Author: cschiwanza

Durban Girls’ College (DGC), Epworth School, and Our Lady of Fatima were unbeaten on Friday, the first day of the Independent Schools Sports Festival (ISSF), being hosted by DGC.

The showpiece served up a smorgasbord of results, from blowouts to tightly contested draws.

Fifteen teams are participating in the event, namely: DGC, Our Lady of Fatima, Roedean School, St Stithians College, Maris Stella, St Mary’s Waverley, St Anne’s Diocesan College, St Marys DSG, Kloof, St Teresa’s School, Epworth School, Brescia House, Kingsmead College, St Andrew’s School for Girls, St John’s DSG, and St Dominic’s Catholic School.

The teams completed 21 matches, played at DGC and Northwood, on the first day.

DGC got the festival underway in style, pummelling Teresa’s 7-0. That was the biggest margin of victory on the day.

The closest another team came to matching that was when Our Lady of Fatima beat Brescia House 5-0. Epworth matched that score when they outplayed St Teresa’s.

DGC wrapped up their day one assignments with a 1-0 win over Kingsmead later in the afternoon.

Their KwaZulu-Natal neighbours, Epworth, recorded three wins in three outings. Their 5-0 victory over St Teresa’s was sandwiched between a 4-1 drubbing of Brescia House and a 2-0 win over Kingsmead.

Like Epworth, Our Lady of Fatima went three from three. Coach Matthew Smith’s charges gave their supporters something to cheer and didn’t concede a single goal. They handed Brescia House a 5-0 defeat, edged past Kingsmead 1-0, and outclassed Roedean 3-0.

While they didn’t lose a single match, St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, found goals hard to come by. They played out a 0-0 stalemate with their highveld namesakes, St Mary’s Waverley, won 2-1 over Roedean, and then recorded another 0-0 draw, this time with St Dominic’s.

Coach Morne Odendaal’s St Anne’s played four matches and acquitted themselves well. However, their record was not unblemished. They scored wins over St Dominic’s, Roedean, and St Andrew’s School for Girls but came out on the wrong end of the result against St Mary’s Waverley.

The Johannesburg school will be keen to build on their victory over St Anne’s when they run out to face DGC at 08:00 on Saturday morning.

Epworth will be out to preserve their unbeaten record when they face St Stithians, also at 08:00, at Northwood.

The festival ends later on Saturday.

RESULTS

St Mary’s DSG Kloof 0-0 St Mary’s Waverley
Epworth 4-1 Brescia House
St Anne’s 1-0 St Dominic’s
St Mary’s DSG Kloof 2-1 Roedean
Maris Stella 0-0 St Teresa’s
DGC 1-0 Kingsmead
St John’s DSG 1-0 St Stithians
St Anne’s 2-0 Roedean
DGC 7-0 St Teresa’s
Our Lady of Fatima 5-0 Brescia House
St Andrew’s School for Girls 0-0 St John’s DSG
St Dominic’s 0-0 St Mary’s DSG Kloof
Epworth 5-0 St Teresa’s
Our Lady of Fatima 1-0 Kingsmead
Maris Stella 2-1 Brescia House
St Anne’s 2-0 St Andrew’s School
Epworth School 2-0 Kingsmead
St Dominic’s 0-0 St John’s DSG
St Mary’s Waverley 2-1 St Anne’s
St Stithians 1-0 Maris Stella
Our Lady of Fatima 3-0 Roedean

Nine of KwaZulu-Natal’s top hockey-playing schools will be in action on Friday and Saturday, with six of them doing duty inside the province and three travelling up to the Highveld.

Two wounded buffaloes kick off the weekend’s action at Westville Boys High on Friday.

Expect fireworks when coach Cameron Mackay‘s charges welcome Glenwood into their lair. The Griffin will be keen to get back to winning ways after a narrow 2-3 loss to Durban High School (DHS) last week.

