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While their town rivals, Paarl Gimnasium kicked off their season at the Parel Vallei Hockey Festival, Paarl Boys’ High was also in action this past weekend at the annual Cape Co-Ed Hockey Festival.

The event ran over three days, from 14-16 March, in the northern suburbs of Cape Town.

Boys’ High played their matches at Settlers High School, while Edgemead, Fairbairn, Stellenberg High, Durbanville, and Tygerberg High played host to other matches.

It was the team’s first outing of the year after a gruelling 10-week off-season programme led by Matt Smith, who’s taken over the technical skills profile at the school, that began late last year.

Coach Rowan McLachlan‘s side played four matches, against Settlers, Stellenberg, Bellville High, and Durbanville.

They played to a goalless draw in their opener against Stellenberg but upped the ante in their other three matches to beat Settlers 9-1, Bellville 4-0, and Durbanville 3-1.

Reacting to his team’s performances, McLachlan said he was pleased with how his young side bounced back from the draw against Stellenberg to claim three comfortable wins.

“We had nine young players joining the first team, and there were always going to be those first game jitters, which happened against Stellenberg,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus. “It was not our greatest performance or the start we were looking for, but perhaps [it was] the start we needed.

“From there, we worked on things that needed to be improved on and luckily got three good results.”

After their goalless start, Boys’ High hit their stride and found the back of the net with relative ease. They capitalised on their circle entries, scored most of their penalty corner, and were comfortable in defence for most of the weekend.

Their creativity in the final third impressed McLachlan. “It was nice to see the boys score some goals and create those positive moments out on the field,” he enthused.

“I was most happy with how we transitioned from counter defence into counterattack. I’m also happy with how we’re pressing teams and the areas of the field [where] we’re winning the ball. It’s a positive start, and we can only look to improve from here.””

The boys from Paarl will return to the turf next weekend in an unofficial pre-season festival hosted at the Maties AstroTurf in Stellenbosch.

There, they will face stiff competition from Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), Wynberg Boys’ High, and Paarl Gim.

McLachlan said they’ll use the forthcoming event to continue working on their systems without the pressures of winning.

“We want to focus on continuing to move the ball well and into threatening areas of the field and hopefully continue creating some goal-scoring opportunities.

“In saying that, those three teams are well coached, so we’ll also need to make sure that our defensive principles are fine-tuned.

“Overall, I think these pre-season warm-up games are a great initiative and great prep before we all start travelling across the country to compete against the best.”

Paarl Boys’ High is captained by AJ Mostert, with goalkeeper, Luan Bornman serving as his deputy. The duo both reached 75 caps for the school over the weekend.

Players to look out for this season include Tiaan Liebenberg, who made his 1st XI  debut in grade 9. Martin de Bruyn and Ullrich Drotchie, who have moved up from the u16A side, could become significant contributors.

At the end of March, Boys’ High will travel to Durban to play in the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup.

PAARL BOYS’ HIGH RESULTS

Paarl Boys’ High 0-0 Stellenberg
Paarl Boys’ High 9-1 Settlers High School
Paarl Boys’ High 4-0 Bellville High School
Paarl Boys’ High 3-1 Durbanville High School

