Author: cschiwanza

Abdullah Mohammed delivered an outstanding all-round performance to inspire the King Edward VII (KES) 1st XI to an emphatic 13-wicket victory over Hoërskool Nelspruit in their Fasken Time Cricket Festival encounter played on the Le Rosey Oval at St David’s Marist Inanda on Friday.

On the Temba Bavuma Oval, JJ Basson blew away the Bishops’ batting order to help Noordheuwel to a first-innings lead before the sides settled for a draw after two days of back-and-forth competition.

KES vs Hoërskool Nelspruit

Mohammed was outstanding with the ball, bagging four wickets in Nelspruit’s first innings to help his side restrict the Mpumalanga side to 205/9 from their allotted 65 overs.

Mohammed’s first wicket came when KES needed a breakthrough. After losing Duan Smal early, Nelspruit had rebuilt through their captain Nathan Duncan (63) and Jayden Meyer’s 119-run second-wicket stand. The pair threatened to take the game away from KES, but Mohammed then breached Meyer’s defences to dismiss him for a well-played 65.

That wicket sparked a collapse. Including Meyer’s wicket, Nelspruit lost five batsmen for only 17 runs in 5.4 overs to slide from 154/1 after 51.2 overs to 171/6 after 57 overs. Besides Duncan and Meyer, no other Nelspruit batsman scored 20 or more runs. Mohammed finished his 10-over spell with four wickets for 33 runs.

When KES visited the crease, Mohammed was masterful with the bat. When he arrived in the middle, KES was in trouble, having lost two early wickets, on 23/2. Playing confidently, he creamed 17 fours and three sixes on his way to 115 off 152 deliveries. He was well supported by Tiago Dias (59) and Wade Mcquinn (49). Then, after Mohammed’s dismissal, Zieg Ross blasted his way to 57 off 49 as KES tallied 325/6 in 65 overs.

Despite giving away 20 extras, the KES bowling attack put up a better show their second time out as they restricted Nelspruit to 189 in their second innings. Several Nelspruit batsmen made starts, reaching the 20-run mark, but none converted that into a big total. That left KES with a 71-run target for victory, which they handled at a canter. It took them just 12 overs and the loss of a single wicket to secure the win.

Mohammed finished the match with five wickets for 50 runs in 14 overs in addition to his century with the bat.

Noordheuwel vs Bishops Diocesan College

Marius Penning (59) performed an outstanding rescue job to set a solid foundation for Noordheuwel after they lost two early wickets. When he arrived at the crease, his side was floundering on 11/2 after Waco Bassick’s whirlwind start with the ball for Bishops. The opening bowler was almost unplayable as he bagged two wickets for two runs in his first four overs.

Penning turned things around with a 65-run second-wicket partnership with Ruan Strauss (32) and followed that up with an 80-run third-wicket stand with Corné Botha (54). Penning’s 124-ball knock was a study in patience. With the foundation laid, Noordheuwel’s five next batsmen added 104 runs to see them to 280, which included a blistering 39 off 18 balls from  JJ Basson.

When he swapped his bat for the ball, Basson was nearly unplayable. Corné Olivier set the tone with three early wickets to dislodge the Bishops’ top order. He had Cameron Mcbeth, Kyle Stirk, and Alex Vintcent back in the pavilion after 16.1 overs. The Cape Town school found it tough to get back into the game from that point onwards. Singalakha Mayoyo offered some resistance, fighting his way to 45 off 114 before Basson dismissed him.

Mayoyo was the first of Basson’s five wickets in the innings. The left-arm pacer finished with five for 13 runs in seven overs.

When they emerged for their second innings, Noordheuwel struggled to get going, losing their top four batsmen for single-figure scores. Then, Botha stepped up and registered his second half-century of the match to help his side reach 200 runs. He shared a 70-run partnership with Tidimalo Moeketsane (29) and added another 70 in his sixth-wicket stand with Ethan Smith (44) on his way to a brilliant 83 off 107.

Bishops batted only 32.3 overs before the match was declared a draw. Thaafier Japtha remained unbeaten on 40 off 95 and was in the company of Waco Bassick (11 off 14). They had lost Stirk (0), Vintcent (5) and Mayoyo (15) on their way to 76 runs.

