Author: cschiwanza

High-flying Hilton College is primed and ready for a mouthwatering derby contest against Michaelhouse on Saturday morning. It’s the latest chapter in a storied rivalry.

Catch the action live from the Mansergh Astro on SuperSport Schools

As George Harris, the Hilton Headmaster shared in the run-up to the derby, while there have been eras when the matches have been one-sided contests, Hilton and Michaelhouse have shared the spoils more often than not.

The hosts head into the tie having outplayed Glenwood 5-0 last week. Their captain, Jarred Kitto, was among the scorers, netting the fourth goal of the game. The SA u17 star was also influential in the midfield, challenging Glenwood’s defences throughout with incisive passes.

The home team will be hoping for more of the same from their captain. Leading his side to a win over their Michaelhouse would be a perfect way to celebrate his 50^th cap for the 1st XI. Considering that Hilton usually does not play more than 20 matches in a season, that’s a noteworthy achievement.

However, while the scoreline against Glenwood might suggest that Hilton is an uber-attacking team, they are also robust in defence. “If you can’t defend, you are going to lose the game,” Hilton’s Director of Hockey, Devon van der Merwe, said.

The derby is a challenge Michaelhouse coach Nick Bérichon’s charges will embrace.

After falling behind early, they clawed their way back into the game and fired two goals past a finely tuned Kearsney defence in a narrow 2-3 defeat last Friday. That match spoke volumes about ‘House’s fighting spirit as they trailed 0-3 only 10 minutes into the game. It was Michaelhouse, however, who finished the stronger, launching wave after wave of attacks, which stretched the Kearsney defence.

They’ll take heart from the success they enjoyed on the flanks against the Botha’s Hill boys, and that is likely to feature in their game plan against Hilton.

Michaelhouse will be led up front by their X-factor player Gordon Deutscher. The industrious Pat Lambert captains the side.

Bérichon‘s boys have shown growth on the defensive end of the field, too, notwithstanding the three quick goals they conceded against Kearsney. They’ll be marshalled by the reliable Murray Hall-Jones, who does a good job of setting their defensive structure.

“Our character and resilience throughout the season have been brilliant, so we will come out fighting next weekend against Hilton,” Bérichon said after the match against Kearsney.

Now, that weekend has arrived and Bérichon’s charges are primed and ready to take on Hilton in front of a partisan crowd which, admittedly, will not be short of red-clad supporters.

While it’s a daunting challenge against a team that is enjoying a very good season, it is an encounter that has Bérichon’s charges excited. What better way to return to winning ways than with a win over their great rivals in the game that means the most?

Saturday’s match starts at 11:30.

TEAMS

Hilton: Kayson Holtzhauzen, Matt Thomas, Grant Bridgeford, Jarred Maltby, Xavier Enslin, Connor Thomason, Jarred Kitto (c), Oscar Steiner, Reagan Mudau, Jayden Roux, Robert Burman, Murray Loughor-Clarke, Tino Hove, Masud Dakile, Nic Harcourt.

Michaelhouse: Pikolomzi Nkompela, Murray Hall-Jones, Chris Angel, Braunton Bigalke, Basti Hofmeyr, Patrick Lambert (c), Thandanani Zuma, Luke Camerer, Graydon Leslie, Gordon Deutscher, William Gilson, West Mitchell-Innes, Keaton Porrill, Sithsaba Samukonda, Rory Steyn, Nicholas Fearnhead, Mokilibi Makara, Ben Heuer.

Maritzburg College and St Charles College will duke it out on Pape’s Astro, and Kearsney will welcome Northwood to Mason’s Astro, in blockbuster matches that are set to light up Friday night.

Kyle Emerson’s Maritzburg College enters the contest on the back of a 3-3 thriller against Westville – a match the coach felt his charges should have won.

His team dominated possession but were not sufficiently adept at converting that possession into goals in the final third.

Emerson pointed out that his side won seven penalty corners but managed to convert only two. However, the College gaffer was not too worried. That’s a part of the game that can be rectified.

He was happy that his strikers were growing in confidence in the D. They will need that when they cross swords with St Charles. The schools have a history of delivering edge-of-the-seat encounters.

“The Maritzburg derby is one of those fiercely fought matches. Last year, we played them at home, under lights, dominated possession, but couldn’t find the winning goal,” Emerson shared. “But having said that, St Charles also had a strong team that had two SA Schools players [one u18A and one u16B], and they brought the fight to us. They could have won the game. Fortunately, for us, they hit the post.”

