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HTS Middelburg se eerste netbalspan het hul reputasie as een van Mpumalanga se topskole vanjaar gestand gedoen.

Die span se uitsonderlike samewerking, vasberadenheid en taktiese groei het verskeie hoogtepunte deur die loop van die seisoen tot gevolg gehad, met hul triomf by die Mpumalanga o.18A-kampioenskap as die kersie op die koek.

Benewens dié prestasie het Middies ook sukses behaal by die Sportisimo-toernooi, waar hulle as o.18A-wenners gekroon is. Hul deelname aan die Topskole-toernooi, waar hulle 15de in die land geëindig het, het bevestig dat hulle op nasionale vlak kan meeding teen van die sterkste spanne in Suid-Afrika.

Die skool kan boonop trots wees op die vyf provinsiale spelers wat gedurende die seisoen uit hul geledere opgelewer en ’n toonbeeld is van die gehalte spelers wat HTS Middelburg jaarliks ontwikkel.

Volgens die afrigtingspan het die groep se grootste groei gelê in hul vermoë om as ’n eenheid op die baan te funksioneer. Die spelers het deurentyd as ’n span beweeg, kommunikeer en saam baklei, iets wat duidelik in hul wedstryde na vore gekom het. ’n Merkbare verbetering is ook in hul taktiese verdediging opgemerk, wat dikwels die verskil beteken het tussen wen en verloor in naelskraapse kragmetings.

Nicola Smith het deur die loop van die seisoen uitgetroon met haar konsekwente spel, harde werk en deurlopende groei, en is welverdiend aangewys as HTS Middelburg se Speler van die Jaar.

Uitslae:

Liga & Toernooie:
Steelcrest 49–8
Delmas 38–7
MHS 32–28
HTSW 29–23
HGH 54–7
Sibon 41–6
Sial 47–3
Bergvlam 44–5
Secunda 26–12
MHS 22–19
Nelspruit 25–14

Suid-Afrikaanse Skole:
Nomzamo (WCU1) 31–22 
KHS (NWP2) 22–18 
Bukit Jalil 43–14 
Diepdale (GU2) 31–18 
Khanyisa (ECU1) 38–6 
Eindig eerste in groepwedstryde

Uitspele:
Nelspruit 17–20 
Paarl Girls’ 13–27
Upington 22–24 
KHS 28–16 
Eindig 15de by SA’s

Wynberg Boys’ High has a reputation for producing excellent cricket players, especially all-rounders, including, in the eyes of many, the greatest all-rounder of all-time, Jacques Kallis.

Carrying on that tradition is Michail Tarentaal, who is the 1st XI’s captain, and was also elected as the school’s Deputy Head Boy for 2026.

In September, he was invited to the Cricket South Africa (CSA) U17 Camp, which showed that he has caught the eye of the national body.

He had previously made the Western Province Cricket Association’s (WPCA) U16 team in December 2023 and looked very comfortable at that level when capturing three wickets for seven runs in an abandoned match against the Dolphins.

As an all-rounder, Tarentaal is always in the action, with his bowling, batting, fielding, and leadership standing out like a grove of tall trees on an otherwise open plain.

His talent comes from humble beginnings. “My earliest memory of cricket would be playing in the driveway with my brother and dad,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“I really started to love the game when I was made aware of the talent I had. I was privileged enough to get the opportunity to play at a good club, and this further grew my love for the game, as I was able to play in a positive environment.”

When asked about the first time he saw Michail Tarentaal in action, Wynberg Head Coach Pietie Loubser replied: “I remember seeing him at our new boys’ nets, already standing head and shoulders above the rest. Immediately, we could see that this kid has skills, but more importantly, he was calm and not flustered.”

It’s Tarentaal’s mental strength and focus, as much as his talent, that fuels his achievements. “Everyone has something to work on, whether it be personally or on the sports field,” he said. “On that point, I feel that we can all add one percent to our game every day. By doing this, we not only become better cricketers, but we also build character, which helps us in our everyday lives.”