Summarised scorecards

Hoërskool Nelspruit first innings 205/9 (Jayden Meyer 65, Nathan Duncan 63; Abdullah Mohammed 4/33, Uthmaan Khan 2/21, Christian Sabela 2/22); KES first innings 325/6 (Abdullah Mohammed 115, Tiago Dias 59, Zieg Roos 57, Wade McQuinn 49; Liam Pringle 2/48); Hoërskool Nelspruit second innings 189/10 (John Duncan 29, Nathan Duncan 27, Waldemar Graham 26, Jayden Meyer 25, Rico Nel 24, Wade McQuinn 3/15,Connor Kuijers 3/46); KES second innings 71/1 (Tiago Dias 37*, Luke Clark 20).

KES won by 14 wickets

Noordheuwel first innings 280/9 (Tidi Moeketwana 60, Ruan Strauss 59, Corné Botha 52, Marius Penning 31, Extras 28, Ethan Smith 22; Waco Bassick 3/34); Bishops Diocesan College first innings 172/10 (Singalakha Mayoyo 44, Kyle Stirk 39, Waco Bassick 24, Extras 23; JJ Basson 5/13, Corné Olivier 3/20); Noordheuwel second innings 200/10 (Corné Botha 83, Ethan Smit 44, Tidi Moeketwana 29, Michael Kruiskamp 528, Alex Vintcent 2/21); Bishops Diocesan College second innings 76/3 (Thaafier Japtha 40*).

Match drawn

Northwood ended the 2024 season in style, pulling off a three-peat when they won the Gushkie Top Schools tournament by defeating the hosts, Grey College, on their home turf, in the final. It was a perfect way to close out a season that had gone from strength to strength.

Justin Collins’ charges, who went unbeaten at the Gushkie tournament, enjoyed a sneakily good season. Not many have recognised just how well Northwood did. They won 17 of their 25 matches, drew six, and lost only two. Their last loss was in April when they went 0-1 down to Clifton College in a closely contested tie.

The James Read-captained side followed that loss with a draw away to Kearsney College at Botha’s Hill on a mist-enveloped night. However, the Knights did not completely find their mojo until they locked horns with Jeppe.

“We had drawn a lot of games up until then, but when we scored some clinical goals it gave us more momentum to play better hockey for longer phases. We managed to get over the line a lot easier and put bigger shifts in,” Collins explained.

He rated his side’s 3-1 win over Jeppe as one of the best games they executed during the 2024 season. He watched them playing the brand of hockey he envisioned, and they scored some terrific goals. That victory deepened Jessop and his teammates’ connection. Jeppe had come into the match with a healthy record against the Durban school.

“It’s always nice to play against a top side like Jeppe, especially with the [strong] record they have against us,” Collins said back in April.

That performance was in the same league as their performance against Maritzburg College on Northwood’s Old Boys’ Day. In that encounter, Northwood rallied to come back from 0-1 down to clinch a 2-1 victory, thanks to two late goals. The victory over College was on brand; the Knights are in the business of pleasing their old boys.

“Another memorable one was our Gushkie final match against Grey College,” Collins said. “The boys put on a polished performance. All the players stepped up and made it count when needed. We just clicked into gear and got the result we needed.

“It was a special way to end the season because we went with a younger team but still managed to send the matrics off on a good note. The younger players stepped up and made it count. That helps us with momentum for next year,” he added.

Northwood’s younger players raising their game at the Gushkie tournament was a good sign for the future and it showed Collins that there was continuity in the ranks. His focus for the 2025 season will be on developing consistency.

Reflecting on the Knights’ performances in 2024, he said: “We showed a lot of promise this year. Losing only two games shows what we are capable of.

“We need to be fitter earlier and have more match practice to ensure we don’t have as many draws. I also need to work a lot with my strikers and penalty corner specialists for next year because if get that right we can be more effective in the new season.”

Maris Stella’s water polo program is on an upward curve, and they intend to keep the momentum as they swim towards their vision to be one of the best girls’ schools in the sporting code in the country.

Last season, while they did not lift the title in the National Aquatics Tournament, which they hosted, Jadie Goosen’s charges acquitted themselves admirably against some of the best teams in the country. Their performance was an indication of the path of incremental improvement they are on. They climbed six spots in the past two editions of the Reef Cup Tournament.

“We improved drastically, finishing on 14th, an improvement from last year’s placing of 20th. We hope to finish higher at the next edition,” Goosen shared.

To achieve that, Goosen and her coaching staff have identified four boxes that they need to tick: enhancing team cohesion, achieving consistent results, developing Individual skills and making the 2024-25 season a memorable one.