Glenwood, on the other hand, had some soul-searching to do after a humbling 1-8 defeat at the hands of Northwood. Glenwood was competitive in the first half of that contest, but the wheels came off after halftime. Coach Michael Labuschagne‘s side will be keen to prove that the loss to The Knights was an anomaly.

Also on Friday evening, in Johannesburg, St Charles College faces a difficult challenge. They take on the Aitken Cup runner-up, St Stithians College, at Superpark Red. The Joburg Saints will be favoured in that one.

DHS returns to The Coliseum on Saturday after visiting Westville last week. Their 3-2 win there followed a 2-1 home triumph over Kearsney College.

The Horseflies will be keen to add another win to their streak when they host Hilton College on their Old Boys’ Day. The presence of School‘s alumni will be an added incentive for DHS to bag another victory.

They will, though, be expecting a stiff challenge from the visitors. Coach Damian Kimfley’s charges come into the tie with fresh legs after enjoying a week off last weekend. Before the bye, Hilton was extended by Glenwood but fought their way to a 3-2 win.

Coach Mark Sanders’ Maritzburg College side will roll out the red carpet for Kearsney College, who will join them for Reunion Day, on Saturday. However, that is as far as the pleasantries will go. College will not be hospitable on Pape’s Astro, where they will be pursuing a dominant display in front of a big crowd.

Coach Keagan Pearce’s young Kearsney side won’t make it easy for College. They’re seeking redemption after their 1-2 loss to DHS. They might have lost to the Horseflies, but Kearsney showed their mettle in that contest, and any win over Maritzburg College on Pape’s would be a significant victory.

Calvin Price‘s Clifton College side will be in action in Gauteng. They visit St David’s Marist Inanda for a derby encounter. Price’s charges head into the contest off the back of a healthy 3-1 win over St Charles in their most recent fixture. Two on the trot will be their aim.

Nick Bérichon’s Michaelhouse team travels to Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) for what should be a tightly contested derby.

Michaelhouse is another of those sides that had last weekend off, so they should have fresh legs. They’ve put together a good season, but last time out an inspired Northwood overcame a 1-2 deficit to edge past ‘House 3-2 on the Punchbowl Astro.

Like Clifton, they’ll be aiming to make the most of their journey upcountry.

FIXTURES

Friday

Westville vs Glenwood
St Stithians College vs St Charles College

Saturday

DHS vs Hilton
Maritzburg College vs Kearsney
St David’s vs Clifton
PBHS vs Michaelhouse

Die Hoërskool Menlopark produced a composed, skilful, and entertaining performance on their way to lifting the St Anne’s Cup after beating Our Lady of Fatima 2-0 in a scintillating final at St Anne’s, in Hilton, on Sunday.

“I’m extremely proud of our performances this weekend,” Brad Brook, the Menlopark coach, told Supersport Schools Plus.

“We took it one game at a time, relying on our team principles, tons of grit, and sisterhood throughout the weekend.”

After Brook’s charges finished second in Pool A, they had to navigate a path manned by powerhouses from that point onwards. They triumphed 2-1 over last year’s runner-up, Durban Girls’ College, in the quarterfinals and were tested by Free State titans, Eunice, in the semifinals, but advanced after a penalty shootout.

“We are very fortunate to have great depth in our squad with various players putting their hands up and delivering match-winning performances across the five games,” Brook said.

Menlopark’s captain, Zoë Badenhorst, excelled and was named the Striker of the Tournament, while Annika Kloppers took home the Goalkeeper of the Tournament prize. Carlia Potgieter, meanwhile, produced her best performance in the final.

The Pretoria school had the first touch in the title match, and they ensured that they had the ball under their control for the first 35 minutes of the contest.

They won the first of their six penalty corners six minutes into the first chukka, but it came to nought. Shortly after that, they were unable to turn a second set piece into a goal.

Our Lady of Fatima’s goalkeeper Kayla Driver was the main reason why Menlopark was unable to make a breakthrough. She made a handful of outstanding saves to keep the score at 0-0 after the first 15 minutes.

