Menlopark defeated a familiar foe, Waterkloof, to claim their third Puk Series title in a row. Photo: Desiré Troskie.
Annika Kloppers made four saves to help Die Hoërskool Menlopark clinch a 2-0 penalty shootout win over Hoërskool Waterkloof in the final of the NWU Puk Series at Dr EG Jansen on Saturday.
“It was a good game of hockey with end-to-end action. It could have been anyone’s [win] at the end of the day,” Brad Brooks, the Menlopark coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus.
Over the past three years, Menlopark and Waterkloof have been the tournament’s dominant sides. Clashes between the two have been thrilling affairs, and they included a stalemate in the final in 2024.
They met again in last year’s title game, with Menlopark edging out Waterkloof 2-1 to lift the title. Like the previous two finals, Saturday’s title decider was a low-scoring clash. It finished 1-1 after regulation time.
Only five minutes into the contest, Isabella Oosthuizen finished a well-worked move that originated on the right flank to put Menlopark into the lead. It didn’t last long. Coach Omari Pienaar-Geyer‘s team drew level only three minutes later through Jenna Trewin.
“There were real positives in our performance despite the loss,” Pienaar-Geyer said. The girls outletted and pressed well. They created several opportunities, but just couldn’t find the net.
After the opening chukka finished at 1-1, the next three chukkas delivered fast-paced, attacking hockey between evenly matched sides. Waterkloof stitched together brilliant moves into Menlopark’s final third, where Menlo’s defenders showed their mettle.
When they breached the Menlopark backs’ line, Waterkloof was met by Kloppers. Her brilliant performance included clearing a ball that was behind her.
“The effort and resilience were there. We just couldn’t find the finishing touch,” Pienaar-Geyer said.
Menlopark matched Waterkloof’s energy with their own attacks into the Waterkloof final third. But Klofies defended with discipline.
When the contest headed into a penalty shootout, Kloppers faced the first eight-second penalty. Displaying her experience and ability, she denied Waterkloof the lead. Kelly Vermeulen complemented Kloppers’ effort by converting Menlopark’s first attempt.
Kloppers saved the second penalty to keep Menlopark in front, but Menlo’s second penalty attempt was stopped. Waterkloof stayed in the contest.
They needed to convert their third penalty, but Kloppers rejected their attempt again.
Chanette Janse van Vuuren then converted Menlopark’s third penalty to give them a two-goal cushion. Waterkloof had to find a way past Kloppers with their fourth penalty attempt to keep their title hopes alive. The ‘keeper proved to be unbeatable.
“I am happy with the win. The midfield worked really hard, and we were defensively sound,” Menlopark coach Brad Brook summed up his side’s victory.
“It was a good reward for the hard work that we are doing.”
A victory for DHS over Northwood at Northwood was particularly sweet for the Horseflies; the Knights have given them some of their toughest games in recent seasons, and the win meant DHS maintained their unbeaten record in 2026. Photo: Supplied.
Josh van Biljon scored a brace, Bonga Maphanga added another, and Bonga Dlomo performed heroics between the sticks to help Durban High School (DHS) claim a 3-2 win over Northwood School in an Edgars Friday Nite Lights clash at Northwood.
While all other leading teams have dropped at least one game, DHS remains unbeaten. Thus far, the Horseflies have been indomitable.
“I am proud of our boys’ defensive discipline, which has become much better this year,” Keegan Hezlett, the DHS coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus.
The visitors’ defensive ability was tested by Northwood, who came out swinging in the first chukka, and DHS would have fallen behind had it not been for Bonga Dlomo’s heroics in goal. Thanks to his outstanding saves, School was on level terms, at 0-0, after the first chukka.
In the second chukka, DHS lifted their game. They gave as much as they received in attack and defence and were rewarded with the opening goal, scored by Bonga Maphanga, who guided a Josh van Biljon strike to the far post into the back of the net, after a scrappy short corner.
Northwood replied almost immediately from a well-worked penalty corner.
The arm wrestle continued until halftime, with the teams heading into the break tied at 1-1.