“Conditioning has been a major focus for this year as we struggled with certain movements and fitness over short distances. We have then focused on high-intensity sprints with short breaks. This has helped speed up the game tempo and heart rate which has helped us prepare,” Goosen explained.

Goosen has also been paying attention to her team’s dynamics. She has a diverse side with players from all grades. “It’s been vital that we improve our communication and teamwork by doing team drills as well as meetings to understand each other better,” she added.

Whatever concerns anyone might have had about the younger players stepping up were laid to rest when the Maris Stella U15 team finished in second place at the recent Curro tournament for the age group. That side’s success had a lot to do with the wonderful performances from Layla Dinsdale (Whole) and Amy Aarons (Fetch).

When Supersport Schools Plus inquired about the players to look out for this season, Goosen pointed to Rachel Rabie (Guard), Brogan Reid (Fetch) and Skyla Klompas (GK).

“We are very proud to announce that we had 5 players who made the KZN squad,” Goosen shared.

St Mary’s DSG Kloof was the epitome of consistency and excellence during the 2024 hockey season. The girls from KwaZulu-Natal’s coastal region won two trophies and came close to a third title when they reached the final of the Fairtree Super 12 Tournament.

Carla Ann Mackay’s charges enjoyed a brilliant season in which they scored 202 goals and conceded a paltry 25 for an astounding goal difference of 177 in 65 matches.

Their 51 wins from 65 encounters left them with an elite win percentage of close to 80% (78.5). They lost only eight matches and recorded six draws. Two of those eight losses came during a pre-season of The Netherlands.

On that tour, St Mary’s won five of their eight fixtures and drew another one. The sojourn provided the Georgia Pollock-captained side with two highlights.

“Making a final in the HDM Easter Tournament so early in the year was incredible, and we learned so much about ourselves as a team and as individuals. The girls also were lucky enough to get a few training sessions with Dayaan and Mustapha Cassiem, which was invaluable,” coach Mackay shared.

The first assignment for Saints after their trip to The Netherlands was at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, which they played without the influential Pollock, their SA Schools’ midfielder, who had sustained an injury abroad. They finished sixth in the tournament.

It was a shaky start, but they turned things around barely a week later when they won twice in as many days. They trounced Maris Stella 6-0 and followed that up with a 2-0 victory over Voortrekker Bethlehem. That 2-0 win was significant. It transformed their season.

“Looking back, that was the moment we gained proper momentum and came together as a team. We usually shy away from physicality, but that game showed us we could come up against any team, any brand of hockey, and overcome it and get a result,” Mackay explained. “That game made us realise that we really could contend for any silverware in the season.”

From that point forward, St Mary’s barely lost. They were a juggernaut that decimated the opposition. That’s not to imply that they were not tested in their victories. They crossed swords with top sides, like Durban Girls’ College, Oranje, Paarl Gim and Eunice, who tested their mettle. They always pulled through, though, thanks to the consistency of players like Anna Birt, Sibabalwe Mfazwe, Elizabeth Anderson, Jamie da Silva, Georgia Pollock and Alex Bowyer.

When she came back from her hand injury, Pollock slotted seamlessly into the side and led it with a level head, elevating the standard of play of her team-mates. However, Mackay added, while it is easy to point out the most consistent players, the rest of the side produced moments of brilliance when the team needed it most.

“I don’t want to sound biased, but when you have a side of 16 talented players who play for each other and were always good humans first, on top of being some of the most talented schoolgirl hockey players in the country, it just feels wrong to point out a handful of players. For instance, Cassandra Forbes was incredible when she was in form, and often stood out as a strong leader and really steadied the ship for us,” Mackay said.

The St Mary’s coach also pointed to Jenna-Leigh Freese; a player who was not selected as much as she would have liked.

“She has grown so much this season as an individual player, and as the season went on, despite some setbacks and disappointments, she really showed her worth and added so much value to the team,” MacKay said.

Freese was not alone. There were a few others who did not play as much as St Mary’s leading players. However, they stepped up when they were called upon to do a job for the team. That mindset speaks to the culture of a team that does not rely on individual talent but is a sum of its parts.

“While our big names stood out, the fact that these other girls were also showing up is why we won big games. They allowed us to play our best structure, the best brand of hockey, and because of that everything clicked.

“Connections were effortless, out-letting was flawless, execution of set pieces clinical,” Mackay reckoned.