In the second chukka, Menlopark ramped up the intensity. Monique Gerber led the way, tormenting Our Lady of Fatima’s defence as Brooks’ players piled on pressure and won four more penalty corners. Driver, though, stood firm.

However, with only seconds left in the second chukka, Carlia Potgieter struck for Menlopark, getting onto the end of a speculative ball sent from halfway into the Our Lady of Fatima circle. She was in the right place at the right time and helped the ball into the back of the net to give her side a 1-0 lead at halftime.

After the break, Menlopark picked up the tempo and they were soon rewarded with a second goal, just four minutes into the third chukka.

Gerber made a brilliant run down the baseline before cutting the ball back to Potgieter, who smashed it into the back of the net to double Menlopark’s lead.

Our Lady of Fatima was on the back foot after soaking up pressure for most of the contest. They had barely ventured out of their half. They won only three penalty corners in the first half and added another two in the third chukka.

The two in the third quarter were, though, a result of the Durban school’s players coming out of their shell and shifting the pressure back onto Menlopark. They enjoyed more possession in the second half of the third chukka as they chased a goal to cut the opposition’s lead in half.

In the final chukka, Our Lady of Fatima took control of proceedings. Their forays into the Menlopark final third resulted in five penalty corners for coach Matthew Smith‘s charges. They threw everything at the Pretoria girls, including the kitchen sink, and created some goal-scoring opportunities.

Annika Kloppers, the Menlopark goalkeeper, who had produced an outstanding game in the semifinals, was up to the challenge, however, keeping Our Lady of Fatima goalless.

Towards the end of the contest, Menlopark had their hearts in their hands when they lost the ball in their own circle, but they were saved by a scrambling defence and the excellent Kloppers.

Our Lady of Fatima kept pressing, but there was no give in Menlopark’s resistance.

With just over a minute left in the match, Smith withdrew goalkeeper Kayla Driver in a last-ditch attempt to manufacture a goal. But the move came too late, and it went unrewarded.

RESULTS

Final: Menlopark 2-0 Our Lady of Fatima
3rd/4th: Eunice 4-0 St Mary’s DSG, Kloof
5th/6th: St Anne’s (3) 2-2 (2) Durban Girls’ College
7th/8th: Waterkloof (2) 1-1 (1) St John’s DSG

In the semifinals, late on Saturday, Menlopark triumphed 3-2 over Eunice on penalties after the sides were deadlocked at 0-0 following regulation time. Our Lady of Fatima scored a thrilling 1-0 win over last year’s champion, St Mary’s DSG, Kloof.

Those wins, of course, mean there will be a new name on the St Anne’s Cup and a new home for it for the next year.

Our Lady of Fatima’s path to the final was not entirely smooth. They began their campaign with a 1-2 defeat against Durban Girls’ College (DGC). However, in a must-win match, they recorded a 2-0 victory over Waterkloof in their second Pool D fixture.

Those results left them in second place in the group and set up a quarterfinal date with last year’s bronze medallists, St Anne’s. The Durban school hit their straps against the hosts, powering their way to a 4-2 win to set up a meeting with familiar foes, St Mary’s DSG, Kloof.

Our Lady of Fatima’s attack found themselves up against a solid defence in a tight battle for a place in the title game. The Durban school, though, was good when not in possession and St Mary’s struggled to outlet.

The contest was deadlocked until the final chukka when Our Lady of Fatima made the all-important breakthrough, converting a penalty corner three minutes in, which proved to be enough to see them through to the final.

When Menlopark met Eunice, Annika Kloppers, the Menlopark goalkeeper, pulled off two brilliant saves to deny Eunice victory in the shootout.

Those stops were an extension of an outstanding game by the netminder, who denied some good Eunice goal-scoring opportunities during regulation time.

Their victory, though, was about more than a fantastic goalkeeping performance. Chanette Jansen van Vuuren was immense in the middle of the park and was judged to be Menlopark’s Player of the Match.

It was heart-stopping stuff in the penalty shootout, with the sides level at 2-2 following the first round during which Zoe Badenhorst and Monique Gerber converted for Menlo.