When 2026 comes to an end, he’ll have his future beyond the bounds of Wynberg to consider, and he has already set his goals. “In terms of my personal life, I would like to be in the process of obtaining a bachelor’s degree, while strengthening my relationship with my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,” he said. “In cricket, I would like to be signed by a provincial men’s team and push to make it onto the national stage.”

There’s a Lionel Messi quote which provides a fitting conclusion and a great piece of advice to those whose ambitions match those of Michail Tarentaal. It goes: “I start early and I stay late, day after day, year after year. It took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success.”

Troy Gordon continued his magnificent run of form with a splendid unbeaten half-century to steer King Edward VII (KES) to a comprehensive 187-run win over St Peter’s College in their Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two match at KES on Tuesday afternoon.

In the other fixture played on Tuesday, Steyn City School upset St Stithians College, clinching an eight-run victory at home.

KES vs St Peter’s

Playing at home, Gordon unleashed his full range of shots as he rocketed to an unbeaten half-century, which helped to blast KES to 244/3. The KES bowlers were, then, every bit as dominant as their batsmen, restricting St Peter’s to 57/9 from their 20 overs.

In a swashbuckling knock, Gordon put the St Peter’s bowlers to the sword, blitzing eight fours and three sixes to reach 80 off only 32 balls. He had entered the action in the 12th over and shared a brief 22-run second-wicket stand with Luke Clark in 17 deliveries. That partnership had succeeded a rollicking 146-run first-wicket stand between Clark and Tiago Dias.

The openers didn’t start out with guns blazing, respectfully getting a feel for the surface in the first over, which brought them only five runs. Then, once they had settled down, all hell broke loose.

Dias flayed five fours and three sixes on his way to 61 from 36 deliveries, while Clark, who outlasted him at the crease by 2.5 overs, smashed 79 off 42 balls, which included seven fours and four sixes.

Gordon then added 46 runs for the third wicket with Urav Mukhija in 4.1 overs before propelling KES from 210/3 to 244/3 from the last nine deliveries of the innings. KES’s captain, Matthew Bromley, had a front row seat as Gordon pummelled 33 runs in the last over-and-a-half of the innings.

In the field, Abdullah Mohammed and Connor Kuijers shared five wickets between them as St Peter’s was kept below three runs an over. Mohammed bowled brilliantly, capturing 3/1 in three overs, while Kuijers knocked over 2/9 in three.

None of the St Peter’s batsmen exited single figures, although extras made it, adding 11 runs to the St Peters’ total.

Steyn City vs St Stithians

At Steyn City, Max Burroughes stood head and shoulders above everyone else, rising to the occasion to produce a match-winning 56 from 42 deliveries, which lifted Steyn City to 143/6 after Saints had asked the hosts to bat first. Austin van Jaarsveld then led the Steyn City bowling attack, removing three batsmen, as St Stithians tallied 135/6 in reply.

Steyn City made a cautious start to their innings, with Matthew Barbour and Murray Leith sharing a 17-run opening stand in 17 balls. Barbour’s dismissal towards the end of the third over brought Burroughes to the crease, and the number three batsman took control of the innings, staying out in the middle until the 18th over, while playing a key role in seeing his side to a winning total.

The St Stithians’ run chase spluttered early when they lost two wickets in the second over, courtesy of Van Jaarsveld, who accounted for Ombesa Matsha and Nicholas Bayly in the space of five balls. That poor start set St Stithians on the back foot, and they never fully recovered.

Matthew Katzenstein tried to get Saints back on track with Thomas Collins, and the pair partnered for 70 runs for the third wicket. However, after Collins’s dismissal, Katzenstein was unable to find similar support from the remainder of the batsmen.

He fought a losing battle, and while he finished the match unbeaten with 60 from 51 deliveries, he had to watch partners enter and depart in short order.