That culture is the reason Saints won the St Anne’s Cup and the SPAR Schoolgirls Hockey Challenge title in a space of two months and then reached the final of the Fairtree Super 12, where they lost to Rhenish in a penalty shootout. They won their other six matches against the country’s elite at the tournament in Bloemfontein, which was unmatched.

St Mary’s would have loved to close the season on a high, but they are not letting that narrow defeat in the final eclipse the great season they enjoyed. When it began, their goals were to qualify for the SPAR tournament and the Super 12. They outdid both of those.

“I am really proud of the girls. They achieved a lot this season. They played great hockey. I am thankful that I had the privilege to coach such an incredible group of girls,” Mackay said.

“Looking forward to next season, we are integrating new youngsters coming through into the squad. We lose seven matrics, so we need to select players that will fill the spaces and add value to the team.

“But we carry on moving forward as a school and look to continuously elevate our hockey programme and showcase this incredible school and the brand of hockey that will become synonymous with St Mary’s Kloof,” Mackay ended on an optimistic note.

Eunice began the 2024 hockey season with more hope than certainty. They had lost several experienced players, the cohort responsible for their outstanding 2023 campaign which saw them finish the year as the best team in the country.

By the end of the 2024 season, coach Nika Coertzen‘s young side was better, smarter, more mature, and ready for 2025.

“I think the rocky start we had to the season showed how much experience we had lost. But that’s life. We had to start somewhere again and build from there,” Coertzen said, as she reflected on a busy year.

However, Eunice’s start to 2024 wasn’t all doom and gloom. They appeared at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival eager to show that while they are not the juggernaut side that dominated 2023, they were also not a side to be underestimated.

In Johannesburg, facing the cream of the crop from across South Africa, Eunice raised their game and beat a disciplined and strong Paarl Gim side 2-1 to reach the final.

“The girls were so disciplined in executing a game plan and we got rewarded for it. Paarl Gim is such a well-coached team, and we have a lot of respect for them on and off the field,” Coertzen said.

Four months later, Eunice had played 55 games. Despite a demanding schedule, which pitted them against many of the country’s top sides, they won 32, lost 16, and drew seven, scoring 165 goals while conceding 77.

Two of their players earned national recognition – Bianca Rees-Gibbs was selected for the SA u18A team and Georgia Kambanis made the SA u17A side.

They were not the only players to enjoy outstanding seasons. Their senior players, captain Trusten Barnard, vice-captain Zandri Wiid, and Gretha Zietsman, kept level heads and held the team together, helping it to navigate tough periods. Their goalkeeper Christene Fouchè showed great improvement and bailed Eunice out in several tough encounters.

“These players were very visible and easy to point out, but they couldn’t have done it without the help of their teammates,” Coertzen said. “A lot of youngsters have grown. They stepped up and I am extremely excited about what else they have to offer. But it is difficult to single out players as teamwork makes the dream work.”.

The Eunice coach understands that her side has to deliver on the Astro, but her approach extends beyond that. She strives to maintain a balance of competitiveness, hard work, and fun.

“That is the key to a successful team. You want players to graft hard but also make memories that will last them a lifetime. And, yes, academics is the most important thing, but the life skills learnt on the sports field develop a well-rounded person for life,” she elaborated.

“Besides the hockey, it is about understanding a player and building a relationship with them in order to get the best out of them. That trust between a player and coach, and players with one another, takes time. It is of the utmost importance. As mentioned before, a happy team is a successful team,” Coertzen added.

The results of her approach were evident in the manner in which Eunice ended the season. They were not at their best when they went up against Oranje in their final league game of the season, slumping to 1-5 loss at the hands of their neighbours and rivals.

Two days later, they met Oranje again in the Fairtree Super 12 and, instead of shrinking and allowing Oranje to have their way with them, Eunice took the fight to their opponents and held them to a 1-1 draw before winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout.

That victory against Oranje was not their only highlight from the tournament. They came back from trailing 0-2 to record a draw against Durban Girls’ College, and they also registered a draw against the champions, Rhenish.

“We played our best hockey as a team at this year’s Top 12. It was like our passing game came together and we played a good brand of hockey. The girls showed character and demonstrated that this team, as a collective, will never give up,” Coertzen said.

The Super 12 campaign showed off the growth of an inexperienced lineup. They were on fire early in the season when they convincingly beat Clarendon, but only one week later they looked like a deer in the headlights as they struggled to string passes together.

