Author: cschiwanza

Northwood showed character and application to overturn a two-goal deficit and force a 4-4 draw with King Edward VII School (KES) in their derby encounter on the Jones Astro at Northwood on Sunday.

Luc Boyall led the scoring for Northwood with a brace, while Sisekelo Sibeko and Blake Herselman added a goal each for the Knights.

KES, who’ve been enjoying an outstanding season, replied through Matthew Bromley, who matched Boyall’s brace, while regular goal scorers, Blaine Candy and Andrew Arouca, bolstered their season’s tallies, too.

“I’m so proud of the boys and the improvement they’ve shown over a couple of weeks. They did really well to come back and draw that game, especially when it was against all odds,” Justin Collins, the Northwood coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

The Knights jogged onto the field with visibly heavy legs after their clinical victory against a Maritzburg College side that refused to accept defeat on Saturday. The visitors, on the other hand, headed into the contest, playing for a second successive day too, but also buoyed by a hard-fought 1-0 win over Westville Boys High at Westville.

KES carried the momentum of that battling victory into Sunday’s showdown and fired into the lead only five minutes into the encounter with a sweetly executed drag flick from Blaine Candy. The hosts sought to respond immediately. That didn’t happen, but six minutes later they grabbed the equaliser, also from a short corner, with Luc Boyall smashing a straight shot into the backboards.

The men from Johannesburg had the final say in the opening chukka, with Matt Bromley slotting a rebound from a short corner to take a 2-1 lead into the break. Just over a minute into the second chukka, they turned another penalty corner into a goal, this time from Andrew Arouca, to extend their advantage to 3-1, and carried that two-goal lead into halftime.

“The boys were tired after yesterday, but they showed a lot of character to fight back and show some really good structure. It was really cool to have a tight game and put everything into the mix,” Collins reflected.

The coach’s words at the halftime break worked wonders. Immediately after the restart, Northwood cut the deficit to one goal through Sisekelo Sibeko. However, KES was determined to return to Gauteng with a win, and they scored their fourth, Bromley’s second, three minutes later.

The Knights kept plugging away and breathed new life into the contest with their third goal from Blake Herselman, with less than five minutes left in the chukka. That one-goal difference the encouragement they needed to push hard for victory in the final quarter.

With the game on the line, Collins’ charges made several forays into the KES final third; however, the visitors held firm and denied them access into the circle or shots on goal. Eventually, though, the Knights’ pressure eventually paid off. With six minutes left in the contest, Luc Boyall struck for a second time to even the scores .

“Credit to KES for a great game,” Collins said. “They are a well-structured team.

“It was a good fight, a closely contested game, that could have gone either way. I am very proud of the boys.”

Result

Northwood 4-4 KES

Ryan Herselman helped Northwood to celebrate their Old Boys’ Day in style by scoring a brace in a 4-2 win over Maritzburg College on the Jones Astro on Saturday.

Luc Boyall and Jordan Hatcher added the Knights’ other goals.

In Pietermaritzburg, Glenwood romped to a 4-1 win over St Charles on the Beckett Astro, while Hilton College secured a 3-2 win over Pretoria Boys’ High (PBHS) in Pretoria. King Edward VII (KES) enjoyed a fruitful trip to KwaZulu-Natal, edging out Westville Boys’ High 1-0.

“It’s always nice to celebrate on our Old Boys’ Day with a victory,” Justin Collins, the Northwood coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

“It gives us a little more momentum for next weekend. But big respect to College. They really played a good shape and a good system. They came out and put us under pressure for long periods.”

Maritzburg College seemed unfazed by the overwhelming support that had turned up to back Northwood and applied pressure in the early moments of the match. However, the hosts, buoyed by their home support, were in no mood to squander chances.

They created a single opportunity against the run of play three minutes into the encounter and converted it. That goal injected a sense of purpose into the Knights, who found the back of the net again with just over six minutes remaining in the chukka.

At halftime, Northwood made a couple of tweaks to their approach, and they paid off. They scored their third goal seven minutes into the third chukka, but College, who were down but are never out, pulled a goal back four minutes later.

“I thought the boys were nice and calm and connected well in the second half. It helped to put us in a really good space to win the game,” Collins said.

While Northwood reestablished a three-goal cushion shortly before the end of the third chukka, Maritzburg College had the final say, collecting their second goal in the last chukka, but it wasn’t enough.