In the sudden death shootout, Badenhorst netted again, and when Kloppers denied Eunice once more the Pretoria school was through to the title decider.

When he spoke to Supersport Schools ahead of the tournament, Menlopark’s coach, Brad Brook, optimistically shared that while his team was focused on taking things “a game at a time” his side’s primary goal was to first improve on their performance from last year. With the win, they ensured that they would.

Not only have his charges guaranteed themselves a podium finish, but they also have a one-in-two chance of lifting the title.

From their first match, on Friday, Menlopark signalled their intent by overwhelming Worcester Gimnasium 9-0.

They, however, suffered a setback in their second outing, falling 0-2 to St Anne’s. As the second-place finishers in Pool A, they had earned a quarterfinal clash with last year’s runner-up, Durban Girls’ College (DGC).

Menlopark got off to the start they wanted against DGC, seizing the initiative with a first-chukka goal and doubling their lead in second quarter. DGC was able to pull one back in the fourth chukka, but it was too late.

On their way to the final, Menlopark and Our Lady of Fatima combined to eliminate last year’s top four finishers. They have proven themselves to be the teams to beat and a humdinger of a contest beckons in the title game.

RESULTS

Voortrekker (Bethlehem) 1-0 Worcester Gim
Waterkloof 3-0 The Wykeham Collegiate
Our Lady of Fatima 4-2 St Anne’s
Menlopark 2-1 DGC
Eunice (3) 3-3 (2) Waterkloof
St Mary’s DSG 2-1 St John’s DSG
The Wykeham Collegiate 2-1 Voortrekker (Bethlehem)
DGC (2) 0-0 (0) Waterkloof
Noordheuwel 5-1 Worcester Gim
Menlopark (3) 0-0 (2) Eunice
Our Lady of Fatima 1-0 St Mary’s DSG Kloof

Wartburg Kirchdorf School was crowned the SPAR KZN Girls Hockey Umvoti and uThukela Regional champion after they defeated Domino Servite School 1-0 in the final of the regional tournament, at Ladysmith High, on Saturday.

The victory made Wartburg the ninth team to book a berth at the SPAR KZN Tournament Grand Finals, which will be hosted by St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, on 26 and 27 July.

They join St Patrick’s (Ugo and Sisonke Regional), Felixton College (KZN North Coastal Regional), Ashton Ballito (Durban North Regional), Maris Stella (Durban Central Regional), St Mary’s, DSG Kloof (Highway Regional), Epworth School (Pietermaritzburg Central Regional), St Anne’s Diocesan College (Pietermaritzburg North Regional), and Kingsway High (Durban South Regional) in the lineup.

Wartburg’s win ended Ladysmith’s two-year reign in the region.

In the round-robin stage of the six-team tournament, Wartburg collected 13 points out of a possible 20, scoring wins over Estcourt High, Ladysmith, and Hamilton School.

It was nail-biting stuff, but Wartburg’s defence pulled them through by 1-0 margins in each of their three victories. They also picked up a single point after a 0-0 draw with Greytown High. When they met Domino Servite, the score was also 1-0, but that was in favour of Domino Servite.

At the end of the round-robin, the top two teams met for the title, with Wartburg going head-to-head against the only team that had beaten them earlier in the day, Domino Servite, who had topped the standings after bagging the maximum 20 points.

They began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Greytown and followed that up with another 1-0 victory over Wartburg. Then, they thumped Estcourt and Hamilton 3-0 and 4-0 respectively, before edging out Ladysmith 1-0.

When they met for the title, Wartburg had learned from their mistakes earlier in the day. They emerged a better side, turned the tables, and handed Domino Servite their first and only loss reversing their 0-1 defeat to claim a 1-0 win.

With the victory, they were crowned champion of the region.

The SPAR KZN Girls’ Hockey Tournament will next head to St Dominic’s, in Newcastle, for the KZN North Regional tournament on 31 May.

Northwood and Durban High School put on excellent shows in recording victories over Glenwood High School and Westville Boys’ High in their Hyundai Friday Nite Lights clashes.