Matthew Coombes’ charges will walk onto the field determined to go one better than last year’s deadlock and record a victory. Should they pull it off, the Connor Riley-captained side would become the first St Charles team to overcome College on Pape’s Astro. But given what Emerson and his charges have prepared for them, it will be an uphill battle.

“This year, we hope to be assertive and establish our dominance early. The way the team has been playing, I think we will be able to control most of the game. It will come down to whether or not we can put on the finishing touches,” Emerson explained.

College will also be buoyed by the presence of some of last year’s u16 players in their lineup. That group has good memories against St Charles on Pape’s. They won 1-0 in 2023.

In Botha’s Hill, Kearsney will host Northwood. Justin Collins’ team is looking to bounce back after a 0-1 loss to Clifton last week.

Despite that defeat, Northwood, in typical fashion, took the fight to Clifton. It is the same style of play that Collins employs when he coaches the SA u17 and KZN men’s hockey teams. It is also an approach that Ashley Kemp has prepared his Kearsney side for this season.

Kemp takes pride in his side’s defensive abilities and sees good defence as an opportunity to lay a foundation for an effective offence.

There’s been little to separate Kearsney and Northwood in the recent past.  In 2022, they drew 0-0, and last year they shared an intense 1-1 draw at Northwood.

Kemp’s charges have been prolific in front of goal this season and have scored 11 goals in their past three matches. Two of those ended in draws and the other was a win. That track record will give them confidence as they look to register a victory at home, where they own an outstanding record.

“It is our first home match under lights, and we should have at least 90 percent of the learners there,” Kemp said.

“Justin Collins is an outstanding coach, I think it’s going to be an epic battle.”

Glenwood will have their Friday night encounter about 570 kms away when Braydon Naidoo’s team squares up to Parktown Boys’ High in Johannesburg in a derby for the first time.

Besides their u16 sides meeting at the Founders Festival last year, the schools have not run into each other in recent years.

“We attend different festivals and tournaments. However, there is mutual respect. I hear that they are doing wonderful things with their hockey programme.

“Hopefully we can make it a yearly exchange and grow it from there. We are going to host Parktown next year down here,” Naidoo said.

Fixtures
Maritzburg College vs St Charles College
Kearsney College vs Northwood School
Parktown Boys’ High School vs Glenwood High School

Clifton College played well to overcome Northwood 1-0 in a tightly contested match at the Riverside Sports Club on Saturday, while Maritzburg College and Westville battled their way to an entertaining 3-3 draw on Pape’s Astro.

Clifton headed into their game buoyed by a 3-1 win over St Charles last weekend. In that tie, Calvin Price’s charges moved the ball sharply to stretch a well-structured defence, with Ryde Brisset, Zach Williamson, and Daniel Hompes finding the back of the net.

However, Price was cautious, as his team prepared for their showdown with the Knights. “Northwood is under one of the top coaches around, Justin Collins,” he said, in the run-up to the match. “My understanding is that last year it was a tight fixture, so I do think all games are going to be tight and a great spectacle.”

As expected, Northwood took the fight to Clifton, but the home team proved to be equal to the task. Clifton’s all-round play reflected the vision Price had when he took over the coaching reins this year.

Now the school’s Director of Hockey, Price previously served an internship at Clifton before he spread his wings. This year, he returned to the institution. While he found the hockey programme in a healthy space, the 2024 team was young and especially inexperienced in front of goal, so that was one of the areas he focussed on during the preseason.

Now, Price can confidently say that his team has turned a corner and is growing in confidence, especially on the offence. Not only is his side showing sharper intent up front, but they have also taken the coach’s game plan on board, and they stick to it.

“Our boys fought really hard in defence as the Northwood waves came through, but we defended extremely well. I am very proud of the boys,” Price said after the match.

Their intent in the opposition half resulted in a goal from Jared Pearson. The Clifton captain enjoyed an outstanding game – “leading from the front”, to employ a phrase used by Price to describe Pearson’s performance.

Maritzburg College and Westville delivered an entertaining 3-3 draw. Westville made the trip to Pietermaritzburg hoping to improve on the draw they shared on College’s Reunion Weekend in 2023. They anticipated a stern examination.

“College is always a tough opponent and has always been one of our biggest games of the season,” Cameron Mackay, the Westville Director of Hockey, said ahead of the tie.