OTHER BOYS’ RESULTS

GIRLS’ RESULTS

GIRLS	EDGEMEAD U19A	0-0	BRACKENFELL U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	FAIRBAIRN U19A	1 -2	REDDAM CONSTANTIA U19B	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	HTS DROSTDY U19A	0-2	THE SETTLERS U19A	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	PAARL GIM U19B	2-1	TYGERBERG U19A	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	MILNERTON U19A	2-2	ELKANAH HOUSE U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	REDDAM DURBANVILLE U19A	3-1	JAN VAN RIEBEEK U19A	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	REDDAM CONSTANTIA U19A	3-0	BELLVILLE U19A	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	DF MALAN U19A	3-0	HTS DROSTDY U19A	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	HERSCHEL U19B	0-5	STELLENBERG U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	PAARL GIM U19B	2-0	PINELANDS U19A	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	WYNBERG GIRLS U19B	0-0	MILNERTON U19B	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	BELLVILLE U19B	9-0	MELKBOSSTRAND U19B	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	FAIRMONT U19B	0-6	TYGERBERG U19A	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	PINELANDS U19A	0-4	DURBANVILLE U19A	PANORAMA
GIRLS	STELLENBERG U19B	0-1	BRACKENFELL U19A	CURRO HS
GIRLS	EDGEMEAD U19A	0-0	ELKANAH HOUSE U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	STELLENBOSCH U19A	6-0	CURRO LANGEBAAN U19A	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	MILNERTON U19A	2-2	PAARL GIM U19B	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	WESTERFORD U19A	3-0	SOMERSET COLLEGE U19B	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	REDDAM CONSTANTIA U19A	1-0	STELLENBERG U19A	PANORAMA
GIRLS	PINELANDS U19A	0-0	HTS DROSTDY U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	BELLVILLE U19A	1-0	BRIDGE HOUSE U19A	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	REDDAM CONSTANTIA U19A	1-0	PAARL GIM U19B	PANORAMA
GIRLS	SOMERSET COLLEGE U19B	0-2	DURBANVILLE U19B	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	JAN VAN RIEBEEK U19A	1-1	BELLVILLE U19B	PANORAMA
GIRLS	FAIRMONT U19B	1-4	EDGEMEAD U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	PAREL VALLEI U19B	3-0	FAIRBAIRN U19A	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	ELKANAH HOUSE U19A	4-0	CURRO LANGEBAAN U19A	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	WESTERFORD U19A	2-2	TYGERBERG U19A	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	MELKBOSSTRAND U19B	0-6	DE KUILEN U19A	PANORAMA
GIRLS	BELLVILLE U19A	0-0	BRACKENFELL U19A	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	STELLENBOSCH U19A	1-2	THE SETTLERS U19A	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	MILNERTON U19B	0-3	STELLENBERG U19B	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	MILNERTON U19A	1-4	DF MALAN U19A	PANORAMA
GIRLS	HTS DROSTDY U19A	0-11	STELLENBERG U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	DURBANVILLE U19B	0-1	PAREL VALLEI U19B	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	DF MALAN U19B	3-0	WYNBERG GIRLS U19B	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	DURBANVILLE U19A	2-0	HERSCHEL U19B	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	JAN VAN RIEBEEK U19A	5-1	MELKBOSSTRAND U19B	PANORAMA
GIRLS	BRIDGE HOUSE U19A	0-0	DF MALAN U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	REDDAM DURBANVILLE U19A	0-0	DE KUILEN U19A	PANORAMA
GIRLS	FAIRBAIRN U19A	0-4	DF MALAN U19B	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	HERSCHEL U19B	0-1	THE SETTLERS U19A	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	MILNERTON U19B	0-2	DF MALAN U19B	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	BELLVILLE U19B	0-0	REDDAM DURBANVILLE U19A	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	BELLVILLE U19A	2-2	WESTERFORD U19A	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	STELLENBERG U19B	0-3	PAREL VALLEI U19B	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	DURBANVILLE U19B	0-1	STELLENBOSCH U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	FAIRBAIRN U19A	0-2	SOMERSET COLLEGE U19B	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	CURRO LANGEBAAN U19A	1-2	FAIRMONT U19B	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	SOMERSET COLLEGE U19B	3-1	WYNBERG GIRLS U19B	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	BRIDGE HOUSE U19A	2-2	MILNERTON U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	DE KUILEN U19A	0-1	BELLVILLE U19B	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	DF MALAN U19B	4-0	STELLENBERG U19B	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	THE SETTLERS U19A	2-1	REDDAM DURBANVILLE U19A	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	CURRO LANGEBAAN U19A	0-7	TYGERBERG U19A	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	EDGEMEAD U19A	0-1	DURBANVILLE U19B	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	WESTERFORD U19A	1-5	DURBANVILLE U19A	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	ELKANAH HOUSE U19A	0-1	STELLENBOSCH U19A	TYGERBERG
Girls	PAREL VALLEI U19B	5-0	MILNERTON U19B	THE SETTLERS
GIRLS	WYNBERG GIRLS U19B	0-3	BRIDGE HOUSE U19A	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	DE KUILEN U19A	1-1	JAN VAN RIEBEEK U19A	TYGERBERG
GIRLS	BRACKENFELL U19A	0-2	HERSCHEL U19B	EDGEMEAD
GIRLS	DF MALAN U19A	1-2	DURBANVILLE U19A	FAIRBAIRN COLLEGE
GIRLS	FAIRMONT U19B	9-0	MELKBOSSTRAND U19B	THE SETTLERS

 

St Anne’s DSG recorded a 2-0 win over The Wykeham College (TWC) to lift the Pietermaritzburg North Regional title in the Spar KZN Hockey Challenge at Treverton on Sunday.