Northwood overran Glenwood 8-1, while DHS outlasted Westville 3-2.

The Knights lit up a cool night at Glenwood by romping to a comprehensive win over their hosts, who had been competitive in every outing until Friday evening.

Captain Kyle White led the way with a hattrick, while Luke Allen scored a brace. Luc Boyall, Taylon Goodwin, and Alesandro Chambi Rocha chipped in with a goal each.

“I was happy with the boys. We played in a different shape this evening and they adapted quickly. We showed good intensity for longer periods,” Justin Collins, the Northwood coach, said after the game.

As a side they meet often, it was easy to see how much Glenwood has improved as a hockey-playing school, and Collins was complimentary towards Braydon Naidoo, the Glenwood Director of Hockey.

“Braydon Naidoo is doing special things in their programme, and we knew today was going to be a difficult day across the board. We knew Glenwood was going to be a difficult game for us on their home turf and being on their Old Boys’ Day,” Collins said.

The Northwood coach said the Knights’ best chance lay in them getting an early goal. He explained: “We needed to score early to put them under pressure. We knew the longer they stayed in it the harder it would be for us.”

His charges met the brief, scoring their opener barely four minutes into the first chukka. Glenwood wasn’t easily deflated, and they fought back in an attempt to restore parity. However, it was not to be. Instead, Northwood went up 2-0 in the second quarter and then made it 3-0 shortly after that.

Glenwood, with typical fight, kept taking the game to Northwood and they pulled one back almost immediately to send the teams into halftime with the visitors 3-1 ahead.

Unfortunately for the hosts, the floodgates opened in the second half. The Knights struck twice in the third chukka without reply and added three more in the fourth quarter to complete a dominant win.

Coach Collins was also pleased with the return of Ben Loxton to the side, after he had spent some time on the sidelines with a long-term injury. “I really feel that Ben Loxton has brought a different dynamic to our team,” he said.

DHS made their trip to Westville worthwhile by recording a tight 3-2 victory over their hosts. Coach Keegan Hezlett’s side ran out with the intent to exert their play on the home side from the opening whistle, but they were met by an equal and opposite force from the Griffin.

The sides shared a goalless first chukka during which the action swung from one end to the other. Five minutes from halftime, DHS broke the deadlock. A patient build-up stretched Westville’s defences and when Sithsaba Siyoyo was given a chance on goal he finished well.

“The boys managed the overhead threat from Westville really well. I was also happy with how they managed the transition from attack to defence,” Hezlett said after the match.

The DHS coach also complimented his charges’ patience when building up, although he felt that they could have created and converted more chances.

Only a minute after the break, Westville equalised. However, DHS had travelled to Westville in search of a win, and they went back in front when their captain Joshua Mungherera found the back of the net six minutes later.

DHS extended their lead to 3-1 when Josh van Biljon converted a short corner with five minutes left on the clock.

Westville was like a dog with a bone, though. They refused to give up and belligerently fought to cut the deficit. They were rewarded with a second goal in the final minute of the match, but they had run out of time to grab an equaliser.

RESULTS

Northwood 8-1 Glenwood
DHS 3-2 Westville

St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, Durban Girls’ College (DGC), St Anne’s, and Eunice headed into the St Anne’s Cup, being hosted by St Anne’s in Hilton, as the top seeds. All four reached the semifinals last year, and they did not disappoint on day one of the 2025 event.

That quartet was unbeaten at the close of the first day of the tournament, which runs through until Sunday, when the final takes place.

Despite featuring three teams, Pool A was a two-horse race between St Anne’s and Menlopark. They took turns at competing to see who could fire more goals past the Worcester Gimnasium goalkeeper before they went head-to-head.

St Anne’s teed off first and drilled seven unanswered goals past Worcester Gim. That margin of victory was the biggest of the day until Menlopark balled out against the Western Cape side. Coach Brad Brook‘s charges were on song and rolled to a 9-0 victory.