Heading into the clash, Mackay felt his team had made progress after a tough preseason and early part of their campaign. He considered a 5-0 win at home against Glenwood last Friday to be a turning point and was keen for his players to use that momentum to their advantage.

College, on the other hand, was keen to bounce back after falling 2-4 to DHS in a tie where they controlled large portions of the first half, during which they created a number of chances, but failed to convert.

As they did against DHS, Kyle Emerson‘s charges controlled the opening stanza. “We were good in possession and created opportunities,” he said. “We had seven penalty corners but only converted two. This is something we are going to work on as the season progresses.”

Emerson was, nonetheless, proud of the character his players exhibited in the game, which, as Mackay agreed, became scrappy in the fourth chukka, when both sides were chasing a winner.

It wasn’t a victory, but College’s Emerson said he took heart from his team’s performance, adding that he was optimistic about the challenges that lie ahead.

Results

Clifton 1-0 Northwood, Maritzburg College 3-3 Westville

St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) and Durban Girls’ College played a combined five games this week and won all of them in style. On Saturday, St Mary’s registered their third win of the week, overrunning St Anne’s 6-0, while DGC produced an identical scoreline against Ashton.

Carla Ann Mackay’s charges experienced what she terms “an a-ha moment” on Thursday in their match against Maris Stella, where things fell into place and the team clicked. From then on, they were unstoppable as Cassandra Forbes and company cantered to a 6-0 victory over Maris Stella.

They followed that up with a 2-0 win over a very good Bethlehem Voortrekker team on Friday. Instead of relaxing and letting the two wins go to their heads, Mackay’s charges came out even hungrier when they faced St Anne’s. The St Mary’s attacking players showed confidence in front of goal and maturity in tight situations.

“I am particularly proud of our spectacular out-letting formation. Our backs really did well to show composure, maturity, patience, and creativity in outlet, which gave the team so much freedom in attack,” Mackay explained.

Elizabeth Anderson, who scored four against Maris Stella, further bolstered her season’s tally with a double against Ashton. Anna Birt, Jamie da Silva, Lunathi Mdletshe, and Ella Bowyer scored a goal each.

Over and above their performances this week, Mackay said she is also proud of the culture that is developing in her St Mary’s team. “They are really starting to play for each other every minute of every game. They work for each other at such a high intensity that the opposition doesn’t really have a break because the next Saints’ girl is always covering, or assisting, or working for their teammate,” Mackay shared.

Meanwhile, Chardinay Penniston‘s DGC are on an excellent unbeaten run. They suffered their last defeat nine matches ago, to St Mary’s Waverley at the St Mary’s Festival, which they went on to win, in a competition that featured 32 of the best teams from around South Africa. Since then, DGC has been indomitable. Not even playing two matches in three days slowed them down.

On Thursday, they went up against St Anne’s, and Tara Pakendorf, had an outstanding outing. She was the cog in DGC’s attacking play, executing incisive passes when her team drove forward. She also made hard tackles and much-needed interceptions that denied St Anne’s traction in the contest.

Ruby Kraus, who is in outstanding form, struck a hat-trick, while Asanele Zuma found the back of the net twice, and Emily Macquet also scored.

“I was very proud of the team, considering we had few substitutions,” Penniston said. “There was lots of communication and encouragement, which really helped us play and connect nicely as a team. We put them under pressure and took our opportunities and played for one another. It’s always an exciting game vs St Anne’s.”

Having beaten Ashton 6-0 earlier in the week, Saturday’s result brought DGC’s return to 12 unanswered goals in back-to-back matches.

Against Ashton, they delivered an exhibition of teamwork and sharp decision-making in front of goal. Kraus added two more goals to her season’s total, Cara Baker also netted a brace, while Chelsey Woolf and Emily Macquet scored a goal each.

Our Lady of Fatima continued their good run by registering a second win of the week, beating their neighbours, Danville, 2-0 on Friday. Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, they had swept aside the challenge of Ashton, cruising to a 7-1 victory.

Results

DGC 6-0 St Anne’s, St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) 6-0 Ashton, Our Lady of Fatima 2-0 Danville

Saturday was a satisfying day for Eunice and Voortrekker (Bethlehem), who both recorded victories away from home. Eunice was clinical in a 10-1 demolition of Clarendon, while Voortrekker (Bethlehem) showed their class as they chalked up a 3-1 victory over St John’s DSG.

