:15 – St Stithians vs DGC/Eunice; 12:30 – Final.

Oranje, St Mary’s DSG Kloof, St Anne’s, and Our Lady of Fatima put their names in the hat as title contenders by winning both of their matches on the first day of the St Anne’s Cup on Friday in Hilton.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Oranje scored 14 goals and conceded once in two outings to make a bold and clear statement about their intentions with emphatic wins over Epworth and St Stithians College.

The ladies from Bloemfontein defeated Epworth 6-1 in their first encounter and then overran St Stithians College 8-0 in their afternoon fixture.

Those victories propelled Oranje to the top of Pool A. St Stithians climbed to second place after a 2-1 win over Epworth in their second match.

St Mary’s DSG Kloof sauntered to the summit of Pool B following their victories over Hoërskool Noordheuwel and The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC).

Jamie da Silva, Sarah Patterson, and Olivia Lord were on target in their 3-2 win over Noordheuwel. The 2024 champions followed up that victory with a 5-0 drubbing of TWC. It was a two-goal game for Bella Roberts, while Jenna-Leigh Freese, Da Silva, and Patterson chimed in with a goal each.

TWC, after a 3-1 win over Noordheuwel earlier in the day, is in second place.

The hosts, St Anne’s, impressed with back-to-back victories over Ashton International College and Eunice High. The Pool C leaders beat Ashton 2-0, courtesy of goals from Belle Hofmeyr and Nikki Thomas. Hofmeyr was on the scoresheet again when they replicated that score against Eunice in the final match of the day, with Zintle James adding the other.

Eunice beat Ashton 3-0 in their first outing, leaving the Bloemfontein school in second place.

Last year’s runner-up, Our Lady of Fatima, put their name down as one of the favourites for the title with comfortable wins over Durban Girls’ College (DGC) and Helpmekaar Kollege. They opened their challenge with a 2-0 win over DGC and then cantered to a 4-1 triumph over Helpmekaar.

RESULTS

Pool A

Oranje 6-1 Epworth
Oranje 8-0 St Stithians
St Stithians 2-1 Epworth

Pool B

TWC 3-1 Noordheuwel
St Mary’s 3-2 Noordheuwel
St Mary’s 5-0 TWC

Pool C

St Anne’s 2-0 Ashton
Eunice 3-0 Ashton
St Anne’s 2-0 Eunice

Pool D

Our Lady of Fatima 2-0 DGC
DGC 1-0 Helpmekaar
Our Lady of Fatima 4-1 Helpmekaar

St Anne’s Diocesan College will open its gates to welcome 12 of the country’s most exciting hockey teams for the third instalment of the St Anne’s Cup, which runs from 22 to 24 May.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The showpiece, which took flight in 2024, crowned different winners in its two previous iterations.

St Mary’s DSG Kloof was the inaugural champion and will be on the hunt for a second title. They’ve been in the thick of the title hunt in other tournaments this season, but should they win, it would be their first piece of silverware in 2026.

Last year’s winner, Die Hoerskool Menlopark, was unable to make the trip to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, which increases the probability of a new champion being crowned for the third consecutive year.

Similar to previous years, the teams have been divided into four groups of three.

C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje, who are on a hot streak, arrive at St Anne’s hunting for their third title of 2026 after lifting the St Mary’s Waverley Festival and All Girls Hockey Festival trophies. They’ll be favoured to go all the way, but their first assignment will be to fight off the challenges of St Stithians College and Epworth School in Pool A.

St Mary’s DSG Kloof headlines Pool B, where they are joined by The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC) and Hoërskool Noordheuwel.

The hosts, St Anne’s, will have their sights set on lifting the title on home soil, but they will have their work cut out for them in Pool C, where they face Ashton International College and Eunice High.

Pool D features two previous finalists, Durban Girls College (DGC), who lost in 2024’s final to St Mary’s DSG Kloof, and Our Lady of Fatima, who lost to Menlopark in last year’s title game. Both sides will be keen to take it one step further. They’re joined in Pool D by Helpmekaar Kollege.

The two former finalists, DGC and Our Lady of Fatima, will get the event underway at 08:00 on Friday. St Anne’s and Eunice, one of the perennial favourites, will close out the day’s play with a fixture that starts at 19:15.