Van Jaarsveld finished the match with 3/35 from overs and received useful support from Barbour, who bagged 2/8 in two.

Summarised Scorecards

KES 244/3 (Troy Gordon 80*, Luke Clark 79, Tiago Dias 61; Nikhil Bagratee 1//16, Vihaan Vallabh 1/38, Vayun Vallabh 1/55). St Peter’s College 57/9 (Denzel Musadziruma 9, Jono Sampson 8; Abdullah Mohammed 3/1, Connor Kuijers 2/9). KES won by 187 runs.

Steyn City 143/6 (Max Burroughes 56, Murray Leith 28; Tendai Kadyamadare 3/30, Zaakir Hanslo 1/13). St Stithians 135/6 (Matthew Katzenstein 60*, Thomas Collins 39; Austin van Jaarsveld 3/35, Matthew Barbour 2/8). Steyn City won by eight runs.

Vegas Scott struck an outstanding half-century to help Jeppe clinch a convincing eight-wicket win over St David’s Marist Inanda in their Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two contest on the Gier Oval, at St David’s, on Tuesday afternoon.

At St John’s, the home side’s left-armer Tapiwa Chikwava spun circles around Dainfern College to see his side to victory in double-quick time on Mitchell Field.

St David’s vs Jeppe

After a wonderful showing at the Wildeklawer T20, where they finished third, Jeppe’s young team maintained their momentum by defeating St David’s Marist Inanda in their second-round tie.

Vegas Scott led the charge for Jeppe with a sensational and rapid half-century, which lifted the visitors to 167/2 in 15.4 overs and earned them an important win over the national runner-up, St David’s, who won the toss and chose to bat first, scoring 165/4.

The hosts started well with a solid 117-run opening stand between Roberto Mariano (62) and Sohail Seonath (57) in 14.3 overs. While brisk, it wasn’t enough to set St David’s up for a winning score. SA u19 player, Jason Rowles, came in and played a high-tempo knock that added 36 runs from 22 balls, but the home side needed more runs on the scoreboard.

Scott wasted no time before he got going in Jeppe’s chase. The Jeppe opener slashed seven fours and three sixes in his 64, which took only 35 balls. His stay in the middle lasted 12 overs, and when he departed Jeppe was in a strong position on 126/2.

Nathan Elliott, with whom he shared a 48-run second-wicket partnership, then took the reins and steered the visitors to a comfortable win, weighing in with an unbeaten 47 off 32 deliveries.

When Jeppe crossed the line with 4.2 overs to spare he was in the company of his captain, Ryan Young, who made 16 not out.

St John’s vs Dainfern College

In Houghton, Tapiwa Chikwava spun a web around the Dainfern College batsmen, snaring 4/2 as the Blues bundled the visitors out for only 23 in 14.2 overs. Nkosana Sibiya then faced just eight deliveries to score an unbeaten 14 runs as he spirited St John’s to 27/1, and a nine-wicket win, in only 2.2 overs.

In the lead-up to the match, rain had fallen over Johannesburg for a couple of days, and when Sibiya, the St John’s captain, won the toss, he was eager to take advantage of the tricky conditions. Bowling first was an easy decision and the right call.

Dainfern started slowly, scoring only four runs in the first three overs. Then, their first wicket went down in the fourth over. From there, their innings quickly fell apart. They were, at least, helped by 12 extras, which made up more than half of their total.

Chikwava showed great discipline, delivering three maiden overs on his way to snaring 4/2 from four overs, while Herman Basson picked up three wickets, but he was the only bowler to concede double-digit runs, going for 11.

When they batted, it took St John only 12 minutes to overhaul Dainfern’s 23 runs.

Summarised Scorecards

St David’s 165/4 (Roberto Mariano 62, Sohail Seonath 57; Zizi Mkhize 2/21, Reza Ayob 1/33). Jeppe 167/2 (Vegas Scott 64, Ethan Elliott 47*; Jason Rowles 1/23, Miles Pegg 0/32). Jeppe won by eight wickets.