Kirsten Beneke’s team entered their match against St John’s on the back of a hard-fought 0-2 loss to St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) on Friday. In that encounter, the hosts caught them flatfooted and raced into a lead which they were able to maintain despite Voortrekker settling down and finding their groove as the match progressed.

“I think these tough games are worth it. The girls learn from the exposure and the skills they teach,” Beneke shared after the match.

Instead of being dispirited by that defeat, her side showed why they are still unbeaten in the Wesgrow League, where their record reads four wins from four matches. They are a resilient bunch and have bouncebackability.

They were in high spirits for their match against St John’s in Pietermaritzburg and determined to improve on the result of their previous meeting early in the season, when the teams drew 1-1 at the Balling Tournament.

This time, the ⁠Carli Oosthuizen-captained side connected well and retained possession for long periods and two of those spells resulted in field goals. “They were amazing team goals, which we love to see. We pressed St John’s very well and thus had control of the game,” Beneke said.

Oosthuizen, who was selected for the Free State u21 team, celebrated that honour with a goal. Jani Faber and Hermien van Biljon were also on target as Voortrekker swept to a deserved victory.

While Beneke is happy with the way her team has acquitted itself on the Astro, she is even more impressed with the culture that the unit has developed. “This BVHS team has a really strong sister-bond and that never-say-die attitude, which really pushed them today,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Eunice ensured their 735km trip to East London was worth every kilometre as they romped to an emphatic 10-1 victory over Clarendon. Coach Nika Coertzen‘s charges are running rampant in front of goal. Last week, they crushed Fichardt Park 7-0.

Prolific goal scorer, Bianca Rees-Gibbs, fired four more past the Clarendon goal-minder, while Eunice’s captain, Trusten Barnard, scored twice and Storm Harris, Megan Joubert, Georgia Kambanis, and Anebel Venter added one each.

“I was very proud of our passing game. Again, a massive team effort all-round. And we took our opportunities being fearless in the circle,” Coertzen reckoned.

The Eunice coach, while satisfied by the progress her young team has made this season, refuses to be carried away by recent results and maintains that there is still work to be done to fortify certain areas of their play.

Results

Voortrekker (Bethlehem) 3-1 St John’s DSG, Eunice 10-1 Clarendon

Kearsney College and Michaelhouse provided high-quality entertainment on Friday night in a five-goal thriller on the Punchbowl Astro in Balgowan that neutral fans surely enjoyed. It ended in a 3-2 win for Kearsney.

When the sides crossed swords last year, Kearsney edged out Michaelhouse 1-0 in a high-octane contest. The coaches, Ashley Kemp of Kearsney, and Michaelhouse’s Nick Bérichon, expected nothing less this time around.

Kearsney was first out of the blocks with a goal only 30 seconds into the match, when their captain, Matthew Mendes de Oliveira, fired a drag flick into the back of the ‘House net.

That first goal ignited 10 minutes of dominance by Kearsney, during which they were exceptional on attack.

The visitors doubled their lead three minutes later through a field goal by Liam Johnson, off a deflection from around the penalty spot. The third goal came after 10 minutes when Bo Mokoena, mishit a shot in open play, but it caught the keeper flatfooted.

Bérichon’s charges were down but not out. They were not about to roll over in front of a supportive home crowd. They responded superbly, launching wave after wave of attacks towards the Kearsney goal.

When they scored their first goal, the enthusiastic home supporters roared loudly.

Encouraged, Michaelhouse piled on the pressure, forcing Kearsney into making errors. Those mistakes turned to frustration and that frustration led to some rash tackles, which saw some Kearsney players spending time in the sin bin.

At one point, Kemp’s team was two players down after both had earned yellow cards. “We made things difficult for ourselves. We had a couple of shots on target, others off target. We were lazy in possession, once more. I think Michaelhouse was a little more clinical in their possession,” declared Kemp.

Kemp is both a friend and a former teammate of Bérichon, whom he played alongside during their time at Tuks. He expected Michaelhouse to be both aggressive and unrelenting in attack, so he therefore he focused on preparing’s Kearsney deep defence when he prepared his team for the encounter. He was right to do so.

Spurred on by the home crowd, Michaelhouse took the game hard to Kearsney, reversing the momentum of the contest, and they were rewarded once more in the final chukka, to pull within a single goal of the hosts.

“I am excited for the rest of the season. The boys have a bit of momentum and a bit of confidence in goalscoring areas,” Kemp said.