In the second stanza, DHS struck twice to Northwood’s once, but it was an intense back-and-forth up until the final whistle. “We created a few more chances in the third and fourth quarters, and that consistent pressure is what got us over the line. Our boys moved the ball really well as a team and have done that throughout the season, which has proved the difference this year,” Hezlett said.
Van Biljon, who enjoyed a brilliant outing for the Horseflies, gave them the lead again with a drag flick in the third chukka, sending the ball just wide of the goalkeeper on the netminder’s stick side. As had happened early in the game, DHS held the lead for only a short while, with Northwood equalising almost immediately.
It was DHS’s day, however, and Van Biljon sealed their win in the fourth chukka with a pacy, low drag flick, beating the ‘keeper to his right again. This time, the home side was unable to come up with a reply, and the Horseflies stood firm to take a tough victory over a classy side.
Reflecting on the game, Hezlett said: “We were a bit wasteful with our opportunities and probably could’ve scored a few more field goals, but in saying that, so could have Northwood, with the chances they created early on.”
Affies Meisies showed a lot of character in their 2-1 win over Garsfontein. Photo: Supplied.
Afrikaanse Hoër Meisies and Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool brought joy to their supporters with captivating victories over Garsfontein‘s girls’ and boys’ teams in tightly contested Edgars Friday Nite Lights matches.
Affies Meisies, playing at Garsfontein, secured a 3-2 win, while the Witstokkeclaimed a 2-1 win over Garsies on the AHMP Astro.
At Garsfontein, Affies Meisies played with confidence. They didn’t look like a side that had lost its most recent match, beaten 4-1 by Paarl Gim the previous Friday. If anything, they looked like world beaters.
Coach Nicolene Terblanche’s charges asserted themselves in the first two chukkas and were rewarded with a 2-0 lead at halftime.
After the break, Garsfontein fought back, bringing the deficit back to 1-2 with a goal in the third chukka.
Affies Meisies restored their two-goal advantage in the fourth chukka. However, coach Sinoxolo Mbekeni’s side refused to yield, and they struck again, thus ensuring a thrilling finish to the contest. Garsies relentlessly hunted an equaliser, while Affies Meisies sought a killer punch.
“The girls kept fighting, and that was good,” coach Terblanche commented after the game. “Our defence all over the field, the entire game, was good,” said Terblanche, who also cited Affies’ short penalty defence as outstanding.
Lisa Klue, Clara Hartman, and Brigit Arndt scored for Affies Meisies, while Jana Seebach and Jancke Greyling replied for Garsfontein.
At Bond Street, Kean Cornelissen continued his goal-scoring run with a goal in Affies’ narrow 2-1 win over Garsfontein, with Reuben Dreyer also netting for the Witstokke.
Garsfontein is not a team that wilts under the spotlight and, despite playing away from home, they showed that by seizing the early initiative. Coach Steve Paulo’s side’s forays into the Affies’ half reaped a reward when they won a penalty corner, and Stiaan Wissing converted the opportunity into a goal.
The hosts attempted an immediate response, but their efforts were repelled, with Benje Terblanche and Lesego Msiza at the heart of Garsies’ defence. It was 1-0 to the visitors at the halftime break.
In the second stanza, Affies continued taking the game to Garsfontein, sticking to their game plan. “We maintained our shape throughout the match and moved the ball really well. We forced them to change their shape and also forced them to sit deep,” Jaydon Lincoln, the Affies’ coach, said.
Despite their tireless work in the midfield and up front, Affies trailed. Garsfontein’s defensive wall looked impenetrable. Suddenly, though, in the last five minutes of the third chukka, that match was turned on its head when the hosts struck twice in quick succession to take the lead.
The final chukka was a test of will and skill as both sides chased goals. Neither was able to break through, however, and the match ended 2-1 in favour of Affies.
“It was a good game of hockey,” Garsfonten coach Steve Paulo said afterwards.
The Witstokke’s victory over Garsfontein was their second win in consecutive weeks. Last weekend, they beat Paarl Gimnasium 3-2 at home.
Annika Kloppers has established herself as one of the best goalkeepers in South African schoolgirl hockey. Photo: Kaarl Seebach.