With the win, St Anne’s became the fourth team to qualify for the Spar KZN Hockey Challenge Grand Finals to be hosted by St Mary’s DSG, in Kloof, in July. They’ll join St Mary’s, Maris Stella, and Epworth School at the event.

St Anne’s were champions on and off the field. One of their midfielders, Tori Pearson, won a brand-new stick in a lucky draw, and because she had just acquired a new stick, she gave the one she’d won in the lucky draw to a player from another team, who desperately needed one.

In Sunday’s tournament, St Anne’s was up against Treverton, The Wykeham Collegiate, Howick High, Grace College, and Riverwood College.

For St Anne’s, it was their first time back on the turf since the Balling Festival two weeks earlier. Coach Morne Odendaal felt his charges performed at 50 percent of their abilities at the showpiece in Bethlehem.

“We struggled with the basics and lacked the final touch despite creating ample opportunities. However, our defensive organisation was commendable,” Odendaal told Supersport Schools Plus after the Balling Festival.

St Anne’s didn’t have similar issues at Treverton. They kicked off their campaign with a tentative 1-0 win over Riverwood, but they didn’t look back and grew in confidence as the day progressed.

“We created better passing lines and our pre-scanning set us up for good crisp attacking phases. It was a great team performance,” Odendaal said.

St Anne’s scored 21 unanswered goals on their way to the top of the table in the round-robin phase of the tournament. Their results included a 10-0 thrashing of Grace College, the largest win of the event.

“I am extremely pleased that we didn’t concede a goal or short corner in the whole festival,” Odendaal shared.

TWC finished in second place with four wins from their five matches, for a total of 16 points. Their only loss, a 0-1 defeat, came at the hands of St Anne’s. Coach Emile Odendaal’s side scored 10 goals and conceded two on their way to second place.

The rest of the teams had mixed results, but none threatened St Anne’s and TWC’s runs to the final.

RESULTS

Treverton 0-0 Howick
Riverwood 0-1 St Anne’s
TWC 4-0 Grace College
Howick 0-3 St Anne’s
Treverton 1-3 TWC
Grace College 1-0 Riverwood
Howick 0-1 TWC
Riverwood 0-1 Treverton
Grace College 0-10 St Anne’s
Howick 0-0 Grace College
Treverton 0-6 St Anne’s
TWC 2-0 Riverwood
Grace College 0-0 Treverton
St Anne’s 1-0 TWC
Riverwood 0-0 Howick

Vanderbijlpark is die afgelope naweek getrakteer op aanskoulike hardlooprugby in die NWU Sportreeks-kragmeting tussen Hoërskool Transvalia en Hoërskool Middelburg.

Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Dit was Valia se eerste amptelike wedstryd van die seisoen, nadat hy vroeër vandeesmaand litte losgemaak het in ‘n opwarmingswedstryd teen Hoërskool Marais Viljoen. Saterdag het die span van Vanderbijl vir ‘n witwarm Middies-span met 28-21 verslaan, nadat hulle teen rustyd met net 15-13 voorgeloop het.

“Ek is baie trots op die seuns, in hul eerste wedstryd saam,” sê Valia se nuwe rugbydirekteur, Lloyd Greeff.  “Ons het heelwat karakter gewys en positiewes wat ons uit die wedstryd kan neem, maar wat my meer opgewonde maak is dat ons selfs nóg kan beter doen.”

Dit het as geen verrassing gekom dat Valia se aanslag van voor gelei is deur flank, Daniel Kazambo, nie. Kazambo, wat verlede jaar reeds opslae in die SA Skolerugby-kringe gemaak het as ‘n Graad 11-leerder, was oudergewoonte uiters fisiek en haas onkeerbaar op die aanval.

Vir die Middies, het die staatmaker, Roux Grobler, voorlangs die vuur vir sy span aangesteek. Sy verdediging was iets om te aanskou, terwyl sy werkverrigting, van die bal af, van die hoogste gehalte was.

Die Middelburgers behoort vanjaar beslis ‘n span wees om mee rekening te hou in die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Plaat-afdeling, indien hulle op hierdie momentum kan voortbou.

Hoërskool Oos-Moot het ‘n opdraande stryd oorkom en ‘n rustydagterstand van 8-13 uitgewis om vir Hoërskool Ben Vorster naelskraaps met 30-28 te klop. Die Oosies het nieteenstaande ‘n paar tam lywe, ná Woensdag se reusestryd teen Hoërskool Waterkloof, die Buffels fisiek aangevat voorlangs, wat uiteraard ‘n titaniese stryd afgegee het.