“The key is patience and time. Yes, it was very challenging at times, but a special group like this year’s is always willing to learn, and putting in the hard work makes it worth every grey hair I accumulated. They trusted the process and I am exceptionally proud of the way we finished the season,” the coach added.

Coaching is about managing all the qualities brought to the table and making magic with the cards you are dealt, Coertzen reckoned. However, that magic wouldn’t have happened without her management team and coaches, the parents and other supporters, who rooted for the side throughout the season, she said.

“It is genuinely much appreciated and a massive TEAM effort. I am incredibly proud of the team of 2024 and, when I reflect back on the year, I cannot help but have a smile of gratitude.”

However, Coertzen is not content to rest on this year’s highs and hope for a better season next year. She is already planning for the 2025 season.

Kearsney College’s water polo team is back in the pool and preparing for the 2024-25 season. Earlier this year, Nicholas Rodda’s charges finished their season in style, beating St Alban’s College 10–8 in the final to lift the Reef Cup Water Polo Invitational Tournament title.

“Winning that tournament and going unbeaten in term one was a big highlight. Beating Hilton twice was also a big one for us,” Rodda shared.

The Reef Cup title was lifted five months ago, and while Rodda is keen to use it as a building block as Kearsney prepares for the new season, he doesn’t want to focus only on problem areas he saw in March. The Kearsney coach is focusing on all aspects of play and going back to the basics.

By creating a well-rounded team that can execute in all areas, the boys from Botha’s Hill hope to accomplish or come close to fulfilling their goals for the season.

“We want to do the best we can to improve on our sixth-place finish at last year’s Clifton tournament. This year is also our first attendance at the Saints Stayers Tournament in a few years. We are aiming to do the best we can there,” Rodda said.

While Rodda’ wants his side to perform as a unit, Kearsney certainly has some players who were key performers in their outstanding first term that they will again lean on, including Blake Kruger, James Pohl, and Luca Sandri.

Kruger was a member of the KZN u19B team that contested the semi-finals of the inter-provincial tournament last year and his skills and experience will be invaluable in Kearsney’s campaign. Pohl and Sandri helped KZN win the u16 IPT, and earlier this year they were members of the KZN Currie Cup team that finished as the runners-up in the inter-provincial tournament in East London.

Sandri’s pedigree in the pool cannot be overstated. He was part of South Africa’s gold medal-winning relay teams in the 4×50 and 4x100m at the 2023 BRICS Games in Durban.

Kearsney has been in pool training for three weeks now and has played two pre-season games against Westville and Glenwood, cruising to a 19-6 victory over Glenwood and falling 8-11 to Westville.

The KwaZulu-Natal coastal schools are involved in preseason games on Tuesday nights. Unfortunately, Kearsney’s third pre-season fixture against Clifton has been cancelled because of illness in the Durban school’s ranks.

It will, therefore, be a while before Kearsney is back in action. Rodda’s charges will face Hilton and Michaelhouse on 3 September.

St Anne’s Diocesan College capped off the 2024 hockey season with a 2-1 win over Menlopark at the Fairtree Super 12 tournament. A victory is a good way to close a chapter.

The use of the word chapter is not accidental. Morné Odendaal, the St Anne’s coach, views his tenure like a book.

All seasons are connected. They are all part of a single process geared towards the growth and development of the St Anne’s hockey programme.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that St Anne’s was the youngest of the teams that contested the Super 12. “The girls were a little short on experience, but they dug deep and delivered an impressive performance, finishing 11th,” Odendaal said.

“They made us all incredibly proud, showcasing remarkable grit and skill. Special recognition goes to Lucy Porril for her outstanding leadership in Lebone Sibiya‘s absence, and to Belle Hofmeyr, who proved her exceptional talent to the entire country.”

While proud of how his side acquitted themselves at the elite annual event in the absence of their captain, Lebone Sibiya, who sustained an injury just before the tournament, and star player Ella Shuttleworth, who was injured in the first game, Odendaal is more impressed by his charges’ performances throughout the season.

“We had a very strong start to the season but had a little bump in the middle. Coming third at the St Anne’s Cup was a massive highlight of our season,” Odendaal shared.

The midseason dip affected their momentum, but the KZN Inland school managed to arrest that slide. They recovered and elevated their performances again, which led to their impressive run at the inaugural St Anne’s Cup.