Eustress. That is the word Annika Kloppers mutters to herself when she takes her place in goal at the start of a hockey game.
She repeats it, under her breath, in high-pressure moments.
The term, which was introduced by endocrinologist Hans Selye in 1976, is Kloppers’ mantra.
“It’s the opposite of distress and serves as a reminder of a quote I once read: ‘The true sportsperson looks for difficult and challenging situations’.
“It reminds me that I should be more eager to play well than scared to make a mistake. If I do make a mistake, I tell myself what I could do better once and then put it out of my mind,” Kloppers shared with SuperSport Schools Plus.
The Menlopark goalkeeper has always embodied that mindset, even before she was aware of the existence of eustress. She became a ‘keeper because her primary school needed one, and no one was stepping forward to take on the role. Everyone else wanted to be an infield player.
Kloppers and her pink Grays’ hockey stick made goalkeeping look cool, however, and soon others wanted to take a turn between the sticks. However, they were too late. Kloppers was enjoying her new role so much that she didn’t want to relinquish it.
Her primary school coaches didn’t let her keep the position just because of her enthusiasm. They also saw potential; Kloppers’ reflexes and anticipation were second to none. She was also dedicated.
“Annika is extremely humble despite being so talented. She never stops working, and her willingness to learn is her best quality. She has two goalkeeper coaches, Gert Fourie and Shaun Laubscher, with whom Annika attends multiple sessions on top of school and club training,” Brad Brook, Kloppers’ coach at Menlopark, told SuperSport Schools.
During her time at the Pretoria school, he has watched Kloppers develop into one of the best ‘keepers in the country. The 18-year-old, who has made 55 appearances for Menlopark, is also the team’s vice-captain and one of the reasons behind the school’s rise as one of the top hockey-playing schools in South Africa.
“She had grown so much as a player and leader over the past two years, which is attributed to her desire to win games for her team,” Brook declared.
Kloppers is reserved and soft-spoken off the field. However, her duties as the last line of defence require her to be vocal and assertive. She has worked on that part of her game and is now an imposing figure at the back, where she uses her hockey IQ to organise the defence.
Kloppers is one of the best in one-on-one situations, including during penalty shootouts.
Brook identified 10 core attributes goalkeepers need: explosive reflexes, positioning and angle control, fast decision-making under pressure, controlled bravery, footwork and agility, communication, technique (kicks, blocks, slides), mental toughness, game IQ and anticipation, and fitness and durability. Kloppers ticks all those boxes.
“Our field players have a sense of calm, knowing Annika is behind them, and it allows them to play with a little more freedom,” the coach said.
Kloppers gave the world a glimpse into her abilities when Menlopark finished third in the u16 section of the 2024 Fairtree Super 12 Tournament. More recently, she pulled off some world-class saves in Menlopark’s campaign at the 2026 St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival, where they finished as the runner-up.
“One of her best performances that comes to mind would be the semifinal at St Mary’s Waverley against St Mary’s DSG Kloof. Annika was perfect from the start of regular time to the final eight seconds,” Brook recalled.
The match finished 0-0. Menlopark won through to the final, though, thanks to Kloppers’ performance in the penalty shootout. She cited that as one of her top two performances.
“My most memorable performances are beating St. Mary’s Kloof in shootouts at the semifinal of St. Mary’s Waverley Festival earlier this year and winning the [indoor hockey] Roku Cup in a shootout after chasing the game last year,” she shared.
Her consistency and brilliance have also brought her higher honours. She was a member of the Northerns‘ u16B team that finished third at the 2024 SASHOC u16 IPT. The following year, Kloppers represented the Northerns‘ u18B side, and her outstanding performances earned her a call-up to the national u17 squad.
Kloppers identified Malikah Hamza and Morgan de Jager as her goalkeeping role models, stressing Hamza’s humility and love for the game as one of her biggest drivers.
“Her humility and love for hockey stretch further than big matches and her skill level. Hamza’s character reflects what the sport is about for me. Morgan de Jager has agility and decision-making skills as a keeper that are inspiring beyond compare, and I strive to be more like her,” Kloppers said.
