Author: kfairweather

In stark contrast to last weekend’s uncomfortably hot weather, Hilton College relished the opportunity to move the ball around beautifully on a cool and cloudy day when they hosted Glenwood on the Mansergh AstroTurf on Saturday. They were rewarded with five goals.

The terrific Tino Hove opened the scoring through a well worked left hand-side attack. That move exhibited the hosts’ explosive brand of hockey and set the tone for the match, which they dominated in all aspects of play.

Credit must go to the two excellent umpires, Ayden Shrives and Brian Riddle, who allowed the game to flow, but also protected the skilful players.

Quality midfielder and captain, Jarred Kitto, led Hilton well, demonstrating outstanding vision and pre-scanning, which enabled him to provide his strikers with plenty of opportunities. Masud Dakile was particularly impressive in his hard running off the ball.

Hilton was on fire in the first chukka, winning turnovers and playing fast, with great connections and collective play. They peppered the Glenwood circle with dangerous 40m passes, combined with impressive ball speed, and the use of width and depth.

In the 12^th minute of the first chukka, the hosts won their first of six penalty corners.

Credit must go to the Glenwood goalkeeper, Caleb Hendrikse, who pulled off several superb saves during the game as Hilton’s surfeit of possession produced a steady flow of circle entries.

After Hove’s opener, man of the match, Grant Bridgeford, converted a penalty stroke for the home side, after a defender deliberately pushed a Hilton striker in the back, to double their advantage.

Later, with wonderful composure, he repeated the feat after Hendrikse was penalised for also deliberately pushing a Hilton player in the back, which extended Hilton College’s lead at half-time to 3-0.

With the Hilton coaching staff demanding more clinical finishing and better outcomes in the final third, their sharp strikers were in the game throughout, thanks to well-constructed phases of crisp passing.

Jarred Kitto was rewarded for his industrious game with a well taken goal fired high into the Glenwood net.

After a few more short corners to the home team, a beautiful baseline run ended with a fantastic diving finish from Oscar Steiner, bringing the final score to 5-0 in favour of Hilton College.

The cream of South African schoolgirls’ hockey was on show at St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) on Saturday, with the home side hosting St Mary’s Festival champions, Durban Girls’ College (DGC), on Founders Field.

Both coaches, Chardinay Penniston (DGC) and Carla Ann Mackay (St Mary’s DSG), can be justly proud of their respective team’s performances. It was a truly great game between two excellent hockey sides, with superb skill, a terrific tempo, beautiful ball speed, smart tactics, and flair on show.

On a hot autumn Saturday, DGC won the first chukka 2-0. Their first goal came down the right-hand side after an unfortunate misunderstanding between two St Mary’s players, with the hardworking Ruby Kraus receiving a neat pass from Cara Baker to score the first of her two goals off her front stick.

Offensive overheads and 40 m passes worked for DGC, resulting in them creating opportunities in the final third of St Mary’s DSG.

The first penalty corner, awarded by top umpire Richard Pentecost, went to St Mary’s. They went to a variation the first time up, with the injection not to either of the two castles but to the captain of the day, Cassandra Forbes, standing to the left of them.

The first chukka closed off with an Asanele Zuma tip-in goal from a DGC short corner, which left them looking comfortable at 2-0 in front heading into the second chukka.

Despite trailing, St Mary’s were not out of the game, and they showed character and good structure, well marshalled by their captain at the back, Cassandra Forbes.

Key player, Georgia Pollock (SA u18 last year), who is still recovering from a finger injury she picked up on St Mary’s tour of The Netherlands, would definitely have given her team more midfield control, balance, and experience.

Chelsea Woolf showed her class with a few penetrative runs and excellent vision, and through her DGC gained a number of dangerous circle entries.

Player of the match, DGC’s composed captain, Emily Macquet, controlled her side’s rhythm throughout the contest. She was also solid in defence, and in her role as the perfect pivot player on offence.

With Macquet controlling the middle of the field, St Mary’s DSG changed their tactics to play wide down the flanks of the visitors. This paid dividends, with the skilful Elizabeth Anderson scoring a well-deserved reverse stick goal for her team.

Chelsea Woolf earned a further short corner for DGC, from which Ruby Kraus sweetly struck the ball from castle one into the left-hand corner of the St Mary’s goal.

Later in the game, DGC was perhaps unfortunate to not be awarded a penalty stroke after a strong counterattack.

With Cassandra Forbes taking on a greater attacking role, St Mary’s were more dangerous, having found the space they wanted out wide, and they forced their way back into the game with a deflection goal by Nicola Forbes off a short corner.