FIXTURES

08:00 – DGC vs Our Lady of Fatima, 09:15 – Noordheuwel vs TWC, 10:30 – Oranje vs Epworth, 11:45 – St Anne’s vs Ashton, 11:45 – DGC vs Helpmekaar, 13:00 – St Mary’s vs Noordheuwel, 14:15 – Oranje vs St Stithians, 15:30 – Helpmekaar vs Our Lady of Fatima, 15:30 – Ashton vs Eunice, 16:45 – St Mary’s vs TWC, 18:00 – St Stithians vs Epworth, 19:15 – St Anne’s vs Eunice

Marichelle Crous and Estelle Marx each scored a brace to catapult C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje to a 5-1 win over Eunice High in their league match at Oranje on Tuesday evening.

“We turned defence into attack very quickly. We were able to convert counter-attacking opportunities into genuine goalscoring threats,” Morné Odendaal, the Oranje coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

The victory was Oranje’s second in four days. Odendaal’s charges recorded a 3-0 win over Affies Meisies in Pretoria last Friday, with Bobo Grobbelaar, Marlene du Plessis, and Lullu Oelschig on target in that clash.

Odendaal credited the victory over Affies to his charges’ ability to make connections, which helped them to control the momentum of the contest. They did the same against Eunice.

Oranje is unbeaten at home this season, and the win over Eunice was Oranje’s ninth consecutive victory on their Astro, affectionately known as Huis Hartseer.

Crous got the home side onto the scoreboard with two goals, six minutes apart, in the first chukka. For her first, she intercepted a pass in the Eunice half before driving into the circle, where she unleashed a brilliant strike for the opener after seven minutes.

She then positioned herself well to receive a pass on the edge of the box, before making another fruitful circle entry for the second goal with just over a minute left in the chukka.

When Marx found herself in acres of space in the Eunice circle, she didn’t waste the opportunity to add a third five-and-a-half minutes before halftime.

Determined to stay in the match, Eunice launched an attack from the pushback and exerted enough pressure to win a penalty corner. Claire Volschenk showed great awareness and pounced on a rebound to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Oranje, however, doused the visitors’ hopes of a comeback when they extended their lead to 4-1. The hosts combined for a well-worked move, taking only five passes from the Oranje baseline to Marx, who struck with just over two minutes left in the third chukka.

Xylia Choene put the game to bed when she drilled the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle on the right seven minutes before the end.

“A big reason for our win was the movement of the players off the ball,” Odendaal said. “The girls moved into good areas, created passing lanes, and gave the ball carrier quality options. This made the player on the ball look good because of the support and movement around her.”

Result

Oranje 5-1 Eunice

Lenique Vogel pulled the strings in the midfield to help Hoërskool Waterkloof put on a show for their home fans and record an emphatic 5-0 win over Hoërskool Garsfontein in their midweek fixture at Garsfontein on Tuesday evening.

Klofies‘ victory was their second midweek success in the past seven days after they drubbed Hoërskool Montana 9-0 on the previous Tuesday.

“We really stuck to what we do well,” Omari Pienaar-Geyer, the Waterkloof coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

“The girls kept their composure and trusted our structures. We moved the ball with purpose, didn’t force passes, and played together as a team.”

Pienaar-Geyer and her charges will be hoping to carry that form into their forthcoming match against Affies Meisies at Affies on Friday.

Waterkloof has put together an impressive recent run against Affies in recent meetings. Last year, they won 1-0 in a league encounter. Earlier this year, at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, they squeezed out a 2-1 win.

Waterkloof, who scored in all four chukkas of the game, opened the floodgates against Garsies with a strike from Renske Smit in the first chukka. She was on the end of a move that began in the midfield with Lenique Vogel forcing a turnover close to the halfway line before she fed Elain Haycock, who found Smit in the circle.

Vogel, who ruled the roost in the middle of the park, was also instrumental in the second goal. She and Mila Badenhorst combined smoothly to advance into Garsfontein’s final third before Badenhorst unleashed a shot from just inside the circle.

Badenhorst’s strike was the first of two goals scored in the second chukka. The other one was Alba Lambinon’s tap-in at the far post, with Vogel providing the assist.

Lize Wiltz extended the Klofies’ lead to 4-0 in the third chukka before Mila Rodenburg made it 5-0 in the final quarter by steering the ball into the back of the net from Nicole Smuts’ reverse cross into the circle.

“The most impressive thing was that the girls turned chances into goals,” Pienaar-Geyer summarised her charges’ strong performance.