The Menlopark netminder is determined to follow in her icons’ footsteps. In the meantime, she is keeping her feet firmly on the ground, ready to do whatever is necessary to help her team win matches. And before each assignment, she recites the word that helps her focus: eustress.
Menlopark is riding the wave of brilliant performances this year. They will be looking to maintain that form against Waterkloof. Photo: Supplied.
Die Hoërskool Menlopark and Hoërskool Waterkloof will meet in the final of the NWU Puk Reeks hockey tournament for a third consecutive year.
They booked their spots with resounding semi-final victories.
Playing at HTS Middelburg on Saturday, the defending champions, Menlopark, underscored their dominance with a 9-0 thrashing of Transvalia, while Waterkloof cruised to a 6-0 win over Dr EG Jansen.
Menlopark and Waterkloof were inseparable in the 2024 final and were forced to share the title. They met again in the 2025 final, and Menlopark defeated Waterkloof 2-1 to lift the trophy. Coach Brad Brook’s side will be aiming to make it three in a row, while coach Omari Pienaar-Geyer’s charges will be aiming to wrestle the trophy from Menlo’s grip.
“I thought we moved the ball really nicely. The girls weren’t individualistic; their game was all about passing and moving. They looked to find one another and expose the open spaces,” Brook said of Menlopark’s play against Transvalia.
He also praised his team’s hard work, which prevented Transvalia from building play effectively. However, the most important part of Menlopark’s game was their ruthlessness in attack.
“I’m very happy with the performance. Obviously, one or two things that we can still work on, but we’re all quite happy,” Brook said.
Waterkloof, though, will pose a far stiffer challenge than Transvalia. Pienaar-Geyer’s team has been in good form. They reached the last eight at St Mary’s Waverley and then added four wins and a loss at St Stithians to their record.
“We stuck to our plan, moved the ball with purpose, and finished off with some excellent team goals,” Pienaar-Geyer summed up their play against EG Jansen.
“I love it when we play with intent. Yes, we left a few goals out there, but I’m happy with a solid team performance.”
Waterkloof dominated the midfield and denied EG Jansen room to venture into their half. They also controlled the tempo of the game, spending most of it camped inside Jansies‘ half.
Mila Rodenburg showed a great hunger for goals and was almost unstoppable in the circle, scoring four of Waterkloof’s six goals. Two of those goals were assisted by Lenique Vogel, who also produced an excellent outing.
Nicola Smuts and Kyra van der Walt scored the other goals, with Vogel, who was a constant presence in attack, adding a further assist on Smuts’s goal.
The final takes place on 18 April at Dr EG Jansen.
Westville has been on a hot streak and added a victory over Northwood to their record after an unbeaten run at the KES Easter Festival in Johannesburg. Photo: Westville/Imraan Mahomed.
Westville Boys’ High produced a tactically astute performance on their way to a 3-2 victory over a well-drilled Northwood on the Westville Astro on Friday night.
At the 3 Schools Astro, in Durban, the home team, Glenwood High, came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw with Maritzburg College.
Westville headed into their Friday Nite Lights contest buoyed by an unbeaten run at the King Edward VII (KES) Easter Festival.
The Griffins had made a slow start to the season, struggling to close out matches. That led to coach Harold Siyaya making some tweaks, which transformed their approach.
At the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup, they raised their game. At KES, they fired on all cylinders.
“We’re definitely in a good space at the moment. We’re confident in our game and backing ourselves against everyone. We know it won’t be easy, and there may still be setbacks,” Siyaya told SuperSport Schools Plus.
He took on the 1st XI coaching job at Westville when the school’s Director of Hockey, Cameron Mackay, opted for a less demanding but very important post in 2026, taking charge of the u14A side.
Siyaya picked up from where Mackay had left off and has kept the Griffins on an upward trajectory, promoting a free-flowing system that allows Westville to play a quick passing game. With pace and skilful players in their ranks, Westville has been a force on the counterattack.