Glenwood High vs St Charles College

Glenwood arrived at the Beckett Astro smarting from a home loss at the hands of Hilton College, in which they squandered a 2-0 lead and succumbed to a 3-5 defeat. Unlike their outing against Hilton, Glenwood started on the back foot against St Charles.

“We struggled to get the momentum in that first half. It just felt like the boys were flat,” Braydon Naidoo, the Glenwood Director of Hockey, reflected. After an uninspiring first half, it was goalless midway through the match.

During their halftime talk, the coaching staff exhorted the Glenwood players to pick up the tempo. They responded with a flurry of goals in the third chukka.

Xaydon Kariko, the star of the show, started the ball rolling by locating Daniel Ruiters at the back post, and he flipped it home as the goalkeeper tried to close him down. Kariko then doubled the lead with a cool finish before St Charles could formulate a response.

The double-strike swung the momentum in Glenwood’s favour, and they happily rode the wave.

“I think as the game went on, we just wore them down a little bit, and the game opened up for us. And with our style of hockey, moving the ball and going for it quickly, it helped us,” Naidoo said.

It didn’t take long before Kariko registered his brace, again showing composure before picking his spot and scoring. Ithani Doyi, who was celebrating his birthday, put the cherry on top by scoring Glenwood’s fourth goal.

Blake Francis netted a consolation penalty stroke for Saints on the final whistle.

Results

Northwood 4-2 Maritzburg College
KES 1-0 Westville
Glenwood 4-1 St Charles
Hilton 3-2 Pretoria Boys High

Dylan Forbes scored a brace to inspire Kearsney College to a 3-0 win over Durban High School (DHS) in their Friday Nite Lights contest on the Mason Astro, in Botha’s Hill.

“It was a great result for us, considering that DHS is perceived to be better than us.

“If you compare, we’re a team that has one KZN Coastal u18A representative, Keegan de Jager, and they have six players in the u18A side. So, man for man, they certainly are perceived to be better than us,” Keegan Pearce, the Kearsney coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

Kearsney went into the contest with a plan. They were acutely aware of DHS’s attacking threats in one-on-one duels. They also understood the danger posed by Chris Abrahams, the visitors’ captain, in the left pocket, coupled with his ability to play all the way across to the right and stretch teams

“One of our key themes defensively was to make sure that we nullify their attacking threat. Our plan was not to win the ball,” Pearce revealed. “We planned to keep the ball on the outside if it came into that channel, and not be beaten on the inside. And I think we did that extremely well.”

Kearsney began the contest on the front foot, courtesy of a goal by Dylan Forbes four minutes into the match. After scoring, the hosts tried their best to maintain their momentum while sticking to their defensive principles.

An overarching theme in Kearsney’s fortunes this season has been that they have found success when they score more than a single goal. Defending a one-goal lead has too often led to either a draw or a defeat. The hosts knew that they couldn’t sit back and defend their one-goal advantage.

They’d worked hard to create more goal-scoring opportunities while preparing for the game, with a focus on creating larger spaces for the ball carrier to lead into when attacking.

“We pride ourselves on having worked really hard at getting outcomes inside the circle with a lot of congested numbers. We did that by winning a few short corners, by carrying hard to the baseline, and not overcrowding,” Pearce elaborated.

That approach bore fruit when Simnene Kubheka doubled their lead early in the second chukka. With a two-goal cushion, Kearsney was able to control the tempo of the contest; the longer DHS went without a goal, the more they overextended themselves in an effort to claw their way back into the game.

When Forbes scored his second goal, Kearsney’s third, in the fourth chukka, it was clear there was no way back for DHS. They kept fighting to the final whistle, but Kearsney kept a clean sheet.

“It was an incredible atmosphere. The entire school was out for Kearsney, and it was a really good game, despite the fact that DHS didn’t score. They are a quality outfit that is good to watch,” Pearce said.

Kearsney, who have just five games left in the season, will be keen to carry the momentum from their victory over DHS into their forthcoming fixtures.

“We were very chuffed and proud of the win, and our momentum is building. We went to Nomads this year early on and lost four out of five. Since then, we have not lost two in a row. We have slowly either drawn games or won them, which is really promising,” Pearce concluded.

Result

Kearsney 3-0 DHS

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) brought cheer to their home crowd with a 3-2 win over Grey College in their Friday Nite Lights derby encounter on the AHMP Astro, in Pretoria, on Friday evening.