It was a busy season, with St Anne’s playing 58 games. They scored 131 goals, more than double the 56 goals that they conceded.

Two of their 37 wins were over Eunice, one of the best sides in the country. St Anne’s faced the Bloemfontein school, which finished as the runner-up at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, four times this year, winning twice and losing twice. In total, Odendaal’s side lost 11 matches and drew 10 times.

The Hilton school’s 2024 campaign was built on the back of reliable and outstanding performances from Shuttleworth, Belle Hofmeyr, Holly Hofmeyr, Jasmin Kelly, Jade Kelly, and Kgabiso Morafo.

“I think Kgabiso was our most improved player this year,” Odendaal said. “Last year, she was picked as the third-choice goalkeeper for the u16 team, and in 2024 she played first team and made the SA u17 side,” he explained.

The coach took away many positives from the season. There were numerous highlight moments, but those he will file among the good memories and lessons learned because he is already working with his side on the next chapter.

In an early season chat, Odendaal said the first step he took when he accepted the position at St Anne’s was to establish a year-round hockey programme.

“This approach provides players with more opportunities to enhance their skills and reach their full potential. So, we leveraged all available resources and implemented a five-day-a-week hockey programme throughout the year,” he shared.

That means Odendaal and his charges have little time to bask in their accomplishments from this season.

“We started preparing for the 2025 programme today, 13 August,” he said. “We have a group of players that want to change their story. Next year, we want to be the best we can be, grow as a hockey programme, and win some trophies.”

The coach understands that trophies won’t come easily. It will take hard work and dedication. But Odendaal and his side are committed to putting in the hard yards.

Captain Leah du Plessis was outstanding as she helped Rhenish Girls’ High win their maiden Fairtree Super 12 title after a thrilling final against St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) on Saturday at C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje in Bloemfontein.

The sides finished regulation time all square at 1-1. That took the game into a tense penalty shootout and Rhenish took it 3-1.

It was a fifth appearance at the annual event for the Stellenbosch school. Before their title-winning campaign, their best achievements were finishing fourth in 2019 and 2023.

“I am very proud of the girls,” Chris Gerber, the Rhenish coach, said after the match. “This title is their reward for the hard work and consistency they have shown throughout the year.”

Rhenish has suffered only three losses this season, losing once at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival; in the final at the All Girls Festival in Potchefstroom, when they, ironically, went down to Affies in a penalty shootout; and then once against Paarl Gim, who claimed a 3-2 win in a Western Cape league match last month.

Rhenish began the match on the back foot. After a few minutes of feeling each other out, St Mary’s seized the initiative and tested Rhenish’s defensive resolve by launching numerous forays into the opposition half. The pressure from the KwaZulu-Natal side resulted in three penalty corners.

Elizabeth Anderson was on the end of the third penalty corner and drilled the ball past two defenders and the goalkeeper to register the first goal of the contest on the stroke of halftime. Anderson, who enjoyed an outstanding campaign, finished the tournament as the top goal scorer with six goals.

“We had a poor first half. We didn’t play with enough energy and one of our focus points in the team talk was us playing with energy. I reminded them that we had nothing to lose,” Gerber said.

That talk brought to life the team Gerber had seen interacting after their semi-final win over Waterkloof. The coach had watched his side growing in confidence as the tournament progressed, but it was after that semi-final victory that he noticed them embracing the belief that they could win the title. Their 3-0 win in the final four was set in motion by a 26th-minute goal from Shené du Plessis – “from nowhere”, as Gerber described it.

When they returned to the Astro, Rhenish took control and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession for the first few minutes of the second half. However, that dominance did not last long as St Mary’s came to life and forced several penalty corners. The game was evenly balanced as the teams traded shots.

Leah du Plessis, who enjoyed a good campaign, led from the front. She stepped up for Rhenish when it mattered, and she did so when it was most needed, in the final.

Rhenish didn’t win many penalty corners. However, Gerber’s charges converted the first one they won. The injection was accurate and as she had done all tournament, Du Plessis did not make a mistake from the top of the D. She unleashed a fiery shot into the goal box to draw Rhenish level.

That was the fourth time during the tournament that Du Plessis had struck from a penalty corner. Those four goals made her the tournament’s second highest goal scorer, which she shared with Paarl Gimnasium’s Joné de Winnaar.

The goal also swung the momentum back in favour of Rhenish, with the Western Cape girls keeping St Mary’s pinned in their own half. Gradually, though, Carla Ann Mackay charges wrestled control back and made a concerted effort to manufacture a winning goal. But Rhenish was equal to the task.