Their clash against Northwood was an attritional game in the first half, which ended 0-0. In the third chukka, the Griffins took the lead and held onto it into the final chukka, which featured a deluge of goals, with Westville scoring twice, and the Knightsreplying with two goals of their own.
“The boys put together a defensive masterclass. We played a Northwood team that moves the ball really well. Our PC Defence team was exceptional; we conceded 12 penalty corners, and Northwood only managed to score one,” Siyaya said.
Samkelo Mgwaba netted a field goal for Westville, while Ethan James and Bo Mokoena converted penalty corners.
Nearer the coast, Glenwood showed admirable determination to overcome a 0-2 deficit to force a 2-2 draw with Maritzburg College.
Coach Mark Sanders’ charges pushed Glenwood onto the back foot with two first chukka strikes through Greg Hosking and Sbu Mchunu. Those setbacks, however, brought a spirited fightback from the home side, but the visitors held firm, maintaining their two-goal advantage at the halftime break.
Eventually, with eight minutes left in the third chukka, Glenwood’s efforts were rewarded, thanks to Lord Makgato, who was introduced after the halftime break, and caused problems for College with his enterprising runs.
When the Grade 9 learner won his team a penalty corner, Glenwood’s captain, Murray Wicks, teed up a shot from the top of the circle, and Ezile Makhathini deflected it into the back of the net.
Boosted by that goal, Glenwood had their tails up and were unrelenting, pressing hard for an equaliser.
Their pressure led to College, under duress, making errors. Makgato was again the catalyst for Glenwood’s equaliser, making a circle entry and getting fouled, which led to the home side being awarded a penalty stroke with two minutes remaining.
Wicks made it count.
Results
Westville Boys’ High 3-2 Northwood
Glenwood 2-2 Maritzburg College
Affies Seuns produced a polished team performance to claim an entertaining 3-1 victory over Paarl Gim. Photo: Supplied.
Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) came back from a goal down to register a comfortable 3-1 win over Paarl Gimnasium boys on the AHMP Astro at Affies on Friday night.
Earlier in the day, Paarl Gim’s girls’ team outplayed Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool (Affies Meisies) 4-1.
“The boys are starting to play like a team of individuals who care, trust, and believe in one another,” Colin Mendoza, the Affies Director of Hockey, told SuperSport Schools Plus.
Paarl Gim, who had gone toe for toe with the hosts in the first chukka, silenced the home crowd with a goal in the second chukka, and the Witstokke’s efforts to reply were met by solid defence from the touring side.
However, Affies was not going to be denied the equaliser they were relentlessly hunting. With only seconds remaining in the first half, they jolted the home crowd to life when they made it 1-1.
After the halftime break, they returned to the turf revitalised and played with more intent, launching wave after wave of attacks on the Paarl Gim goal. Wium van Niekerk, Kean Cornelissen, and Rudolf Thiart were in the thick of the action, winning duels in the middle of the park, which provided the impetus for the Witstokke’s drives into the Paarl Gim final third.
That sustained pressure earned them two goals in the third chukka. Both Coenelissen and Thiart scored, while Ruahard Nienaber also made it onto the scoresheet.
The victory was a satisfying way for the Pretoria school to close out the day, especially after their counterparts, Affies Meisies, had succumbed to a loss to the Paarl Gim girls.
Coach Danelle van Zyl’s charges arrived in Pretoria with the intention of maintaining a strong run of results. The ladies from Boland began their season with an unbeaten run of seven wins and one draw in a festival that featured Cape Town schools before finishing fifth at the St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival.
On Friday night, though, they struggled to impose themselves on Affies in the first half. Van Zyl’s charges found their stride in the third chukka, however. Their passing game functioned smoothly, and they enjoyed the better of the one-on-one duels.
Those improvements helped to lift Gimmies to a convincing victory by a three-goal margin. Ghita Husselman led the scoring with a brace, while Imka Koegelenberg and Anya Swanepoel contributed a goal each.
Firstly, he led Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje to an unprecedented eighth St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival title. No other school has won as many, and Odendaal has been at the helm in seven of those instances.
Secondly, he became the first coach to reach 400 wins with the institution. It took him only 422 games to get there.