Die Hoërskool Menlopark, who hosted Hoërskool Waterkloof, brought joy to their own set of fans with a victory by an identical score at Menlopark

“I am happy with the boys’ performance because the derby is always huge,” Jaydon Lincoln, the Affies’ coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

“There is a lot of respect between both schools, and so there will always be a huge amount of pressure on the boys for games like this.”

The last time the teams met, at the Nomads Festival, they drew 3-3. Thus, a tight contest was expected, but this time Affies won by the odd goal in five.

Grey College drew first blood when they struck five minutes into the match. However, their lead was short-lived because the Witstokke issued a response almost immediately.

Affies, after losing 2-3 to Jeppe in their previous outing, identified their set-piece execution as an area of their game that needed attention. “We have been spending a lot of time on our short corners and set pieces. Big games require set pieces to be excellent, because they decide many games,” Lincoln said.

His words turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy because Affies’ first two goals were the result of their clinical set-piece execution, with Rudolph Thiart converting penalty corners in the seventh and ninth minutes of the chukka.

Grey College dusted themselves off and headed into the second chukka, firing on all cylinders. Their forays into Affies’ half were rewarded with a goal two minutes before the halftime break.

“We’ve identified Grey College as a threat due to their physical brilliance, always being in the game and as a threat counterattacking-wise. So, there have been some small tweaks to certain outletting patterns to minimise the risk,” coach Lincoln said ahead of the contest.

Those preparations held Affies in good stead in the third chukka. Grey College took it to the home side, but the Witstokke’s defence stood its ground. The quarter ended goalless. The game was on the line in the final chukka.

With just under eight minutes remaining in the contest, Affies broke the stalemate with a superb goal from Reuben Dreyer, who capitalised on a brilliant flick towards goal by Kean Cornelissen.

Menlopark vs Waterkloof

Like Affies, Menlopark brought cheer to their home fans with a 3-2 win over Waterkloof in a thrilling encounter on the Menlo Blou Astro.

Menlo enjoyed the home ground advantage, but Waterkloof grabbed the early initiative and took advantage of some casual defensive play by Menlopark to score first from a well-worked field goal.

That strike jolted Menlopark to life, and it wasn’t long before they registered their first goal, a tap-in at the post by Ruben Oberholzer, six minutes after Klofies had taken the lead.

Both sides created chances in the next chukka, but their respective goalkeepers made outstanding saves, and they went to the halftime break on level terms.

When Reco Grobler thrust Menlopark into the lead by converting a well-worked short corner, momentum shifted towards the home side. Deep into the quarter, the hosts made inroads down the right-hand baseline before Oberholzer executed a brilliant upright reverse stick shot to make it 3-1.

Waterkloof refused to throw in the towel, but Menlo stood strong. Eventually, though, the visitors’ efforts paid off, and they pulled a goal back. By then, though, only seconds remained in the match.

Results

Affies 3-2 Grey College
Menlopark 3-2 Waterkloof

Clifton College and Durban High School (DHS) played to a 1-1 draw at the Riverside Sports Club on Wednesday evening, with the contest finishing a couple of minutes early after a power cut dimmed the lights just as both sides were pushing hard for a winner.

DHS enjoyed the better of the opening chukka, but Clifton gradually worked their way into the contest.

“The first chukka was really good,” DHS coach Keegan Hezlett told SuperSport Schools News. “We moved the ball exceptionally well. The intensity was there, which was something that we lacked in our previous outing against Maritzburg College. That was really cool to see.

“We probably didn’t take the opportunities as we would have liked. We created two short corners. Good save from Georg [Wolhuter], a really good save.”

Clifton came more into the contest in the second chukka and forced a succession of penalty corners. One of those very nearly paid off, but DHS goalkeeper Bonga Dlomo pulled off a spectacular save, and the Horseflies instantly turned defence into attack, charging back up the field where Jesse van Wyk finished off a sizzling counterattack to give his side the lead.

“That’s their game. They’re so dangerous going forward,” Clifton coach Calvin Price said wryly. “We tried to manage that as best as we could. Credit to the boys; we ran hard. And we’re tired. We’ve played 27 games of hockey.”

The teams turned with DHS leading 1-0. Clifton had created some opportunities but failed to take them. That was, for both coaches, the area in which their teams could have been better.