Die tweestryd tussen die skrumskakels was nóg ‘n hoogtepunt, met David Joubert, die Oosies se beste speler Woensdag, wat weer sy afrondingsvernuf uitgestal het. Stiaan du Rand het vir die Buffels uitgeblink het met sy  breekslae om die afbreekpunte, en vanuit sy eie halfgebied deurgebreek vir een van sy span se drie drieë.

Puntemakers:

Transvalia 28 (15) – Drieë: Wihandré Kruger, Daniel Kazambo, Johandré van der Merwe. Doelskoppe: Jayden van Eden, Jaydee Maree. Strafdoele: Van Eeden (2), Maree. Hoërskool Middelburg 21 (13)– Drieë: Beast Ngadima, Jabu Mathebula. Doelskop: Buhle Mphalaza. Strafdoele: Mphalaza (3).

Oos-Moot 30 (8) – Drieë: Clayton du Bruyn, David Joubert, Stian de Vente, Owen Basson. Doelskoppe: David Joubert (2). Strafdoele: Joubert (2). Ben Vorster 28 (13) – Drieë: Kobus de Beer, Stiaan du Rand, Ruben Pohl. Doelskoppe: Shelton Primo (2). Strafdoele: Primo (3).

Ander spanne:

o.16: Hoërskool Middelburg 18, Transvalia 13; Oos-Moot 27, Ben Vorster 26.

o.15: Transvalia 41, Hoërskool Middelburg 7; Oos-Moot 16, Ben Vorster 12.

o.14: Hoërskool Middelburg 41, Transvalia 5; Ben Vorster 28, Oos-Moot 5.

Die afgelope naweek het vier top-netbalskole mekaar die stryd aangesê in die NWU Sportreeks, met Oos-Moot, Ben Vorster, Eldoraigne en Piet Retief wat gesorg het vir volop uitmuntende en spannende netbalaksie.

Ben Vorster en Eldoraigne het onderskeidelik die meeste oorwinnings behaal, maar die mededinging was oorwegend straf, met ál die spanne wat alles gegee het op die baan.

Oos-Moot het goed vertoon, maar Ben Vorster se jonger ouderdomsgroepe het wel die oorhand gehad. Ben Vorster se B-spanne het egter gewys dat hulle nie summier die handdoek ingooi nie. Die o.17 A-spanne het verál ‘n naelbytstryd opgedis met dié wedstryd wat uiteindelik met 21-21 gelykop geëindig het, terwyl Oos-Moot se eerste span naelskraaps met 25-22 die pyp gerook het.

Eldoraigne behoort ook hoogs tevrede te wees met hul resultate teen Piet Retief, met puik oorwinnings in vernaam die o.14 A- en o.19 A-kragmetings. Eldos se eerstes het laasgenoemde stryd met 48-32 gewen.

Piet Retief het nietemin hope karakter gewys deur die o.15 A- en o.19 B-wedstryde te wen, wat dui op potensiaal en krag in sekere ouderdomsgroepe. Die kompetisie was deurgaans straf, met albei skole wat bewys het dat hulle slaggereed is vir ‘n uitdagende seisoen.

Tellings:

Oos-Moot t. Ben Vorster (Oos-Moot eerste)

• o.14 A: 6-26
• o.14 B: 10-19
• o.15 A: 10-31
• o.15 B: 19-15
• o.16 A: 30-15
• o.16 B: 12-16
• o.17 A: 21-21
• o.19 A: 25-22
• o.19 B: 8-14

Eldoraigne t. Piet Retief (Eldoraigne eerste)

• o.14 A: 40-5
• o.14 B: 24-4
• o.15 A: 10-27
• o.15 B: 19-11
• o.16 A: 18-11
• o.16 B: 20-9
• o.19 A: 48-32
• o.19 B: 12-17

The boys’ schools’ hockey season hit its stride in Gauteng on the weekend with a slate of tasty clashes, beginning on Friday with Hoërskool Zwartkop welcoming Hoërskool Klerksdorp to Pretoria for their first meeting since 2018.

It might have been a warm welcome off the pitch, but on the ‘turf Zwartkop was ruthless, blasting 13 goals into the back of the net, with six players – Roche Oberholzer, Emile Roussouw, Gareth Jooste, Handre Coetzee, Douw Nel, and Divan Coertze – sharing them

Jeppe High School for Boys, who won 4-2 at St Benedict’s College earlier in the week, took on Pretoria Boys High on Saturday on the Boden Astro.