With those 400 wins and 95 percent win-rate, he joins an elite list of South Africa’s most successful hockey coaches, which includes Mike Bechet,Tony Godding, and Brian Hibbert, who had exceptional runs with Maritzburg College, Selborne College, and Grey High, respectively.
“To have 400 wins is special, but what means more to me are the lifelong connections I create with my players and the immense pride I feel in every single one of them,” Odendaal told SuperSport Schools Plus.
His journey to 400 began with a 4-1 win over Hudson Park at the Fichardtpark Sports Day in 2013. That was the first victory in an exceptional season in which Oranje claimed 36 wins in 36 matches.
“Before arriving at Oranje, I watched a schoolgirl hockey match between two of the top teams in the country. My immediate thought was simple: this can be better.
“From that moment, the vision was clear: I wanted to raise the standard of girls’ hockey. Not just in performance, but in experience – hockey that demands attention, hockey played at a true high-performance level,” Odendaal revealed.
Among many memorable matches, one contest will always stand out for Odendaal. In 2013, Oranje faced Somerset College, a powerhouse in the Stellenbosch region. They were the team to beat, as Odendaal recalled. The match was an attritional tactical battle that tested and pushed both teams to their limits.
“That moment defined the standard, our intent, competitiveness, and the willingness to be tested. We wanted the game. They wanted it, too. It was a proper contest. We won it 3–1,” he recalled.
Odendaal knew from his first season with Oranje in 2013 that he wanted to build a powerhouse. Photo: Supplied.
That was the beginning of a run that saw Odendaal guide Oranje to six Fairtree Super 12 titles, eight All Girls’ Festival trophies, and seven St Mary’s Waverley Festival winners’ medals. Oranje also won the Free State Cup eight times and added the Bloemfontein League title eight times, too.
Between 2013 and 2022, the Bloemfontein girls recorded one of the longest unbeaten runs in schoolgirl hockey, going 127 matches and over a thousand days without losing a game.
Odendaal’s impact has extended beyond schools’ hockey. To date, 27 of his players have represented South Africa at u18, u21, and senior women’s levels. That list of players includes brilliant strikers like Antonet Louw and Minke van Heerden.
He has also overseen the development of influential midfielders, players who set the tempo of matches and open up opposing defences with speed and intent, including Simoné Gouws, Lizanne Jacobs, Sonika van Heerden, Marli van Deventer, Mia Barnard, and Saré Laubscher. Then there are the defensive generals, like Jana Greef and Jacolene McLaren.
“I’ve coached some exceptional players over the years. If I had to narrow it down, the two best I’ve coached are Mikkela le Roux and Ané Janse van Vuuren,” Odendaal shared.
While the wins on the turf mean a lot to Odendaal, the coach revealed that what means more to him is the impact his coaching has had on his players’ lives off the field.
“Every single player I’ve coached has gone on to higher education,” he said. “Most have degrees, others diplomas, and they’re all doing well after school. For me, that’s what matters.
“The skills they learn through hockey, discipline, resilience, accountability, working as part of a team, those are the things that carry into real life.”
Ané Janse van Vuuren, a current member of the South Africa national team and Oranje’s captain in 2021 and 2022, said Odendaal’s biggest strength is his ability to connect with players on a human level and his understanding of how to get the best out of each individual.
Oranje’s 2016 team was one of the most successful teams Odendaal coached. They played 47 matches, won 46 and drew only one. Photo: Supplied.
“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from Morné is mental toughness,” she said.
“Since Grade 5, he’s taught me how to stay composed under pressure, push through challenges, and develop BMT. That mindset has helped me both on and off the field.”
Marlene du Plessis, the current captain, echoed Janse van Vuuren’s sentiments. The Oranje learner said Odendaal makes it easy for players to excel because he doesn’t use a one-size-fits-all approach with his players.
“What I’ve learned most from Coach Morné is to really believe in yourself in whatever you do and to set big goals, even the ones that seem impossible at first. He has also taught me that you need to work extremely hard and stay disciplined.
“One of the biggest things he has taught me is how powerful a strong mind is. He has helped us to realise that your mindset can carry you through pressure, setbacks, and difficult moments in both sport and life.