Bérichon, who is in his first season with Michaelhouse, is happy with the progress his team is making.

The home side won two penalty corners and was able to capitalise on them. “We went two from two on penalty corners, so I am happy with that,” he said. “We also managed to create so many great chances towards the end and got close to equalising, but we didn’t execute.”

The Michaelhouse coach was also impressed by the character and resilience his charges exhibited in the match, and is excited for his team, which he expects to come out fighting next weekend against Hilton College.

Westville Boys’ High visits Maritzburg College for a showdown on Pape’s Astro on Friday evening, while Michaelhouse hosts Kearsney College in a contest that is expected to keep spectators on the edge of their seats on Saturday.

Westville’s preparations for the 2024 season got off to a rocky start. They rarely had a full team at their disposal, as many of their leading players also play first-team cricket. That stop-start schedule meant that they did not hit their straps until after they were a few games into the season.

“It wasn’t an ideal way to prepare for the season, but we worked hard and got what we could out of it,” said Cam Mackay, the Westville Director of Hockey.

However, the Owen Slack-captained side hit their straps last Friday when they romped to a 5-0 win over Glenwood.

While Westville heads into the College clash buoyed by their recent win, they are wary of the threat Kyle Emerson‘s side poses. “College is always a tough opponent and has always been one of our biggest games in the season. We drew last year at Pape’s, so we definitely want to get the better of them this year,” explained Mackay.

Nick Bérichon and his good friend and former Tuks’ teammate Ashley Kemp will be in opposite dugouts when their charges face off on Friday at 18:30 in a high-octane contest.

Bérichon’s side grows in confidence with each passing week and Michaelhouse’s performances on the field point to a team that is adapting to the style of play Bérichon has envisioned: aggressive and easy on the eye. That style will, however, be tested by Ashley Kemp’s Kearsney side. Last year, they defeated Michaelhouse 1-0.

“Kearsney will be very tough! They are a top side that is well coached by Ashley Kemp and have had some brilliant results this season,” Bérichon remarked.

Kemp’s charges shared a thrilling 4-4 draw away at Hilton College last weekend. In the past two years, they’ve had the edge over Michaelhouse, producing a better all-round record. However, that will have no impact on Saturday’s game, and Kemp and his charges will not be complacent. They know a serious test awaits.

“Playing against Michaelhouse at their home, with the entire school cheering them on, is going to be a different kettle of fish,” said Kemp, who expects the home crowd to provide the Michaelhouse 1st XI with a lift.

The Kearsney gaffer made sure that his charges were well-prepared for the encounter. The team has trained well, with lots of work focused on deep defence, he said. Kemp doesn’t want his side to be caught flatfooted by Michaelhouse’s attackers, whom he expects to be aggressive.

Clifton College has a tough assignment on Saturday when they take on Northwood in a Durban derby.

The teams’ rivalry dates back to when their respective coaches were still schoolboys. Clifton’s coach, Calvin Price, returns to his old stomping grounds to lead the opposition.

“In my youth, we always found the games tough. Right now, they are under one of the top coaches around, Justin Collins, and [they have] boys who know each other quite well. This is going to be one exciting game to watch,” Price reckoned.

His charges won 3-1 at St Charles last weekend after falling 0-1 behind. They showed character, took their chances, and pressed well to claim victory over a well-structured team.

The Clifton coach is seeking a performance of either the same standard or higher because that is what it will take to defeat the Knights.

FIXTURES

Saturday

Clifton vs Northwood, Michaelhouse vs Kearsney, Glenwood vs Hilton

Oranje and Witteberg headline girls’ hockey action in the Free State on Friday, while St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) and Voortrekker (Bethlehem) will meet in a contest that promises to light up Friday night in KwaZulu-Natal.

Witteberg makes the trip to Oranje for a mouthwatering showdown. Gyster van Schalkwyk and his Oranje team returned home from a successful tour to the Cape last weekend, where they edged out Paarl Girls’ High School 1-0, before settling for a 2-2 draw against Paarl Gim in a fiercely contested match.

Coach Casey-Jean Terblanche’s side will be intent on halting Oranje’s positive run of results and will aim to build off of their 5-1 thrashing of Trio when last they played.

Terblanche, a Eunice old girl who played SA Schools in 2016 and subsequently received her SA u21 colours, is moulding her team into a force to be reckoned with. In the preseason, she and her charges worked on reshaping Witteberg’s style of play into one that helps them create more 2-v-1 opportunities.