The game got off to a cautious start, with both sides’ defences keeping their opposition at bay. The hosts were the first to find their rhythm in the second half, but Boys High continued to keep them out.

Jeppe Boys’ coach Siya Sityana lauded the Pretoria Boys High’s effort. “It was a good contest between two schools that are pretty much the same, with the same traditions,” he said. “Pretoria was a very organised team, and it was difficult to break them down.”

In the last chukka, Jeppe’s pressure was rewarded. When they won a penalty corner three minutes from time, Juan Martin made it count, scoring the contest’s only goal.

“In the second half, we started getting more outcomes. We started to create beautiful attacks,” Sityana said.

Looking back on the first half, he commented: “It was like a chess battle between two well-organised teams.

“We then dominated most of the proceedings,” he added. “Our defense was good. We won four short corners. Otherwise, both teams were sound at the back.”

Like Jeppe, St John’s College also played a midweek game and another on Saturday. On Wednesday evening, they ran out comfortable 5-1 winners over Cornwall Hill College. Then, on Saturday, they took on King Edward VII School (KES) at home. In a seven-goal thriller, KES snatched a 4-3 win.

It was a back-and-forth clash with the lead changing hands four times before the Red Sticks found the winner in the fourth chukka after the schools had entered it level-pegging at 3-3.

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) recorded a 3-0 win over Helpmekaar Kollege in Pretoria on Saturday.

Affies appeared to have broken a goalless deadlock in the last seconds of the first chukka, but the umpire ruled out the goal.

In the second chukka, though, they hit the front. Helpies gave Affies a tough time of it, but the home side added further goals in the third and fourth chukkas to seal the victory.

RESULTS

Zwartkop 13-0 Klerksdorp
Jeppe 1-0 Pretoria Boys High School
St Benedict’s 2-4 Jeppe
Affies 3-0 Helpmekaar
St John’s College 5-1 Cornwell Hill
KES 4-3 St John’s College

Hoërskool Middelburg se netbalspanne het Saterdag hul stempel afgedruk met oorweldigende vertonings teen Transvalia, maar Valia het koning gekraai in die eerstespan-stryd.

Met nege uit 10 oorwinnings, oor ál die ouderdomsgroepe heen, het Middelburg sy reputasie as ‘n magtige netbalskool gestand gedoen. Tog was dit Transvalia se eerste span wat op die einde van die dag die laaste sê gehad het met ‘n indrukwekkende oorwinning van 28-17.

Die Valia-eerstes het met dié vertoning benadruk dat hulle vanjaar gedugte teenstand gaan bied. Anzel Visage het uitgeblink op die verdediging met talle onderskeppings en ‘n kragtige kombinasie gevorm met Milan Strydom, wat die verdedigende sirkel uitstekend beheer het.

Aanvallend het Mieke Grobler ‘n kernrol gespeel deur die bal doeltreffend deur te bring, terwyl Abigail Coetzee se blitsige bewegings op die baan die aanval verder versterk het. Die doelskieters, Carla van Schalkwyk en Micah Labuschagne, het hul taktiese vernuf tentoongestel deur die verdedigende spanne te flous met hul samespel, wat oor jare opgebou is en steeds sterker word.

Middelburg het in ál die ander wedstryde die botoon gevoer en bewys gelewer daarvan dat hul netbalprogram uiters effektief is.

Al die uitslae: 

o.19A: Middelburg 17, Transvalia 28.

o.19B: Middelburg 39, Transvalia 6.

o.17A: Middelburg 23, Transvalia 8.

o.17B Middelburg 13, Transvalia 11

o.16A: Middelburg 29, Transvalia 10.

o.16B: Middelburg 41, Transvalia 4.

o.15A: Middelburg 48, Transvalia 6.

o.15B: Middelburg 30, Transvalia 9.

o.14A: Middelburg 28, Transvalia 10.

o.14B: Middelburg 11, Transvalia 10.

Kenny Prins kicked King Edward VII School (KES) to a narrow two-point victory at their neighbours, St John’s College, on Saturday.

Relive all the action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Prins, running out at fullback for the Red Army this year, converted both the visitors’ tries and slotted an all-important penalty to see his side open their season with a narrow 17-15 win.

Apart from his good performance with the boot, Prince was also a strong presence when KES was on the attack.