The match finished 1-1 and the teams went to a penalty shootout.

Du Plessis stepped up to take the first one and had little trouble converting it. Anderson was first up for St Mary’s and drew them level. Phillipa Viljoen, who also had a good tournament, converted Rhenish’s second penalty to put her side into the lead once more.

Rhenish’s goalkeeper, Jasmine Aitken, has not had a heavy workload during the season, thanks to a very solid defence in front of her. However, in the times that she has been asked to step up, she stood tall. And she was at it again when she denied Cassandra Forbes a goal from the second St Mary’s penalty.

Sarah-Ellen Groenewald did not make a mistake when took responsibility for Rhenish’s third penalty. She scored and secured the title for her side.

Final standings

1 – Rhenish
2 – St Mary’s DSG
3 – Durban Girls’ College
4 – Waterkloof
5 – Paarl Gimnasium
6 – Eunice
7 – St Stithians College
8 – Oranje
9 – Bloemhof
10 – Garsfontein
11 – St Anne’s
12 – Menlopark

St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), Waterkloof, Rhenish Girls’ High, and Durban Girls’ College were confirmed as the Fairtree Super 12 semi-finalists after Friday’s action in Bloemfontein at C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje.

Those four teams occupied the top two places in their respective pools.

For a first time since the event’s inception in 2014, there is no Free State representative in the semi-finals. It is also the first time that two KwaZulu-Natal sides have made the semi-finals at the same time.

The first of the KZN teams is St Mary’s DSG, who are through to the final four for a third time. They ruled the roost in Pool A, winning all five of their games.

Coach Carla Ann Mackay’s charges will play against their neighbours and rivals, Durban Girls’ College (DGC), in the semi-finals. Saturday’s showdown will be the third time the sides have met in either the semi-finals or final of a tournament this year.

DGC finished second in Pool B, after registering two wins and three draws. It’s their third time in Fairtree Super 12 semi-finals. Their best finish was third place in 2022.

Rhenish secured the top spot in Pool A after drawing with DGC in the last match of day two. The Stellenbosch side won three and drew two matches, which took them to 11 points. Like St Mary’s, they’ll be in the semi-finals for a third time. They made the final four last year, too, but coach Chris Gerber’s team had to settle for fourth on both of their previous semi-final appearances.

Rhenish will square up against Waterkloof, which is the only side to be making its debut in the top four. Waterkloof’s only previous appearance at the Super 12 was in 2016, when they finished in 10th place. Klofies grabbed second place in Pool A, winning twice, drawing once and losing twice.

The match of the day on Friday was between Paarl Gimnasium and Oranje, who finished third and fourth in Pool A respectively. While St Mary’s had accumulated an unassailable 15 points, the second spot remained up for grabs until the final Pool A game was played. Any one of Waterkloof, Paarl Gim, and Oranje could have made it through to the semis, depending on the result.

In a thrilling encounter, Paarl Gim and Oranje fought out a 0-0 draw, which included a pause in play after a power cut knocked out the floodlights for a while. Not even that pause in proceedings could throw either team off course, and they took to the field with their intensity undiminished when play restarted.

Pool B had less drama and the only jostling that happened was for the top spot, which came down to the final group match between Rhenish and DGC. The KZN girls had to win to claim first place, but they were unable to do so and needed an equalising goal three minutes from time to pull off a draw.

Pretoria’s Garsfontein and Menlopark went at it in the first cross-pool match of the tournament, with Garsies coming away with a 2-0 win. In another cross-pool clash, Bloemhof and St Anne’s crossed swords, and Bloemhof cantered to a 3-1 win over the KZN side.

Results

St Stithians 1-0 Menlopark
Durban Girls’ College 4-1 St Anne’s
Oranje 0-1 St Mary’s DSG
Paarl Gim 1-1 Garsfontein
Waterkloof 1-0 Bloemhof
Rhenish 4-0 St Stithians
Durban Girls’ College 2-2 Eunice
St Anne’s 2-1 Menlopark
Waterkloof 0-1 St Mary’s DSG
Bloemhof 0-1 Garsfontein
St Anne’s 0-0 St Stithians
Menlopark 1-0 Eunice
Oranje 0-0 Paarl Gim
Rhenish 1-1 Durban Girls’ College
Garsfontein 2-0 Menlopark
St Anne’s 1-3 Bloemhof

St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) and Rhenish seized the initiative on Thursday, day one of the Fairtree Super 12 Tournament, which is being played at C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje in Bloemfontein, from 8 to 10 August.