“Given the speed of our players, infusing pace into our tactics was paramount,” explained Terblanche.

As her team forges its path, Witteberg is focussed on securing victories beyond the scoreboard. They’re young and playing as a cohesive unit is something that they will consider as one of those wins. They will need to perform like a well-oiled unit if they’re to realise their ambition of clinching the Eastern Free State league title.

“We also want to test ourselves against top-tier opponents to lay a foundation for the coming year,” Botha shared. They face a huge challenge against Oranje. The Bloemfontein side is consistently outstanding.

However, Botha has Amy Kotzè and Arnè Maritz, who have both been in fine form, to lead Witteberg’s challenge. Kotze, who will be making her 70th appearance for the first team, will be keen to celebrate that milestone with a goal or two. Maritz, who bagged a hattrick in the 5-1 win over Trio, will be eager to further add to her rising tally of goals.

Juanè Loubser and Junè Lombard will reach their own milestones of 50 and 70 first-team caps respectively on Saturday, when they go up against the Free State u21 team. Their star, Kotze, will swap her Witteberg kit for the provincial uniform.

In KZN, Our Lady of Fatima will be chasing two wins in three days when they lock horns with their neighbours, Danville Park Girls’ High School.

“Our goal, as a team, is to really show everyone that we can compete with the best and play a really exciting brand of hockey. We want to fight for top two in the KZN league this year and finish in the top 20 in the country,” shared Matthew Smith, the Our Lady Fatima High School Sports Co-ordinator.

The team, captained by Katrina De Carvalho, made their ambitions abundantly clear when they walloped Ashton 7-1 on Wednesday. However, they are not walking into the tie against Danville expecting a cakewalk. Although Fatima has already beaten Danville once this year – they defeated them 1-0 at the Spar Tournament – De Carvalho and her teammates remain wary of their opposition.

“Danville is one of our rival schools, as we are in the same area. They are a tough fixture and [we] often have a nail-biting finish,” Smith explained.

A lot of eyes will be on Our Lady of Fatima’s KZN u16 trio of Gabi Howarth, Mia Lopes, and Jenna Shaw. Lopes and Shaw will do their best to control the midfield while Howarth poses a goal-scoring threat up front.

Kirsten Beneke’s Voortrekker (Bethlehem) goes head-to-head with St Mary’s DSG (Kloof). The tie will be the first of Voortrekker’s two in KZN over the weekend.

“It is a big game for us as they are currently ranked fifth in the country and we are ranked 13th,” said Beneke.

Carla Ann Mackay’s charges, on the other hand, head into the contest revitalised. Last week, they lost to their rivals, Durban Girl’s College (DGC) in a five-goal thriller. St Mary’s put that 2-3 defeat behind them and stormed to a 6-0 win over Maris Stella in their next outing.

Elizabeth Anderson led the charge with four goals, and Nicola Forbes and Alex Bowyer scored a goal each. Mackay’s charges will be keen to string victories together over the weekend – they also face St Anne’s on Saturday – to keep their ambitions for the season within their grasp.

Like Beneke, Mackay is expecting a difficult challenge, when the two sides face off. It promises to be a thrilling contest.

FIXTURES

Friday

Our Lady Fatima vs Danville, St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) vs Voortrekker (Bethlehem), Oranje vs Witteberg,

Saturday

St John’s DSG vs Voortrekker (Bethlehem), St Anne’s vs St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), DGC vs Ashton

Durban Girls’ High School tackles Kingsway in a KwaZulu-Natal league match on Wednesday, which they hope will also serve as good preparation for the All Girls Festival, which takes place in Potchefstroom next week.

DGHS coach Avril Jacobs’ primary focus in the preseason was on conditioning and fitness. Skills with poor or average fitness might help her team win a game or two, but that does not guarantee consistency. “I believe they have to be athletes first before being hockey players,” she explained.

That approach helped DGHS through three festivals, which kicked their season into gear. At one of those, the annual Spar Tournament, they did not lose a match and finished third after posting one win and four draws.

They followed that up with a stellar performance at the Crawford La Lucia Hockey Festival over the Easter weekend. Led by Gift Arinze, Jacob’s charges realised the goal they had set out to achieve. They won the title.

While outworking other teams has been the bedrock to their success, DGHS has also built its identity around its defence, well marshalled by Holly McDonald, which has been tough to breach.