The other two members of the Red Army’s back three, wings Luyanda Mbandama and Jarrel Mbuyi, also delivered strong performances. When given an opportunity, and a bit of space on the outside, they capitalised without hesitation, with both diving over for crucial five-pointers.

For the home side, vice-captain and flyhalf, Gerald van Wyk, dictated play wonderfully and put his backline on the front foot. He, too, was impressive from the kicking tee, comfortably slotting a long-range penalty.

Lwandile Khupe, playing on the right wing for St John’s, had an interesting battle with Mdandama and showed off his elusive running and ability to beat defenders in the smallest of spaces.

Thabiso Simelane led the way for the Grey and Blue of St Alban’s College, who won 39-12 at St Benedict’s College. Simelane scored 17 of his side’s points, which included two tries. The inside centre also slotted two conversions and a penalty.

Scrumhalf, Everett Gosling, also shone for the visitors. His presence behind a pack that set Bennies on the back foot made life difficult for the home side’s defenders. He challenged them with nippy runs around the fringes of the breakdowns and went over for a try from one of those sniping runs.

For the home side, openside flank, Sam Walsh, led the way. His physicality and commitment in defence made him stand out. He also didn’t shy away from taking the ball up strongly, ensuring there would be a couple of sore bodies on the side of visitors after the game.

POINTS SCORERS

King Edward VII School 17 (7) – Tries: Luyanda Mbandama, Jarrel Mbuyi. Conversions: Indi Mboniswa (2). Penalty: Mboniswa. St John’s College 15 (8) – Tries: Lwandile Khupe, Tumelo Bopape. Conversion: Gerald van Wyk. Penalty: Van Wyk.

St Alban’s College 39 (12) – Tries: Thabiso Simelane (2), Vhutali Matsila, Everett Gosling, Gian Moolman, Alex Uken. Conversions: Simelane (2). Penalty: Simelane. St Benedict’s College 12 (5) – Tries: Thato Ntshangase, Zac Raats. Conversion: Samuel Sendwe.

Other teams

u.16: St Benedict’s College 6, St Alban’s College 0; King Edward VII School 50, St John’s College 7.

u.15: St Alban’s College 7, St Benedict’s College 5.

u.14: St Benedict’s College 19, St Alban’s College 5.

Juan Cooper het gesorg dat die vreugdevure hoog brand in Alberton na Hoërskool Marais Viljoen se oorwinning oor die besoekende Hoërskool Lichtenburg in die NWU Prestige-reeks.

Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Die loskopstut het twee keer oor die doellyn gebars om vir die tuisspan ‘n sege, sy eerste in vanjaar se reeks, van 22-13 oor die Liggies vas te maak.

Dit was inderdaad voorlangs waar Marais Viljoen die grondslag vir die oorwinning gelê het. Die pak het sy vernietigende dryfmaalbeweging optimaal aangewend om ál drie drieë op dié wyse te behaal. Slot, Clayton Gagiano, het ook na nóg so ‘n dryfmaal, wat sowat 25 m gestrek het, die bal agter die Liggies se doellyn geplant.

Die Liggies, bekend vir hul fisiekheid, het egter nie ‘n duit teruggestaan vir die aanslag van voor nie, met vernaam agsteman en baljagter, KG Legodi, wat die lewe moeilik gemaak het vir die tuisspan by die afbreekpunte en ook beloon is met sy span se enigste drie.

Hoërskool Montana het sy derde agtereenvolgende oorwinning behaal deur vir Hoërskool Jeugland met 22-17 te troef, maar Jeugland het die sege beslis nie op ‘n skinkbord aangebied nie. Die verloorspan se regtervleuel, Beya Nyathi, het verál beïndruk en twee keer deurgenael vir ‘n welverdiende tweekuns aan drieë.

Die tuisspan was egter net té goed en het drie drieë teenoor die besoekers se twee aangeteken. Soos vroeër die week teen Hoërskool Marais Viljoen, het die Montana-pak regoor die veld gewoel, met vernaam loskopstut, Aiden van der Made, en slot, Tristan Stolz, wat elkeen ‘n drie gedruk het, prominent.

Hoërskool Wesvalia se Fafa Calitz en Wian du Preez het elkeen ‘n tweekuns behaal teen Hoërskool Wagpos in die Wessies se spogsege van 49-17. Voorlangs het haker, Fanie Linde, die fisieke aanslag gelei, wat die grondslag gelê het vir ‘n oortuigende oorwinning.