Another industrious run by the creative Chelsea Woolf ended with her shot going just wide of the left post, but DGC took the honours 3-2 after a remarkable game of hockey.

The KwaZulu-Natal Coastal girls’ u18A team will, no doubt, include a good number of players from both DGC and St Mary’s DSG in what will certainly be a gold medal challenging team at the Inter-Provincial Tournament in Bloemfontein. It takes place from 15 to 21 June and is followed by a Tri-Series against Malaysia u18A and Namibia u18A a week later, from 28 June to 3 July.

Both of Friday night’s KZN games produced plenty of goals and praise for their players from the respective victorious coaches.

Despite windy and wet conditions, Maritzburg College and Durban High School (DHS) played to their strengths and scored five and three goals respectively to start the second term hockey season off on a high note.

College coach Kyle Emerson was positive in his post-match comments about his injury-stricken squad, who maintained possession well and played with good structure to run out 5-0 winners.

Glenwood started the floodlit game on the 3 Schools Astro with plenty of energy and determination. It was only in the 13^th minute of the second chukka that College scored their opening goal from the quick reverse stick of a hardworking and dangerous Brett Hosking.

Glenwood had a handful of circle entries, with their best chance of beating SA u17 goalkeeper, Nicholas Holmes (v-c), coming in the final seconds of the fourth chukka.

Hosking netted his second from an effective right-hand side attack, while Julian Konigkramer (v-c; KZN Inland u18B last year) slotted College’s second and third goals with a neat backhand shot and a low drag flick beating Caleb Hendrikse.

Ethan Maynard wrapped up the visitors’ scoring, with College’s fifth goal coming after a swift counterattack down the “hot line.”

Coach Kezlett was humble in his post-match comments about his potent DHS team, which beat a strong and competitive Westville Boys’ High School first team in a high-class game of hockey.

Rapid inter-passing, pinpoint connections, clever “handball” movement around the opponent’s circle, and variations of their respective speeds of attacks, characterised a clash of two top teams at The Colisseum.

Excellent one-on-one eliminations from both teams, as well as clever coaching tactics, allowed Lumi Matwela (SA u17A last year) to open the scoring with a superb reverse stick shot.

Westville equalised with a deft deflection from Thabo Dlamini in front of goal, after a crash ball in from the right-hand side.

Lethabo Bogacwi (SA u18A last year) scored DHS’s stunning second goal via a right-hand side attack, with a diving shot that will be remembered by the DHS Blackmore House boarders supporting their terrific team.

Nathi Jona rounded off a good night out for DHS with another diving deflection from a deliberately delivered “slider right” off the first castle at a short corner.

Final score: DHS 3-1 Westville.

The highlight of this weekend’s schoolboys’ hockey fixtures in KwaZulu-Natal will be a showdown between Durban High School (DHS) and Westville Boys’ High School. A good crowd is expected at The Coliseum, the DHS floodlit astroturf, at 18:30 on Friday evening.

Cam Mackay, the experienced and astute Westville coach is looking forward to Friday night’s classic clash: “Our Coastal Cup Festival went well; we had good results across the board and certainly feel ready to take on the season,” he said.

Catch all the hockey action live on SuperSport Schools.

“DHS will be a really tough game, especially at DHS. They are a great team this year and they have so many game-changers that can influence the game.

“We are definitely up for the challenge and will go in as underdogs which, I think, is a good tag for the boys. Hopefully the game lives up to the hype.”

Keegan Hezlett, the new DHS first team coach, has enjoyed a good start to the season. His side was unbeaten at the Coastal Cup, and they also recorded a hard-fought 1-0 win over a very good Kearsney College side, at Kearsney, at the end of the first term, which few teams manage.

Hezlett feels his team is well prepared and he is expecting a wonderful game between two talented, well structured, and skilful teams.

Kyle Emerson, the wise Maritzburg College first team coach, is full of praise for his young squad, which has grown in confidence and cohesion. At the recent Nomads and KES Festivals, his charges started to assert themselves. However, he has lamented a few unfortunate injuries which have affected the selection of his team for their game against Glenwood.

Nonetheless, he is confident his team’s good ball retention, well-structured and high pressing game, will reap rewards against the Durban school.

Ipeleng Mosupye, the courageous College captain, received his 50th cap at the KES Festival. Coach Emerson was complimentary about Mosupye’s leadership and that of the other experienced leaders in the team, who have shown their versatility in playing different positions, and who have also helped College’s younger players adjust to first team hockey.

Glenwood’s coaches, Braydon Naidoo and Michael Labuschagne, are quietly confident going into the fixture, after a successful time at the Saints Sports Festival.

“I am excited for the fixture and look forward to a really good afternoon of some quality hockey,” Naidoo said.