St Anne’s and Menlopark went head-to-head later in the early evening, and the hosts sparkled on their way to a 2-0 win to secure a quarterfinal showdown against Our Lady of Fatima on Saturday morning.

St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, ruled the roost in Pool B. They got their title defence off to a positive start with a 2-1 win over The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC).

Coach Nolwazi Nkabinde’s side faced a sterner test when they went up against Waterkloof later in the day. There were moments when St Mary’s DSG Kloof found themselves under the pump as the Klofies went on the offensive.

Jenna-Leigh Freese and Ella Bowyer stood firm in the midfield and at the back, however, as St Mary’s faced down the challenge and emerged 2-1 victors, courtesy of a brace from Georgia Short. That victory secured them a quarterfinal fixture against St John’s DSG, who finished second in Pool C.

The Pietermaritzburg school came in behind Eunice in their group. Coach Nika Coertzen’s side reached the semifinals last year and the Bloemfontein girls hit the ground running in their first outing, putting on a dominant showing in a big 8-1 win over Noordheuwel.

That win was the second-highest margin of victory on day one, matching the margin recorded by St Anne’s against Worcester Gim.

Coertzen’s charges followed up that comprehensive win with a 2-1 triumph over St John’s DSG. By finishing atop Pool C, they booked a quarterfinals showdown with the Pool B runner-up, Waterkloof.

Last year’s finalists, DGC was the first side to advance to the quarterfinals. Coach Chardinay Penniston’s ladies overcame the challenges of Our Lady of Fatima and Voortrekker (Bethlehem) by identical scores.

First up, at 08:00 in the morning, they locked horns with familiar foes, Our Lady of Fatima, who gave them a good run for their money However, DGC had a little more in the tank and triumphed 2-1.

In the afternoon, DGC squared up to Voortrekker. The ladies from Bethlehem put up a good fight and enjoyed the better of the opening half, but DGC came from behind to snatch a 2-1 win.

Their reward is a tricky tie against Menlopark for a place in the semifinals.

RESULTS

Pool A

St Anne’s 7-0 Worcester Gim
Menlopark 9-0 Worcester Gim
St Anne’s 2-0 Menlopark

Pool B

St Mary’s DSG, Kloof 2-0 TWC
Waterkloof 3-0 TWC
St Mary’s DSG, Kloof 2-1 Waterkloof

Pool C

St John’s DSG 2-1 Noordheuwel
Eunice 8-1 Noordheuwel
Eunice 2-1 St John’s DSG

Pool D

DGC 2-1 Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima 2-0 Voortrekker (Bethlehem)
DGC 2-1 Voortrekker (Bethlehem)

Fourth, fifth, and sixth. Those were the positions in which Eunice High, Hoërskool Menlopark, and Hoërskool Waterkloof finished in the inaugural edition of the St Anne’s Cup last year. A lot has happened since then. A lot has changed, including the teams.

The trio returns with bigger hopes and the experience and skills to improve on their 2024 showings.

Eunice will arrive at St Anne’s with a confident bounce in their legs following a positive outing against their Free State rivals, Oranje on Tuesday afternoon. Storm Harris scored for coach Nika Coertzen‘s sids as they played to a 1-1 draw with their Bloemfontein rivals.

“It’s always a privilege to take the field against any opponent, especially with the margins so tight between teams. Facing a strong Oranje side ahead of the weekend is ideal preparation, helping us adapt to high-intensity games, learn from our mistakes, and improve for what’s ahead,” Coertzen told SuperSport Schools Plus ahead of the tournament.

Eunice is in Pool C, up against St John’s DSG and Noordheuwel. They open their challenge on Friday afternoon at 14:15 against Noordheuwel, one of four newcomers to the event.

Menlopark, meanwhile, has the wind beneath their wings following a dominant showing against Hoërskool Eldoraigne on Monday night.

Monique Gerber powered them to an 8-1 win over Eldos with a hattrick. Karla van Rooyen contributed two goals to the effort, while Zoë Badenhorst, Anja Steidler, Ininke Human, and Chanette Jansen van Vuuren chipped in with a goal each.