Die span van Klerksdorp was verál verlig dat hy vir die eerste keer in ‘n lang ruk in droë toestande kon speel.

Puntemakers:

Marais Viljoen 22 (10) – Drieë: Juan Cooper (2), Clayton Gagiano. Doelskoppe: Raynhardt Kruger (2). Strafdoel: Kruger. Hoërskool Lichtenburg 13 (13) – Drie: KG Legodi. Doelskop: Luan Snyman. Strafdoele: Snyman (2)

Montana 22 (17) – Drieë: Tristan Stoltz, Luan Barnard, Aiden van der Made. Doelskoppe: Hendrew Schoeman (2). Strafdoel: Schoeman. Jeugland 17 (10) – Drieë: Beya Nyathi (2). Doelskoppe: King Agbanzo (2). Strafdoel: Agbanzo.

Wesvalia 49 (22) – Drieë: Fafa Calitz (2), Wian du Preez (2), Fanie Linde, Stephan Pelser. Doelskoppe: Eduard Dreyer (3). Strafdoel: Dreyer. Wagpos 17 (3).

Ander spanne:

o.16: Marais Viljoen 26, Hoërskool Lichtenburg 18; Montana 57, Jeugland 19; Wesvalia 13, Wagpos 3.

o.15: Hoërskool Lichtenburg 26, Marais Viljoen 20; Montana 18, Jeugland 10; Wesvalia 15, Wagpos 0.

o.14: Marias Viljoen 7, Hoërskool Lichtenburg 5; Montana 10, Jeugland 10; Wesvalia 25, Wagpos 5.

Kearsney College and Clifton College delivered a thrilling 2-2 draw on the AH Mason Astro in Botha’s Hill on Saturday, with Clifton scoring the equaliser off the very last move of the match.

They trailed by a goal when they awarded a penalty corner with less than 20 seconds remaining. Then, during the PC, the final hooter sounded, but the ball had not left the circle yet, so when Luke Carolan struck it into the Kearsney goalbox it ended all square.

There was a touch of confusion from some of the Kearsney players, but the umpires conferred and correctly awarded the goal.

In the first half, Clifton found Kearsney’s defences well organised as the hosts did a good job of zone marking by moving well as a unit.

It was a tactical affair, with both teams probing for gaps. When the deadlock was finally broken, though, it resulted in three goals being scored in the space of five minutes.

Keegan de Jager gave the home side the lead with a superbly taken penalty corner. He took possession of the ball on the left castle, well wide of the goalkeeper’s right post, but then fired with pinpoint accuracy across Clifton netminder Georg Wolhuter to find the net in the opposite corner.

Two minutes later, Clifton was caught out on the counterattack, with Kearsney’s swift movement of the ball up to the circle creating an opportunity for Josh Snyman, who finished well.

The visitors from Durban appeared to be in trouble, but vice-captain Jason Adams quickly got them back into the game with a field goal, also from a counterattack, just before halftime.

In the second stanza, Clifton did most of the pressing, but Kearsney stood firm. Three minutes from the end, Clifton came close to equalising, but a teasing ball from the left, across the face of the goalbox, just missed the stick of captain, Zach Williamson, whose dive was a fraction of a second too late.

Still, coach Calvin Price‘s charges kept at it and they were rewarded with the last-minute penalty goal that earned them a share of the spoils.

Kearsney’s coach Keegan Pearce commented: “We played a few warm-up games against DHS and Glenwood, but we didn’t move the ball as well as we did in this game. That’s what I thought probably was our greatest strength today. We were good on the counterattack. That’s where we were at our best.”

Going up 2-0 was tricky, he added: “To keep them out for so long, it’s hard to have a 2-0 lead. It’s the two-goal trap. You go from 2-0 to 2-1, and in the last five minutes it can go either way.”

“They were good,” Clifton’s coach Calvin Price said about Kearsney. “I don’t think we hit full stride today. But we showed incredible character to come back and make it 2-2. I’ll take the draw from that.

“Kearsney had a really good structure and I thought they were defensively sound. What I didn’t like was we tried to go too long, too directly, too quickly.

“What I did enjoy when we finally got the ball, was we started to find the little connections on the overlaps. It was just a matter of understanding and being a little bit patient. We weren’t patient in the first chukka. In the second and third, we got better at it, so we had more control of the game.”

Hilton College and Glenwood, meanwhile, were in scorching form in their first matches of the season. Hilton outplayed Westville Boys’ High 4-0 at Hilton, while Glenwood ran out 2-0 victors at St Charles College.