The home side’s coaches will, no doubt, be urging their Glenwood first team to be bold and courageous on their home turf.

If they can start well and defend collectively, maintain good discipline and communication when they don’t have the ball, Glenwood could then use their explosive counter attacks to put College under pressure.

If the visitors score early, they could face an uphill battle against a College team that has shown that stringing together five or six passes in a phase will bring them opportunities to score and dominate.

TEAMS

DHS

1 Dilan Ebrahim, 2 Bhavesh Naicker, 3 Ruben Peters, 4 Lethabo Bogacwi, 5 Mahlatse Sebake, 6 Sithsaba Siyoyo, 7 Lumi Matwele, 8 Nathi Jona, 9 Tyrique Cloete, 10 Josh Mungherera, 11 Lethabo Matobela

Semal Pillay, Sihle Sogoni, Lubanzi Zulu, Josh van Biljon, Christopher Abrahams

Westville

1 Ameron Moses, 2 Max Robertson, 3 Kaeden McAllister, 4 Nicolas Ackerman, 5 Owen Slack, 6 Curt Rogers, 7 Josh Beck, 8 Sibusiso Cele, 11 Seth Simpson, 13 Thabo Dlamini, 14 Roxton Payne

20 Bryce Powell-Rees, 12 Misbah Nair, 18 Tyhil Naidoo, 9 Heath Stott, 19 Bo Mokoena

Maritzburg College

1 Nick Holmes, 2 Ethan Fabre, 3 Awanda Mthalane, 4 Siwa Sithembu, 5 Rory Schirge, 6 Ipeleng Mosupye, 7 Julian Konigkramer, 8 Kadin Jenkins, 9 Greg Askew, 10 Banele Dlamini, 11 Ethan Maynard, 12 Matthew Smith, 13 Tai Fulton, 14 Noah Jackson, 15 Brett Hosking, 16 Andile Lembethe

Glenwood

1 Caleb Hendrikse, 2 Braigen Yunnie, 3 Sibani Mtolo, 4 Qhama Dyakopou, 5 Siya Malatjie (c), 6 Mlondi Nyawose, 7 Ntando Soni, 8 Krian Jugoo, 9 Sibonelo Phewa, 10 Ryder Chislett, 11 Jared Gallagher, 12 Murray Wicks, 13 Ezile Makhatini, 14 Kaden Henderson, 15 Xaydon Kariko

On 1 August 1998, Maritzburg College became the first school in South Africa to play a game on its own Astro. Now, on Friday, the famous Pape’s will host its first match under lights when College takes on Clifton College.

There is no doubt that both the Maritzburg College and Clifton College first teams are well prepared and well drilled for the 2024 hockey season, with early morning sessions, gym programmes, and some good pre-season matches against local schools all preparing them for the action proper, which starts on Friday.

Calvin Price, the new Director of Hockey at Clifton, is excited about the Friday Night Lights 2024 season opener in Pietermaritzburg.

Price, who recently guided the KZN Raiders Ladies indoor hockey team to a winner’s gold medal at the National Ladies Indoor IPT in Cape Town, reflected: “College hockey is always strong, and with years and years of building a hockey culture, College under lights on Pape’s, no doubt, will be a challenge, but we are up for it and looking forward to it.”

Price has succeeded Keagan Pearce (now the Director of Hockey at Kearsney College) as the head of Clifton’s hockey, and ahead of the new season he acknowledged the excellent work done by his predecessor, saying he was grateful for the hard work and passion Pearce had put into the Clifton programme.

“We will be playing an exciting brand of hockey where we will be expressing ourselves on attack and defence. We are a young squad, with loads of talent, and we look forward to the busy winter season ahead,” Price said.

Kyle Emerson, the College first team coach, said he is thrilled to have his team run out under their new floodlights, and excited to have the school’s passionate boarders and staff out on the banks of Pape’s to support the Red Army.

College’s SA u17 goalkeeper, Nicholas Holmes, who competed in the second edition of the u17 Dato Mirnawan Cup in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, in December 2023, will have a key role to play if College is to record a victory.

He, together with the experienced Julian Konigkramer (KZN Inland u18B last year), will co-lead the Red, Black, and White as vice-captains, supporting their impressive captain, Ipeleng Mosupye (KZN Inland u18A last year).

Head down to the Pape’s Astro at 18:30 to enjoy a game of superb skills, patience, and explosive counterattacks or follow the action live on SuperSport Schools.

The main game will be preceded by three others. The u14A teams meet at 15:30, the u16As start at 16:30, and the 2nd sides begin at 17:30.

Maritzburg College has made braais available for spectators who wish to bring and braai.