Hezlett’s charges came close to scoring again in the third chukka when they caught Clifton with a swift counterattack. Goalkeeper Georg Wolhuter was drawn out of his goal, and the ball then slipped across the circle for a clean shot on goal. Kyle Human, also a top water polo player in the Clifton 1st team, pulled off a stunning stick save to deny DHS, however.

DHS coach Keegan Hezlett said Clifton’s hard-working defence led to his charge’s making some changes, which didn’t pay off: “We started playing the ball a little bit longer. We started forcing it a little bit, maybe because we hadn’t created as many outcomes as we would have liked to get.

“We started throwing more overheads, and I think that levelled out the game. With the overhead, it can become a contest once you get the ball on the ground. When we kept the ball on the ground, I think we were really good.”

Clifton’s tenacious resistance was finally rewarded when they turned a penalty corner into a goal, with captain Ryde Brisset providing the finish.

Brisset, playing his 50th match for the Clifton 1st XI, despite missing the entire 2025 season after shoulder surgery, delivered a wholehearted effort in the midfield, while his opposite number, Christoper Abrahams, was a force to be reckoned with, too, regularly challenging the Clifton backline.

Reflecting on the contest, Clifton’s coach, Calvin Price, commented: “I don’t think we’re playing our best hockey, but to draw against a side like that, I’ll take it.

“It was good. We fought well. We got stuck in, and we frustrated them, which was the plan. They’re a well-drilled unit under Keegan Hezlett. They’re a good side, with good individual players.

“The idea was to frustrate them and get the counter going again. We let ourselves down in the final third with a few opportunities. We had more short corners than they had. I wanted a bit more from the boys. But I’ll take the 1-1 draw against a quality side like that.”

“We had our chances,” DHS’s Hezlett said. “They had two saves on the line when we had gone around the goalkeeper, so credit to Clifton. They were up for it. Today, even their u16s were up for it. They drew 2-2.

“They fought hard, which was a credit to them. Then, they scored a short corner to level things at 1-1.”

Summing the contest up, he concluded: “There are small margins. If you take your chances, you can win games.

“We’ve got to be better at taking our chances. Everything else we did, I was really happy with how the guys played. We just would have liked to convert a little better, as I am sure everyone would like to.”

Result

Clifton College 1-1 DHS

The reverse stick shot is one of the most difficult hockey strokes to execute. It requires both technical proficiency and timing. That said, Luc Boyall made it look easy when he executed it in a big match on 29 March this year.

Against a lesser team, Northwood might have been tempted to hold onto possession as much as possible while patiently looking for openings in the opposition’s defence. However, South African College Schools (SACS) is a different proposition. A one-goal lead is only safe once the final whistle has blown. So, Northwood, who were leading 3-2, attacked as if they were trailing.

The Knights burst into the SACS final third with just under three minutes remaining in the contest. Boyall had positioned himself in the circle, where he received a pass, and in one fluid motion, he slapped a reverse stick shot into the back of the goalbox to extend Northwood’s lead to 4-2. It was as if he had been executing the stroke all his life.

Boyall started playing hockey, or a version of it, with his older brother, Tristan, in their home from the moment he could walk. His first exposure to organised hockey was through the Riverside Hockey Club‘s mini-hockey programme.

He took the lessons he learned there back home and perfected them in contests with Tristan. A short while later, the duo became a trio with the birth of Charly-Rose.

“I think us messing around in the garden from a young age really helped all three of us improve our control and skills,” Luc said.

The results are there for everyone to see. Tristan represented KZN Coastal u18A at the SASHOC National Week in 2022 and 2023. He also made the SA Schools u17 side. Charly-Rose has been an invaluable member of the Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent first team and the KZN Coastal age group teams for the past two years.

Last year, she took home the Most Valuable Striker award at the u16 Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT). Luc, who scored 12 goals in the u16 boys’ section, collected the boys’ Most Valuable Striker award. The siblings were selected for the SA u16A boys’ and girls’ teams.

“That was a highlight for me,” Luc said. “I also made the u16A KZN Indoor side and captained them to win the first-ever IPT. I was also selected for the SA u16 Indoor team.”

Boyall, who made his debut for Northwood as a Grade 10 student, has 46 caps under his belt. He enjoyed a stellar season in his first year with the team and is enjoying an even better one as a Grade 11 learner. This year, he has found the back of the net 26 times in 20 outings.