“He has also taught me a lot about emotional intelligence, especially how to lead and work with different personalities by understanding people’s emotions, and that is something I know I will keep using and growing for the rest of my life,” Du Plessis shared.
Recording 400 wins with a single school is an astonishing milestone, and it’s one that stopped Odendaal in his tracks and forced him to look back on the path he has walked with Oranje. However, as exciting, rewarding, and successful as that journey has been, the coach doesn’t want to spend too much time reminiscing. He is already looking forward to his charges winning the next 400.
They completed their assignments with wins over Falcon College and Reddam House Constantia on Saturday. Victor Louw led the way for PBHS in a convincing 7-0 win over Zimbabwe’s Falcon with a brace, while Liam Brooker, Chad Donkin, Caylum du Preez,Bongai Vuyeqaba, and Rorisang Boshomane also netted.
Boys High kept another clean sheet and won comfortably against Reddam House, too, with goals from Paidin Grey, Louw, Du Preez, and Vuyeqaba giving them a clear-cut 4-0 victory.
Like PBHS, Clifton enjoyed a successful three days, also winning four and sharing a draw with the Pretoria school. Coach Calvin Price’s charges beat Falcon on day one, then defeated St Stithians before drawing with PBHS on Thursday. On Saturday, they saw off Reddam House and Affies.
Ryde Brisset and Daniel Holliday found the back of the net in Clifton’s 2-1 victory over Reddam and Holliday, one of his side’s leading marksmen, was on target again with a brace in a thrilling 5-4 win over Affies, with Brisset and Tye Milne, both members of KZN Coastal’s Indoor IPT-winning team, scoring the other two goals.
Menlopark racked up back-to-back wins on Saturday, beating Ashton 4-0 and the St Stithians Festival XI 3-0. St David’s Marist Inanda also signed off in style with an emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Falcon before squeezing a 3-2 win out of their showdown with Affies.
Mila Badenhorst, Nicole Smuts, and Lenique Vogel found the back of the net in Waterkloof’s 3-1 win over Epworth, before goals from Alba Lambinon, Badenhorst, and Vogel took them to a 3-0 triumph over Ashton.
DSG Makhanda breezed through the festival unbeaten with four wins and a draw. They beat Bethlehem Voortrekker on day one, charged past Waterkloof and St Stithians on day two, and then overran Ashton 6-1 before drawing 3-3 with Menlopark in their final outing on Saturday.
Coach Brad Brook‘s Menlopark lived up to their billing as one of the top teams of 2026 with four wins and a single draw in five matches.
Their record included a commanding 8-0 triumph over Beaulieu College on the first day, wins over Ashton and Epworth on day two, and a 4-0 victory over Bethlehem Voortrekker before a thrilling 3-3 draw with DSG Makhanda.
RESULTS
Boys
Clifton 2-1 Reddam
PBHS 7-0 Falcon
Hilton 2-0 St Benedict’s
Clifton 5-4 Affies
Menlopark 4-0 Ashton
PBHS 4-0 Reddam Constantia
St David’s Marist Inanda 3-2 Affies
Menlopark 3-0 St Stithians Festival XI
Hilton 2-1 St Stithians
St David’s Marist Inanda 5-0 Falcon
Girls
Waterkloof 3-1 Epworth
DSG Makhanda 6-1 Ashton
St Stithians 0-0 Springfield
Menlopark 4-0 Bethlehem Voortrekker
Epworth 4-1 Beaulieu
Waterkloof 3-0 Ashton,
DSG Makhanda 3-3 Menlopark
Beaulieu 5-1 Falcon
St Stithians 4-0 Bethlehem Voortrekker
Falcon 1-0 St Stithians Festival XI
Clifton College gave their travelling party of supporters plenty of reasons to cheer with splendid performances on Thursday at the St Stithians Hockey Festival. Photo: Supplied.
DSG Makhanda and Die Hoërskool Menlopark dominated the girls’ section, while Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) and KwaZulu-Natal’s Hilton College and Clifton College delivered outstanding performances in the boys’ section of the St Stithians Hockey Festival on Thursday.