Teams that have managed to get past McDonald and company have then found themselves confronted by Divine Arinze. The goalkeeper is having the best season of her career, pulling off great stops to keep DGHS in the game on a number of occasions. Her excellence was recognised at the Crawford Easter Festival and Maris Stella Indoor Tournament, where she was named the top goalkeeper.

Last Friday, she was in top form when DGHS pulled off a 1-0 win over Reddam Umhlanga in their first league match, with Kaylee Heere scoring the all-important goal.

One of DGHS’s goals for this season is to make it all the way at the All Girls Festival, which runs from 1-4 May. While matches against Kingsway have traditionally brought favourable results, they’re not taking the school from Amanzimtoti lightly. They want to head into the All Girls Festibal with a win in the pocket and the momentum that it provides.

Our Lady Fatima plays against a familiar foe, Ashton, also on Wednesday. They meet multiple times each season, in the league and at tournaments. Earlier this year, they went head-to-head in the Spar semi-finals, with Our Lady of Fatima scoring a comfortable 3-0 win. They will be focussed on extending that run of success against the girls from Ballito.

St Mary’s DSG will seek a return to winning ways when they square up against Maris Stella on Thursday. Carla Ann Mackay’s charges were involved in a five-goal thriller against Durban Girls’ College over the weekend and emerged second-best, but it was tight, with DGC claiming a tight 3-2 victory.

St Mary’s DSG is clearly one of the elite teams in South Africa in 2024, but coach Gowan Jones‘s Maris Stella girls won’t be timid when they take to the Astro against the team from Kloof. Jones explained: “One of our goals for the season is for our teams to play with no fear of the opposition and have the freedom to play the game.”

During their preseason, Maris Stella focused on the style of play Jones, the SA national men’s goalkeeper, wants them to play, particularly in the areas of outletting and the press.

Chardinay Penniston‘s Durban Girls College (DGC) visits St Anne’s with the intention of extending their unbeaten run as they continue to chase their season’s goals, which include a top-12 finish this year.

Fixtures

Wednesday: DGHS vs Kingsway, Our Lady Fatima vs Ashton

Thursday: Maris Stella vs St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), St Anne’s vs DGC

Eunice‘s and Witteberg‘s first hockey teams were in fine goal scoring form in their latest outings, recording comprehensive victories, while Oranje returned mixed results from their trip to the Cape.

Eunice got back to winning ways with a 7-0 victory over Fichardtpark on Thursday, following a 2-2 draw at home to Garsfontein on the previous weekend.

Their star player Bianca Rees-Gibbs was on target with a single goal in the tie against the Pretoria side, which continued her hot streak at the St Mary’s Festival, where she scored 17 times and was named the Player of the Tournament. Claire Volschenk was Eunice’s other scorer against Garsies.

Against Fichardtpark, coach Nika Coertzen‘s charges showed they have plenty more goalscoring options, with Rees-Gibbs not appearing on the scoresheet, although she was involved in a number of goals. Anebel Venter, Trusten Barnard, and Storm Harris scored a brace each, while Georgia Kambanis also struck.

“I am happy with the win because all seven goals were good team goals,” remarked Coertzen.

Eunice performance was highlighted by a good structure, a high press and passing accuracy. They manipulated space and provided support to each other in defence. It was an exhibition of the type of game that Coertzen wants her young team to play.

Two days after Eunice’s romp to victory, Witteberg put on a show of their own. Casey-Jean Terblanche’s charges were unstoppable as they dismembered Trio 5-1.

Despite a scoreline which suggests that Witteberg dominated from start to finish, Terblanche’s team started slowly. “The girls struggled to get going in the early stages of the game but kept pushing until they hit their straps to dominate later on, especially in the last chukka,” said Terblanche.

Arné Maritz starred for Witteberg, netting a hattrick, while Tumi Mosikili made an impact with a double of her own. Amy Kotzè and Zanè Wessels also weighed in with influential performances to guide the Bethlehem girls to victory.

Oranje set out for their trip to Cape Town expecting tough competition from both Paarl Girls’ High School and Paarl Gim. The former gave them a good run for their money, limiting the visitors to a single goal, but Oranje walked away the 1-0 victors. On Saturday, they were met by a determined Paar Gim and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

Results: Eunice 7-1 Fichardtpark, Witteberg 5-1 Trio, Paarl Girls’ High 0-1 Oranje, Paarl Gim 2-2 Oranje