“He is a special young talent. He made the first team in Grade 10 last year and did really well. Now he has taken the maturity from the experience he has earned and taken it upon himself to guide other players and teach them accountability and responsibility,” Justin Collins, the Northwood coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

Boyall is a player blessed with a big-match temperament, Collins said. He loves a big challenge, and big moments unlock the best in him. The coach went on to describe the forward as a really good teammate who always does what is in the best interests of the team.

“He doesn’t give up. He runs hard and stays focused. Most importantly, when the moment comes for him to step up and score, he does exactly what the moment requires.” Collins added.

Boyall’s hat-trick against Michaelhouse at the Michaelhouse Hockey Tournament helped the Knights craft a sensational title-winning run last month. While that haul is one of his favourite performances, it pales in comparison with his hat-trick against SACS.

“My best performance for Northwood was against SACS at the Founders Festival, and my best goal has to be the last goal of my hat-trick because it helped seal the game for us,” Boyall explained.

While he has lofty hockey ambitions, the Northwood learner has his feet firmly on the ground and is taking things a game at a time, focusing on helping the Knights to the best of his abilities.

He’ll also run out for KZN Coastal u18A at the SASHOC National u18 IPT at Hilton College, from Sunday, 28 June, to Saturday, 4 July.

Maritzburg College and Hilton College overturned deficits on their way to victories over Durban High School (DHS) and Glenwood High, respectively, in their derby matches on Saturday.

Playing at home, on Pape’s Astro, Maritzburg College recorded a battling 2-1 win, while Hilton cruised to a 5-3 victory at the 3 Schools Astro, in Durban, after falling behind early.

In Pietermaritzburg, it was a tight affair, with neither side able to break the deadlock in the first half.

“We stuck to our guns defensively. We had to be tactically aware and defensively smart against DHS,” Mark Sanders, the Maritzburg College coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

However, despite College’s resolute defensive work, it was DHS who drew first blood midway through the third chukka. That drew a furious response from the Red, Black, and White, and Rory Schirge converted a penalty corner variation three minutes later.

In the final chukka, Maritzburg College goalkeeper Viwe Ndlovu, a member of the SA Schools u17 side that participated in the Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia last year, showed why he is so highly rated, keeping the Horseflies at bay.

With just over six minutes left in an absorbing contest, Luthando Shelembe scored the winner for the home team. The remaining five minutes featured a see-saw of attacks on either side, but there were no more goals to be had.

College’s hard-won victory owed much to Siphiwe Mchunu and Andile Lembethe, who excelled in the midfield.

Hilton vs Glenwood

Hilton met a determined Glenwood side at the 3 Schools Astro, with the Durban team a much-improved unit this season. Coach Damian Kimfley’s side received a rude awakening.

Glenwood came out firing from both hips and made hay in the first chukka, charging into a 2-0 lead through goals from their u16 star, Ithani Doyi, and their captain, Murray Wicks, who is enjoying a fruitful season.

“We started the game slowly. Our boys have played a lot of hockey in the past three weeks, and there was a bit of fatigue in the legs,” Ziyaad Solomons, the Hilton team manager, told SuperSport Schools News.

The visitors absorbed the double blow and knuckled down to put on a dominant performance in the remaining three chukkas, which brought them five goals – a hat-trick from Ben Wilson, and further strikes from Nicandro Padayachee and Oyena Zulu.

Murray Wicks secured Glenwood’s third goal in the final minutes of the fourth chukka as the hosts, with typical spirit, kept fighting to the final whistle.

Reflecting on the match, Braydon Naidoo, the Glenwood Director of Hockey, said: “One of the key takeaways from that game was that the boys can get results if they go forward with intent.”

Solomons said Hilton plays better and finds more success when they stick to their brand of hockey. He said they run into problems when they try to employ other styles. Once they forced their imprint onto the contest in the second quarter, they wrestled control from the hosts.

On the AH Mason Astro in Botha’s Hill, the hosts, Kearsney College, played to a 1-1 draw with Michaelhouse.

Results

Maritzburg College 2-1 DHS
Hilton 5-3 Glenwood
Kearsney 1-1 Michaelhouse

Die Hoërskool Menlopark made their Friday night trip to Affies Meisies worthwhile by recording a comfortable 3-0 victory over the hosts. In wintry weather, the visitors delivered a polished performance.