St Mary’s, after playing three games, leads Pool A, which also includes Oranje, Paarl Gimnasium, Garsfontein, Bloemhof, and Waterkloof.

Rhenish sits at the top of Pool B, ahead of Durban Girls’ College, St Stithians, Eunice, Menlopark, and St Anne’s.

St Mary’s hit the ground running on Thursday and made an impressive start to their challenge for the honours. The KZN side bagged a maximum nine-point haul and leads Pool A with wins from each of their three matches. In their opening game, coach Carla Ann Mackay‘s team made their intentions clear with an emphatic 4-0 win over Garsfontein.

As early as the fourth minute, Anna Birt found the back of the net to put the KZN girls ahead. It took a further 25 minutes before another goal was recorded, which was when the prolific Elizabeth Anderson struck to double the Saints’ lead.

That goal marked the beginning of a nine-minute purple patch during which St Mary’s scored three times. The other goals came from the sticks of Alexandra Bowyer and Nicola Forbes.

Their second tie was a tougher contest against Paarl Gim. It was goalless after the first half.

Coach Ian Naudé’s charges then broke the deadlock with a goal from Joné de Winnaar. St Mary’s equalised 10 minutes later through Anderson and Birt scored the winner just a minute after that.

Later in the day, Mackay’s charges went head-to-head with Bloemhof and registered another 2-1 win. Anderson slotted her third goal of the tournament and the first for St Mary’s in the ninth minute.

Liela van Zyl replied for Bloemhof in the 23rd minute to level the scores. However, Bloemhof didn’t hold onto the draw for long as Bowyer scored her second goal of the tournament, which was also the second for St Mary’s in the match.

Paarl Gim, Oranje, and Waterkloof are in second, third, and fourth place respectively in Pool A, having all won one, drawn one, and lost one, which leaves them on four points each. Paarl Gim is ahead of the other two because they have scored more goals.

Rhenish tops Pool B after sailing through day one of the Super 12 tournament without tasting defeat. Coach Chris Gerber‘s side has seven points after winning two of their three games and drawing the other.

In their first match, the Leah du Plessis-captained team found themselves trailing 0-1 in the first five minutes of the contest, after Nicola Thomas’s early goal for St Anne’s. However, the KZN side held onto the lead for only 12 minutes before Philippa Viljoen equalised with a field goal three minutes before the half-time break.

Du Plessis converted a penalty corner two minutes after the restart to put Rhenish ahead. Ten minutes later, Gerber’s side increased their lead further and finished the game as 3-1 winners.

In their second outing, the Stellenbosch girls breezed to a 3-0 win over Menlopark.

Kaitlyn van Binsbergen struck in the very first minute of play to put her side ahead. For the next 27 minutes, the score remained unchanged. Then, Puck Bakker doubled Rhenish’s advantage. Gerber’s side made sure of the points in the 38th minute with a third goal.

In the last match of the day, Rhenish played out a 0-0 draw with Eunice. With that draw, Eunice separated themselves from Durban Girls’ College (DGC), who have four points and are in third place in Pool B, although they have played a game less. Eunice has five points from a single win and two draws, while DGC has a single win and one draw.

Day two will provide a thrilling spectacle, with a couple of KZN versus Free State matches set to light up the turf. Pool A leaders St Mary’s tackle Oranje in a clash that is crucial for the tournament hosts, while in Pool B DGC and Eunice meet in a rematch of the St Mary’s Waverley Festival final.

Results

Pool A

Paarl Gim 1-1 Bloemhof
Oranje 0-1 Waterkloof
St Mary’s DSG 4-0 Garsfontein
Oranje 0-0 Bloemhof
Garsfontein 0-0 Waterkloof
Paarl Gim 1-2 St Mary’s DSG
Oranje 2-1 Garsfontein
St Mary’s DSG 2-1 Bloemhof
Paarl Gim 1-0 Waterkloof

Pool B
Rhenish 3-1 St Anne’s
Durban Girls’ College 3-2 Menlopark
St Stithians 1-1 Eunice
Rhenish 3-0 Menlopark
Eunice 2-0 St Anne’s
Durban Girls’ College 1-1 St Stithians
Rhenish 0-0 Eunice