TEAMS

Clifton College 1st team

1. Daniel Hompes (vc), 2. Jared Pearson (c), 3. Ethan Lyne, 4. Tom Ehrich, 5. Tristan Smith, 6. Zach Williamson (KZN Coastals u16A 2023), 7. Georg Wolhuter (GK), 8. Bryon Ward, 9. Tiago Suarez. 10. Ryde Brisset (KZN Coastals u16A 2023), 11. Tye Milne, 12. Tim Saulez (KZN Coastals u16A 2023), 13. Jason Adams, 14. James Wilson, 15. Dan Joss, 16. Nabil Bejia (KZN Coastals u14A 2023)

Maritzburg College 1st team

1. Nicholas Holmes (vc) (SA u17 2023), 2. Dane Jackson (SA u16A 2023), 3. Greg Askew (KZN Inland u16A 2023), 4. Siwa Sithemba (SA u16A 2023), 5. Uyanda Dlamini (KZN Inland u18B 2023), 6. Ipeleng Mosupye (c) (KZN Inland u18A 2023), 7. Julian Konigkramer (vc) (KZN Inland u18B 2023), 8. Ryan McKean (KZN Inland u18B 2023), 9. Kadin Jenkins (SA u16B 2023), 10. Banele Dlamini (KZN Inland u18A 2023), 11. Ethan Maynard, 12. Michael Gibson, 13. Rory Schirge (KZN Inland u16A 2023), 14. Matthew Smith (KZN Inland u16A 2023), 15. Ethan Fabre (KZN Inland u16B 2023)

The 2024 boys’ hockey season is going to be one of the more closely fought in years, with the top KwaZulu-Natal boys’ hockey teams all being well prepared, well coached, and up for the challenges.

The Westville Boys’ High School vs Michaelhouse first team hockey match will, no doubt, be a real humdinger with both teams eager to set the tone and standard for the season.

What will differentiate these U18A hockey teams?

Former Hoërskool Garsfontein first team coach, Nick Bérichon, is excited about his charges’ first match at the home of the Griffin, with push back at 11:15 on Saturday morning. He and Lwando Saunders are the new first team coaches for Michaelhouse.

Bérichon is quietly optimistic, stating that the Michaelhouse first team players have set high standards for themselves, and they are confident they can put together controlled and exciting performances. He expects the experienced Cam Mackay and his Westville support staff to be sharp and well organised all over the pitch.

Brunton Bigalke, Sithsaba Simukonda and Thandanani Zuma played for KZN Inland u16A last year, with Zuma also being selected for the SA u16B squad. They are some of the youngsters in the Michaelhouse lineup and will be led by quality senior players, with the talented Pat Lambert appointed as the captain of hockey for 2024.

Cam Mackay, meanwhile, reflected on a disrupted pre-season, which saw a large number of elite cricketers unable to fully participate in the preparations. It was a case of not overloading the boys.

Owen Slack and Josh Beck represented KwaZulu-Natal Coastal u18A last year, and Nic Ackerman played for the KZN Coastal u16A team.

The Westville Director of Hockey anticipates a tough season opener, especially with Nick Bérichon now at the helm of the red and white quarters.

“He’s got a winning mindset and a great mentality; I think we are just always trying to improve from year to year and be competitive in every game we play.

“We have some great new permanent coaches at WBHS, with Harold Siyaya and Wandile Ngcungama joining us, so we can only hope for another successful year,” Mackay said.

TEAMS

Westville Boys’ High School 1st team

1. Ameron Moses (GK), 2. ⁠Max Robertson, 3. ⁠Kaeden McAllister, 4. ⁠Nicolas Ackerman, 5. ⁠Owen Slack (c), 6. ⁠Curt Rogers, 7. ⁠Josh Beck, 8. ⁠Sibusiso Cele, 9. ⁠Heath Stott, 10. ⁠Caleb van Loenen, 11. ⁠Seth Simpson, 12. ⁠Misbah Nair, 13. ⁠Thabo Dlamini, 14. ⁠Roxton Payne, 18. ⁠Tyhil Naidoo, 19. ⁠Bo Mokoena

Michaelhouse 1st team

1. Luke Camerer, 2. Nicholas Fearnhead, 3. James Bigalke, 4. Sebastian Hofmeyer, 5. Keaton Porrill 6. Benjamin Heuer, 7. Christopher Angel, 8. Thandanani Zuma, 9. Tristan Roques, 10. William Gilson 11. Patrick Lambert (c), 12. Sithsaba Simukonda, 13. Murray Hall-Jones, 14. Gordon Deutsch, 15. Pikolomzi Nkompela (GK), 16. West Mitchell-Innes