Dainfern 23/10 (Tapiwa Chikwava 4/2, Herman Basson 3/11). St John’s 27/1 (Nkosana Sibiya 14*; Hilton Pieterson 1/6). St John’s won by nine wickets.

Fourways High 127/6 (Dylan Coulentianos 35, James Lottering 30; Melokuhle Dladla 2/27, Zaheer Suleman 1/10). Central Hub 115/9 (Yazdaan 38, Tameem Ismail 24; Aidan Fish 2/12, Dylan Coulentianos 2/16, Nathan Malherbe 2/29). Fourways won by 12 runs.

In their third and final group stage match of the Switch Schools SA20 Volume Two, Hoërskool Trio won the toss at home in Kroonstad, and chose to bat first against Hoërskool Sasolburg. 

It was a day for the batsmen, with 468 runs being scored in the match. However, there were only 10 runs between the teams when the match concluded in Trio’s favour.

Trio opener Zayne Williams laid into the Sasolburg bowling, striking 19 fours and three sixes in a superb 109 off of only 60 balls when the home team batted first.

His fellow opener Theuns van Rensburg joined in the party, blasting a rapid 53 off 22, which featured 11 fours and a six.

After their 86-run opening stand was brought to an end by Van Rensburg’s bails spinning through the air, Sasolburg’s bowlers found better success against Williams’ other partners.

The visitors’ captain, Liam Singleton, claimed 2/36 from four overs, recording the best figures for his side. However, despite his efforts and the dismissals of the destructive opening pair, Trio powered their way to a challenging 239/6.

Sasolburg faced a tall order, having to bat at 12 an over to reach the 240-run target. They very nearly made it.

The last Sasolburg wicket went down off the last ball of their 20 overs, with the visitors being bowled out for 229. Batting third in the order, Jan Hendrick Espach gave his side a chance at a stunning victory by blitzing his way to 80 runs off only 31 deliveries, which included cracking seven fours and six sixes.

Singleton came in at five and matched Espach’s ferocity, smashing seven fours and three sixes in a rapid 54 off 20, scoring at almost three runs a ball.

Unfortunately, for the visitors, they were unable to keep their momentum going at the back end of their innings. That had a lot to do with Dylan Young and Theuns van Rensburg.

Young claimed 3/27 in three overs and his economy rate of nine runs per over was pretty efficient when compared with most of the other bowling figures on the day. Van Rensburg was expensive, going at 14 runs per over, but he also removed three batsmen, finishing with 3/56.

Summarised Scorecard

Hoërskool Trio 239/6 (Zayne Williams 109, Theuns van Rensburg 53, Antoine Pelser 26, Extras 23; Liam Singleton 2/36); Hoërskool Sasolburg 229/10 (Jan Hendrick Espach 80, Liam Singleton 54, Nathan Bower 23; Dylan Young 3/27, Theuns van Rensburg 3/56). Trio won by 10 runs. 

On Sunday, King Edward VII School (KES) claimed the championship title of the Inanda Hoops Classic Challenge at St David’s Marist Inanda, succeeding St Stithians College as the champions after a tense 29-27 win over St Benedict’s College in the final.

The teams had met earlier in Pool B, with KES defeating Bennies 57-42. However, with the title on the line, the contest was far tighter, and it went down to the wire.

KES, though, had been the standout team from the first tip-off, thanks Siya Ndlovu, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), who was included in the All-Star Team with his teammates, Bradley Moyo and Tim Fanny. They were joined in the side by Bennies’ Bahlebonke Mazibuko from St Benedict’s College and Shakalo Mda, of Michael Mount Waldorf School.

With their All-Star trio leading the way, KES went undefeated, cruising to impressively dominant victories in their group stage assignments.