“I am very happy with the result, earned on a cold night in Pretoria,” Brad Brook, the Menlopark coach, told SuperSport Schools News.

“It is always difficult playing away in a Pretoria derby. I was pleased with the girls’ performance.”

The conditions might have been on the chilly side, but there was nothing cold about the sides’ performances. Affies Meisies were intent on making full use of their home ground advantage, while Brook’s charges had set their sights on claiming the bragging rights. They were rewarded for their early pressure with a brilliant team goal in the first chukka.

The visitors built up from the back before moving the ball into the midfield, where Monique Gerber and Chanette Jansen van Vuuren had taken control of matters for Menlo. From the midfield, the ball was sent wide to Anja Steidler, who carried it well before sending a sharp infield pass to Katelynn Blokpoel, just outside the 23.

Deftly, the forward beat a couple of defenders before slipping the ball just out of the Affies’ goalkeeper’s reach for a cracking opening goal.

Stung, the hosts tried to respond immediately, but they were met by resolute defence.

Janse van Vuuren later extended Menlopark’s lead with a moment of individual brilliance. After picking up the ball just inside the Affies half, she beat a couple of defenders on her way to the Affies D, before firing the ball into the back of the net.

“There was some really good work from the rest of the team to lead her out into space, and open it up for Chanette to have a go,” Brook recalled. “It was a really good bottom corner, far post, finish.”

Kathleen van Rooyen extended Menlopark’s lead to 3-0 in the final chukka with a reverse stick shot after the visitors’ tight press had led to a turnover of possession.

The hosts pressed and prodded at Menlopark’s defence throughout the contest, but had limited success. When they pierced the backline, they found themselves denied by Annika Kloppers, who is enjoying a wonderful season between the posts for Menlopark.

Result

Menlopark 3-0 Affies Meisies

Northwood, recently crowned the inaugural winners of the Michaelhouse Hockey Tournament title, continued their positive run of results with a 3-1 win over Clifton College at the Riverside Club on Friday night.

The Knights, who were missing their coach, Justin Collins, put together a polished performance that would have made the gaffer proud. Collins is at the senior men’s Interprovincial Tournament with the KwaZulu-Natal Raiders.

“Despite not being there on the night, the boys still executed his game plan, his philosophies, and the brand of hockey he has worked hard to instill in them,” Chris Stewart, who stood in for Collins, told SuperSport Schools News.

“I think that speaks volumes about both his coaching influence and the buy-in from the players,”

The Knights arrived at Riverside with a plan. They aimed to make a high-tempo start to the game, thus making Clifton work hard without the ball.

Explaining the thinking behind that idea, Stewart said: “We felt our depth off the bench was one of our strengths, and the idea was that by the fourth quarter we’d be able to control longer periods of the game, which I think we managed to do well.”

Northwood was rewarded for their high intensity with a goal in the first chukka when Caleb Phipson executed a brilliant post-up play, rolled the ball off brilliantly to Jordan Hatcher under pressure, before Sisekelo Sibeko finished it off.

Clifton emerged from the first break determined to wrestle control from the Knights. They fought fire with fire and grabbed an equaliser in the second chukka. Northwood, though, stuck to their processes and didn’t react to the pressure exerted by Clifton.

“We spoke a lot about taking care of the little things, because if you do that well, the bigger moments tend to look after themselves,” Stewart explained.

That approach paid off in the third chukka when they retook the lead through a Luc Boyall goal. Clifton gave as good as they got. They were relentless and broke Northwood’s press a few times, but the Knights stood firm in defence and limited the home’s attacking opportunities. When the defence faltered, Dean Hart executed brilliant saves in goal for Northwood.

Phipson, who starred for Northwood in the final of the Michaelhouse Hockey Tournament, put the game beyond Clifton with a strike in the fourth quarter.

“It was a very tightly contested fixture last night and, full credit to Clifton, they’re a very strong side with one of the best starting XIs around and some exceptional players.

“The boys put up a strong performance against quality opposition, and there are plenty of positives for the boys to take forward,” said Stewart.

Northwood, who will host their Old Boys’ Day next week, will focus on carrying their positive momentum into their forthcoming fixtures.

“There should be a real sense of excitement around this group,” Stewart reckoned.