Coach Brad Brook’s side has spent the season fine-tuning their cohesion and the comprehensive win is a sign that it has grown by leaps and bounds.

“We are very excited about St Anne’s Cup,” he declared. “Like any tournament, the plan is to win the title. But we will be happy with a podium finish because it will be an improvement on our performance from last year.”

Menlopark faces Worcester Gimnasium and the hosts, St Anne’s, in Pool A. They’ll first see action at 13:00 on Friday afternoon when they go toe-to-toe with Worcester Gim.

Coach Omari Pienaar-Geyer’s Waterkloof team also heads into the showpiece off the back of a victory, and it was a good one. They beat Affies 1-0 in their last assignment on 12 May. They were scheduled to play Menlopark after that, but the match was cancelled because a number of their players were unwell.

“We had a few good training sessions and could work on one or two things,” Pienaar-Geyer said of Waterkloof’s preparations.

They’ll have a game against Zwartkop before they hop on the bus to St Anne’s. Pienaar-Geyer is confident her side has what it takes to make a run at the Cup. They will, however, tackle the task one game at a time.

“The first step is for us to surpass last year’s finish and improve on the sixth place. We also want to showcase a quality brand of hockey and be more consistent in games.

“We want to be consistently doing the right things. We are looking forward to a great weekend of hockey at a well-organised tournament,” Pienaar-Geyer explained.

Waterkloof’s Pool B opener will be at 13:00 on Friday afternoon against The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC). Their group also includes the defending champion, St Mary’s DSG, Kloof.

Twelve of the country’s top hockey-playing girls’ schools will converge at St Anne’s Diocesan College to battle it out in one of the year’s most-anticipated schoolgirl tournaments, the St Anne’s Cup.

The event is in its second year and will run from Friday to Sunday.

The inaugural edition featured eight teams, but its resounding success prompted further growth and the addition of four more teams.

“The first edition set a high bar. Players, coaches, and spectators alike were treated to a showcase of skill and sportsmanship, making it a standout event on the regional hockey calendar,” Morné Odendaal, the St Anne’s coach and one of the organisers, told Supersport Schools Plus.

Odendaal promised an intensified level of competition in the second edition. He is not wrong to anticipate a high standard, given the pedigree of the teams taking part.

All the sides that contested the first St Anne’s Cup, with the exception of Beaulieu College are back: Eunice, St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), Durban Girls’ College (DGC), Hoërskool Waterkloof, St Anne’s, Hoërskool Menlopark, and St John’s DSG are back.

They’re joined by Worcester Gimnasium, The Wykeham Collegiate, Hoërskool Noordheuwel, Our Lady of Fatima, and Bethlehem Voortrekker.

“The increased number of teams ensures a broader representation of talent, further elevating the competitive edge and fostering a platform for aspiring athletes to shine,” Odendaal explained.

The teams have been split into four groups. The hosts, St Anne’s will begin their campaign in Pool A where they face Worcester Gimnasium and Hoërskool Menlopark.

The defending champion, St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) is on the hunt for a second title of the year after their trophy-winning run at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival. They are in Pool B where they will face TWC and Waterkloof.

Last year’s semi-finalists, Eunice will be aiming to improve on their showing in the inaugural edition. They are in Pool C, along with St John’s DSG and Noordheuwel.

DGC made it all the way to the 2024 final, where they lost to St Mary’s DSG (Kloof). They return intent on going one better. However, they will first have to get past Our Lady of Fatima and Voortrekker in Pool D.

The tournament roars to life with a double-header at 08:00 on Friday morning, with St Mary’s (DSG) Kloof going head-to-head with TWC, while DGC crosses swords with Our Lady of Fatima.

St John’s DSG and Eunice will close the day with a contest at 19:15. The tournament will pick up on Saturday morning with cross-pool contests as teams battle for a place in the playoffs and a chance to play for the title.

“The organisers are committed to maintaining the exceptional standards set by the inaugural tournament, ensuring that every aspect of the event, from logistics to hospitality, meets and exceeds expectations,” Odendaal said.