In the semifinals, KES took on their neighbours, St John’s College, who had powered to a 40-26 win over Parktown Boys’ High in the quarterfinals. St John’s extended KES, but not quite enough as KES claimed a 47-42 win.

St Benedict’s College advanced to the final by seeing off the challenge of Michael Mount, who had ousted St David’s Marist Inanda in the quarterfinals. In their semifinals’ clash, Bennies triumphed 41-34.

That left Michael Mount and St John’s College to battle it out for bronze, and it was Michael Mount who came away with the medals after a 25-18 victory.

While St Benedict’s just missed out on the u19 title, their u15 side went all the way, defeating St Stithians 46-41 in their age group final.

RESULTS

Saturday, 18 October 

Quarterfinals 

KES 36-27 Hilton College
St John’s College 40-26 Parktown Boys’ High
St Benedict’s College 36-30 The King’s Linbro
Michael Mount 37-32 St David’s

Semifinals 

KES 47-42 St John’s College
St Benedict’s College 41-34 Michael Mount

Sunday, 19 October 

Bronze Playoff 

Michael Mount 25-18 St John’s College

Final 

KES 29-27 St Benedict’s College

u15 Final

St Benedict’s College 46-41 St Stithians College

Thirteen players from four schools and a development side have been named in the Free State u19 team to contest the Khaya Majola Week.

They’ll have the advantage of playing at home, with the event taking place in Bloemfontein from 16 to 21 December.

St Andrew’s School leads the way with six players selected, while Grey College has four. Hoërskool Trio, HTS Sasolburg, and the Rocklands Hub have one representative each.

AJ van Wyk, of St Andrew’s, will serve as the team’s head coach. Sylvester KhauKhau, from the Rocklands Hub, is the assistant coach, and Mbali Mtana, from Grey College, is the team manager.

The line-up includes opening batsman Christian Kind, who was selected for the SA Schools side in 2024.

Naudé Botha, meanwhile, was one of only two batsmen to score a century at the Khaya Majola Week last year.

Joining Kind and Botha for a second year at the inter-provincial week are all-rounder Henru de Wet, and seam bowlers, Otto Krause and Cullen Kakora.

Free State Khaya Majola Week Team

1. Aiden Dodd (Grey)
2. FG Botha (St. Andrew’s)
3. Nikhil Sukraj (St. Andrew’s)
4. Henru de Wet (Grey)
5. Christian Kind (Grey)
6. Naudé Botha (St. Andrew’s)
7. Cullen Kakora (St. Andrew’s)
8. Otto Krause (Grey)
9. Lebohang Mohlomi (Sasolburg THS)
10. Bokang Mohasa (Trio HS)
11. Luthando Mnyameni (Rocklands Hub)
12. Andrew Sobiech (St. Andrew’s)
13. Bohlokwa Leketa (St. Andrew’s)

Deutsche Schule Kapstadt (DSK), also known as the German International School Cape Town, and Pinelands High walked away the winners of the u16 and u19 competitions at the annual Wynberg Boys’ High Basketball Tournament on Sunday.

The three-day event featured the top basketball-playing schools from the Western Cape and, for the first time, a school from the Eastern Cape, with St Andrew’s College, from Makhanda, also joining in. In total, there were 18 teams in action across the two age categories.

DSK secured the u16 Wynberg Boys’ Basketball Championship

After the group stages game were concluded, Wynberg Boys’ High faced Rondebosch Boys’ High in the quarterfinals of the u16 competition on Saturday, with the hosts winning the southern suburbs’ showdown 29-19.

The eventual champions of this division, DSK, faced the out-of-town visitors, St Andrew’s College, in the quarterfinals, with DSK showcasing their dominance in a 48-18 victory.

In one of the most fiercely contested matches of the last eight, Pinelands High and Westerford High engaged in a back-and-forth battle. A very tight contest eventually ended in a three-point win for Pinelands, who advanced to the semifinals by a 53-50 margin.

Blouberg International School secured the final semifinals’ spot, comfortably moving on with a 49-21 defeat of Bishops Diocesan College.