Result

Waterkloof 5-0 Garsfontein

KwaZulu-Natal Coastal has thrown down the gauntlet by picking two competitive sides for the forthcoming SASHOC u18 Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT).

The message from the KZN u18A and u18B teams is that they are not attending the country’s premier school hockey event to make up the numbers.

Hilton College hosts the tournament from Monday, 29 June, to Saturday, 4 July.

“The goal is to compete and take the tournament as deep as possible, and hopefully that allows us to challenge for the trophy,” Harold Siyaya, the KZN Coastal u18A team’s head coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

To accomplish their goal, KZN Coastal’s think tank has selected two strong 16-member sides to fly their flag high. Their torchbearers will be an u18A team that boasts experienced campaigners and is not short of leadership acumen, with four of the 16 players serving as captains of their respective schools.

Chris Abrahams, the Durban High School (DHS) captain, leads a six-player contingent from the Horseflies that includes Eben Peters, Oyinthanda Ngenjane, Elchaan Lubbe, Jesse van Wyk, and Bonga Maphanga.

Clifton’s skipper, Ryde Brisset, is joined by three of his teammates, Georg Wolhuter, Tye Milne, and Daniel Holliday, in the provincial side. Westville captain, Tyhil Naidoo, is in the lineup along with his teammates Ethan James, Misbah Nair, and Bo Mokoena.

Kearsney captain Keegan de Jager is the sole representative of the men from Botha’s Hill, while Northwood‘s prolific striker, Luc Boyall, is the only one from the Knights.

Wolhuter, who has been exceptional between the sticks for Clifton, has goalkeeping duties. Keegan de Jager, Ethan James, Tye Milne, Eben Peters, Misbah Nair, and Oyinthanda Ngejane will form the defensive line.

Elchaan Lubbe, Tyhil Naidoo, Ryde Brisset, and Chris Abrahams will hold fort in the midfield, while Jesse van Wyk, Bonga Maphanga, Bo Mokoena, Luke Boyall, and Daniel Holliday will form the frontline tasked with scoring as many goals as possible.

KZN Coastal finished in fifth place at last year’s IPTs. Many of the selected players were part of that side, and they will be looking to tap into that experience to challenge for the title.

“We know it won’t be easy, but we’ve got an experienced group. Thirteen of the 16 players are in matric, so hopefully there will be that extra motivation to finish off their school hockey careers on a high,” Siyaya said.

The KZN Coastal u18B side was one of the four B-teams that competed in the A-section at last year’s IPT. While they put forth a brave fight, they completed their campaign in 11th place. The Angelo Walstroom-coached side will be challenging for a better final position this time around.

The selection panel picked six players from Northwood, four from DHS, three from Clifton, two from Glenwood, and one from Kearsney.

Blake Herselman, Caleb Phipson, Dean Hart, Jaiden Bramwell, Keegan Reeves, and Ryan Herselman form a large contingent from high-flying Northwood.

Keegan Brauns, Lungani Ngcobo, Matt Potgieter, and Sandi Mazibuko will bring some DHS flavour to the team, while Dan Rea, Locke Makholiso, and Nabil Bejia add some Clifton flair.

Glenwood’s fans will keep their eyes peeled for the performances of Jesse Gobey and their captain, Murray Wicks, while Dylan Forbes will give Kearsney supporters a reason to cheer.

TEAMS

KZN Coastal u18A team: Georg Wolhuter (Clifton), Keegan de Jager (Kearsney), Ethan James (Westville), Tye Milne (Clifton), Eben Peters (DHS), Misbah Nair (Westville), Oyinthanda Ngejane (DHS), Elchaan Lubbe (DHS), Tyhil Naidoo (Westville), Ryde Brisset (Clifton), Chris Abrahams (DHS), Jesse van Wyk (DHS), Bonga Maphanga (DHS), Bo Mokoena (Westville), Luke Boyall (Northwood), Daniel Holliday (Clifton).

KZN Coastal u18B team: Blake Herselman (Northwood), Caleb Phipson (Northwood), Dan Rea (Clifton), Dean Hart (Northwood), Dylan Forbes (Kearsney), Jaiden Bramwell (Northwood), Jesse Gobey (Glenwood), Keegan Brauns (DHS), Keegan Reeves (Northwood), Locke Makholiso (Clifton), Lungani Ngcobo (DHS), Matt Potgieter (DHS), Murray Wicks (Glenwood), Nabil Bejia (Clifton), Ryan Herselman (Northwood), Sandi Mazibuko (DHS).