“The growth of the St. Anne’s Cup reflects not only the increasing popularity of hockey but also the dedication of the community to nurture young talent and promote the sport’s values of teamwork, discipline, and excellence.

FIXTURES

Friday, 23 May

08:00 – St Mary’s Kloof vs TWC; 08:00 – Durban Girls’ College vs Our Lady of Fatima; 09:15 – St Anne’s vs Worcester Gim; 10:30 – St John’s DSG vs Noordheuwel, 11:45 – Our Lady of Fatima vs Voortrekker; 13:00 – Worcester Gim vs Menlopark; 13:00 – TWC vs Waterkloof; 14:15 – Noordheuwel vs Eunice; 15:30 – Durban Girls’ College vs Voortrekker; 16:45 – St Mary’s Kloof vs Waterkloof; 18:00 – St Anne’s vs Menlopark; 19:15 – St John’s DSG vs Eunice.

Saturday, 24 May (cross-pool stage and playoffs)

08:00 – A3 vs D3; 08:00 – B3 vs C3; 09:15 – QF1: A2 vs D1; 10:30 – QF2: A1 vs D2; 11:45 – QF3: B2 vs C1; 13:00 – QF4: B1 vs C2; 14:15 – B3 vs D3; 14:15 – A3 vs C3; 15:30 – (5-8) Loser QF1 vs Loser QF3; 16:45 – (5-8) Loser QF2 vs Loser QF4; 18:00 – (Semi) Winner QF1 vs Winner QF3; 19:15 – (Semi) Winner QF2 vs Winner QF4.

Sunday, 25 May

08:00 – 7th/8th Place; 08:00 – A3 vs B3; 09:15 – 5th/6th Place; 09:15 – C3 vs D3; 10:30 – 3rd/4th Place; 11:45 – Final.

Durban High School (DHS) delivered an entertaining performance on their way to a 2-1 win over Kearsney College when the sides met at The Coliseum, at DHS, on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts showed great composure on and off the ball in a dominant outing.

“We played with good control and created a lot of opportunities. It was good to see the boys play like that,” Keegan Hezlett, the DHS coach, told Supersport Schools Plus after the game.

Hezlett wasn’t being glib when he spoke of his side being in control. The scorecard suggests a tighter contest. However, the hosts enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and created more goal-scoring chances.

Twice, DHS was denied goals by the woodwork. On another occasion, they thought they had scored, but the effort was disallowed.

The Horseflies were intent on asserting themselves and they were able to do so almost from the outset. Kearsney, though, defended well, which meant Hezlett’s charges needed to reconsider their approach.

“Kearsney played with a deeper press, and we were able to outlet a lot higher and we used our outside channels as well,” Hezlett said. “We played the ball against the grain really nicely, which found us a lot of space in the middle of the field.”

That tweak in their approach reaped dividends for School at the end of the first quarter.

A long aerial ball from deep in their half picked out Tyrique Cloete, who, with great control, received the ball and then turned on the magic with outstanding dribbling skills to shake off three defenders on the edge of the Kearsney circle.

He worked his way towards the near post before laying off to Jaiden Bramwell, who tucked the ball into the back of the net to break the deadlock.

Kearsney, young but talented and well-coached, fought back and won a penalty corner. Keegan de Jager, as SA u16 selection in 2024, snapped up the opportunity to equalise, burying a sizzling drag flick into the back of the net.

DHS wasn’t keen to share the spoils with the visitors, however, and they worked tirelessly to restore their lead. They missed a few chances and Kearsney survived some close calls. However, in the final chukka, the home team hit the front again.

After turning over possession in the Kearsney half, the visitors were caught short-staffed at the back. Quick ball movement picked out Tyrique Cloete, who had found some space in the Kearsney circle, and he provided the finish to make it 2-1. That proved to be enough.

“All in all, I think we had a great game,” DHS coach Keegan Hezlett summed up the contest.

RESULT

DHS 2-1 Kearsney