Hilton was swiftly out of the blocks against Westville. Coach Damian Kimfley’s charges seized control of proceedings and made good use of their plentiful possession with two strikes in quick succession, from Ben Wilson and vice-captain Matt Thomas, to go ahead in the first chukka.

Thomas shares the role of vice-captain with Regan Mudau, while Xavier Enslin is Hilton’s captain for 2025. 

In the second chukka, Hilton’s pressure on Westville paid further dividends as they added two more goals through Tadi Hove and Chase Smith to cruise into halftime with a 4-0 advantage.

With typical fighting spirit, Westville kept battling away in the second half. They kept Hilton from adding to their score, but the home side’s defenders also controlled the Griffin’s attackers, conceding only one penalty corner in the match.

“The win was a brilliant team effort. Everyone played their role well,” Kimfley said after the game.

In Pietermaritzburg, Glenwood opened their season with a thrilling 2-0 victory over St Charles.

Coach Michael Labuschagne‘s side looked rusty in the early exchanges. They struggled to string together passes and they turned over possession often, which meant the Saints‘ goalbox wasn’t threatened.

“They held on to the ball for too long and were unable to play their normal fluid hockey,” Braydon Naidoo, Glenwood’s Director of Hockey, reckoned.

After halftime, though, captain Siya Malatjie and his team found their groove. The longer the game wore on, the more menacing they became.

They utilised their flanks well to create several baseline entries. One of them resulted in a goalmouth scramble after a shot at goal rebounded off the post. Fortunately for Glenwood, Krian Jugoo was at the back post, from where he tapped in to open the scoring.

Jugoo is blessed with fast hands and a lethal backhand. He also has a knack for getting into good positions in the circle, which brought him the first goal. It also brought him the game’s second just five minutes after the opener when he found himself in space, open for a simple pass, which he converted.

RESULTS

Kearsney 2-2 Clifton
Hilton 4-0 Westville
Glenwood 2-0 St Charles

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool het Saterdag, ná ‘n ietwat stadige begin, goeie ritme gevind in die tweede helfte om uiteindelik gemaklik met die besoekende Helpmekaar Kollege af te reken.

Herleef al die aksie regstreeks op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)

Oopkantflank, Lohan Potgieter, en vaskopstut, Deon Botes, het elk twee keer gedruk in die Wit Bulle se oortuigende sege van 40-8 in Pretoria. Vernaam Botes het dikwels die oog gevang met sy kraglopies.

Slot, Christiaan de Wet, het self woelig vertoon voorlangs om die tuisspan se pak die oorhand te help gee. Indien Affies se pak hierop kan voortbou, behoort teenstanders dit uiters moeilik te vind om die “dieselenjin” van die Jakarandastad vanjaar te stuit.

Dié formidabele platform het die ideale geleentheid gebied vir skrumskakel, Zirk Meyer, om te wys waartoe hy in staat is. Meyer het met venynige breekslae om die afbreekpunte vir die Wit Bulle verder op die voorvoet geplaas, terwyl die skoon, vinnige balbesit wat die pak verskaf het ook vir losskakel, Ruben Groenewald, in staat gestel het om die agterlyn aan die gang te kry.

Helpies het met rukke en stote beïndruk en vernaam in die skrums, onderleiding van stutte, Liam Devenier en Dylan Engelbrecht, breed geglimlag. Die interaksie tussen voor- en agterspelers,, gerugsteun deur netjiese vaardighede, hou ook heelwat belofte in op die aanval.

Die tempo waarteen die Wit Bulle te werk gegaan het, het mettertyd egter sy tol geëis en aanleiding gegee tot 21 onbeantwoorde punte na die omdraaislag. Nes wat die geval was teen die Diamantveld verlede week, was Affies se afronding, wanneer dit die nodigste was, uit die boonste rakke om geleenthede in punte te omskep.

Puntemakers: 

Affies 40 (19) – Drieë: Lohan Potgieter (2), Deon Botes (2), Christiaan de Wet, Divan Fourie. Doelskoppe: Ruben Groenewald (5). Helpmekaar Kollege 8 (8) – Drie: Shaye Lourens. Strafdoel: Wian Storm.

Ander spanne:

o.16: Affies 71, Helpmekaar Kollege 5.

o.15: Helpmekaar Kollege 23, Affies 15.

o.14: Affies 59, Helpmekaar Kollege 7.