Hilton bookended the boys’ section schedule with victories over St David’s Marist Inanda and Reddam House Constantia.
Sechaba Gude, Tadi Hove, and Ethan Maltby found the back of the net in their 3-0 win over St David’s Marist Inanda in the first match of the day.
Coach Damian Kimfley’s charges then took that form into the day’s final game. Hove and Maltby were on the scoresheet again, while Oyena Zulu added another in a 3-1 victory over Reddam House.
Their provincial counterparts, Clifton, registered a win and a draw. Daniel Rea fired them to a 1-0 win over the hosts, St Stithians, in the morning, and Tye Milne scored in a 1-1 draw with PBHS later in the day, with Bongai Vuyeqaba replying for Boys High.
Earlier, Victor Louw struck four times for PBHS in an emphatic 9-1 victory over Ashton International College, Ballito. Paidin Gray, Caylum du Preez, Chad Donkin,Liam van Eyssen, and Hans Arndt added a goal each.
That was the joint-largest victory margin on Thursday, equalled by Falcon College in an 11-2 thrashing of the St Stithians Festival XI.
Menlopark has been a force to be reckoned with at the Saints Festival. Photo: Supplied.
Menlopark, who routed Beaulieu College 8-0 to record the widest margin of victory on day one of the girls’ festival, continued their dominance.
Coach Brad Brook’s charges kept clean sheets in victories over Ashton and Epworth School, winning those games 3-0 and 4-0, respectively.
DSG Makhanda, who cruised to a 7-0 win over Springfield on day one, was put to the test by Waterkloof and passed it with flying colours.
Coach Geowynne Gamiet‘s charges fought their way to a 3-2 win against the ladies from Pretoria, with Emma Watson, Ava van der Walt, and Lucy Holderness providing the goals.
Holderness was on target again, this time with a hat-trick, to help her side secure a comfortable 4-0 win over St Stithians. Julia MacKenzie added the other goal as DSG Makhanda remained unbeaten at the festival.
Bethlehem Voortrekker and Beaulieu College had mixed results, with both recording a win and a loss.
Voortrekker began their day with a 2-0 win over Falcon before succumbing to a 0-4 defeat against Hoërskool Waterkloof. Beaulieu, beaten 1-0 by Springfield in the morning, bounced back with a 3-0 win over the St Stithians Festival XI.
In a break from the schools’ matches, the St Stithians’ old boys and girls demonstrated their smooth hockey skills, even though most of them no longer train as often as they did during their time at the institution. The St Stithians Alumni Men‘s team scored five unanswered goals against the St Stithians 1st XI, and the St Stithians Alumni Women’s team defeated the St Stithians Girls’ College Festival XI 3-0.
The teams will rest on Good Friday. On Saturday morning, the action resumes at 07:00, with Clifton College tackling Reddam House Constantia. The first girls’ match starts at 07:15, with a showdown between Waterkloof and Epworth.
RESULTS
Boys
Hilton 3-0 St David’s Marist Inanda
Clifton 1-0 St Stithians
Menlopark 2-1 Falcon
Pretoria Boys High 9-1 Ashton Ballito
Affies 3-0 St Stithians Festival XI
St David’s Marist Inanda 5-1 Reddam Constantia
St Benedict’s 4-2 Menlopark
Falcon 11-2 St Stithians Festival XI
Clifton 1-1 Pretoria Boys High
Stithians Alumni XI 5-0 St Stithians
Hilton 3-1 Reddam House Constantia.
Girls
Springfield 1-0 Beaulieu
St Stithians 1-0 Epworth
Menlopark 3-0 Ashton Ballito
Bethlehem Voortrekker 2-0 Falcon
Beaulieu 3-0 St Stithians Festival XI
DSG Makhanda 3-2 Waterkloof
Menlopark 4-0 Epworth
St Stithians Alumni XI 3-0 St Stithians Festival XI
Springfield 1-0 Falcon
DSG Makhanda 4-0 St Stithians
Waterkloof 4-0 Bethlehem Voortrekker