“They’re playing some very good hockey at the moment, and if they can continue building on performances like this, combined with Justin’s leadership and experience, it creates a strong platform for them to keep progressing and carry real momentum forward,” Stewart shared.

Result

Northwood 3-1 Clifton

At first, Dané Janse van Vuuren didn’t enjoy goalkeeping. She was an outfield player who enjoyed being in the thick of the action. That’s what she had been for the six years of her hockey career.

“When I was 11, our Bloembears indoor team needed a keeper. Everyone had to try out, and the coach chose me to be the keeper at my first indoor regionals. I was very mad and upset when I found out I had to play goalkeeper,” Janse van Vuuren recalled.

The feelings of antipathy towards her new role vanished once she was on the court. The shot-stopper performed beyond expectations, which convinced the Bloembears’ coaching staff that they had found their full-time goalkeeper.

Still intent on being an outfield player, Janse van Vuuren resolved to hide her success between the posts for the Bloembears from her school team. However, she was trying to hide a lamp under a bushel.

“They found out and made me practice with the u13A team. After that, it wasn’t a choice if I wanted to play keeper anymore. Now I know it was the best thing that happened to me,” Janse van Vuuren admitted.

She didn’t just grow into the position; her love and passion for it developed at an exponential rate. She so immersed herself in the art of goalkeeping that she often wore her goalkeeper kit while watching international matches at home.

Janse van Vuuren was not short of inspiration on the home front. One of her first points of contact in the hockey world was celebrated coach, Elsie Coetzer. Janse van Vuuren attended her Thursday night coaching clinics and mini-games from the age of five.

Her surroundings provided her with an unlimited dose of inspiration. It was, however, through watching international matches that her worldview expanded, and she realised what she could achieve as a goalkeeper.

“My favourite goalkeeper is PR Sreejesh, the Indian goalkeeper,” she shared. “Mainly because he is still playing hockey at the age of 37, and I admire his determination and confidence. I hope I will also enjoy and play hockey at that level and age.”

Her coach at Oranje, Morné Odendaal, is in no doubt that Janse van Vuuren can reach the levels attained by Sreejesh.

“She is the type of player every team needs. She is dependable, selfless, and fully committed to the collective,” Odendaal said.

“Dané is strong-minded and resilient. She builds her confidence through hard work and dedication. She does not chase recognition or personal accolades; instead, her focus is firmly on team success.”

Odendaal’s comment is delivered with the voice of a coach fawning over a beloved player. Janse van Vuuren has consistently proved her capabilities. At the 2025 St Mary’s Waverley Festival, she pulled off incredible saves to force a 0-0 draw with Paarl Gimnasium. A few months later, she did the same in an indoor match for the Bloembears against the Foxes.

Earlier this year, Janse van Vuuren played out of her socks to deny Rhenish goals, despite the Stellenbosch side’s persistent forays into the Oranje half in a semifinal contest at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival. She then executed brilliant saves in the penalty shootout to help the ladies from Bloemfontein punch their ticket to the final.

The St Mary’s Waverley Festival was the first of two titles they won in two months. The other was the All Girls Festival. Those twin victories made Oranje’s 2026 outfit the first team to hold both titles in a single year since the 2017 season, when the Bloemfontein school also achieved the rare feat.

Janse van Vuuren was awarded the Goalkeeper of the Tournament accolade for her role in Oranje’s title-run at the All Girls Festival. It was her second award in Western Cape events in consecutive years after taking home the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award at last year’s Belgotex Sport Girls Challenge.

“Every game is her best game. Her consistency is relentless, and her presence in goal directly shapes both the team’s confidence and our tactical structure.

“With Dané in goal, we can play a more open, attacking brand of hockey. She gives the team the freedom to take risks, knowing there is absolute reliability behind them,” Odendaal explained.

Identifying some of Janse van Vuuren’s best qualities, Odendaal mentioned her calmness, confidence, and control. He isn’t the first nor will he be the last to praise her good work in goal. Janse van Vuuren doesn’t let the kind words get to her head and keeps her feet firmly on the ground.

“I have learned to be disciplined, humble, work hard when no one is watching, and to see an opponent as a fellow hockey lover and not as my enemy,” Janse van Vuuren said about her approach to the game.

The girl who didn’t enjoy goalkeeping a few years ago is now one of the best shot-stoppers in the country, and it’s not because she now enjoys it. That’s a small part of it. The bigger part is that she now loves it.