In Sunday’s semifinals, Wynberg Boys’ High handled Pinelands High’s challenge with aplomb, picking up a 49-31 win, while DSK was pushed hard by Blouberg International School but won 54-46.

Third place went the way of Blouberg, who almost doubled up Pinelands, rocketing their way to a 73-38 victory.

In the final, DSK had the edge over Wynberg and won by 10 points, 49-39, to win the gold medals.

Pinelands High secured the gold at the Wynberg Boys’ Basketball Tournament 

Victory in the u19 competition went the way of Pinelands High, who took down Wynberg Boys’ High in the final, leaving the host school as the runner-up in both age groups.

In the title game, Pinelands High, led by the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), Aiden Erasmus, turned on the style to record a comfortable 53-30 victory over the hosts. Anako Faltien, from DSK, was named the u16 MVP.

The Western Cape Basketball Association recognised Erasmus’s excellence in February when it bestowed the association’s Best Player Award on him.

Earlier this year, he represented the Western Cape province in the Basketball South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT). Additionally, he has been honoured with a Special Achievement Award from the Cape Metro District u17 Basketball Team.

Erasmus is under the tutelage of the renowned coach and former South African Basketball player, Vincent Ntunja, and the MVP award at the Wynberg Boys’ High Tournament was just the latest in a long list of accomplishments.

RESULTS

Saturday, 18 October 

u16 Quarterfinals 

Wynberg Boys’ High 29-19 Rondebosch Boys’ High
Deutsche Schule Kapstadt 48-16 St Andrew’s College
Pinelands 53-50 Westerford
Blouberg International School 49-21 Bishops Diocesan College

Sunday, 19 October 

u16 Semifinals 

Wynberg Boys’ High 49-31 Pinelands
Deutsche Schule Kapstadt 54-46 Blouberg International School

u16 Bronze Playoff 

Blouberg International School 73-38 Pinelands

u16 Final 

Deutsche Schule Kapstadt 49-39 Wynberg Boys’ High

u19 Boys Competition 

u19 Quarterfinals 

Pinelands 77-28 St Andrew’s College
Wynberg Boys’ High 50-41 Westerford
Rondebosch Boys’ High 44-31 Sunridge Circle High School
Bishops Docesan College 43-24 Wynberg Wolves

u19 Semifinals 

Pinelands 62-37 Westerford
Wynberg Boys’ High 35-29 St Andrew’s College

u19 Bronze Playoff

Westerford 53-51 St Andrew’s College

u19 Final

Pinelands 53-30 Wynberg Boys High

The St Stithians Girls’ Water Polo Invitational concluded in dramatic fashion, with the hosts, St Stithians College, edging out St Anne’s Diocesan College 9–8 in a nail-biting final.

The title game carried an emotional edge, as Saints’ coach Megan Sileno, who was in charge at St Anne’s until the end of last year, faced her former team in a matchup that delivered dollops of intensity in a showdown between unbeaten sides.

St Stithians swept through Pool D with emphatic wins over Kingswood College (9–5), Rhenish Girls High (21–0), and Kingsmead College (17–1), before overcoming Durban Girls’ College (DGC) 10–6 in the pool decider.

In the knockout rounds, Saints was pushed to the limit by a familiar foe, Reddam House Bedfordview, but they pulled off a tight 6-5 win. Then, in the semi-finals, they showed tactical discipline in an 6-3 win over the defending champs, Roedean, to earn their place in the title decider.

St Anne’s put together a similarly impressive run to the final. Drawn in Pool B, arguably the toughest of them all, they topped their group with wins over Collegiate Girls’ High (11–2), Reddam House Constantia (7–5), St Peter’s College (12–5), and Reddam House Bedfordview (11–4).

In a tense quarterfinal, they edged out their KZN rivals, DGC, 6–5 before defeating Herschel Girls High 7–4 in a fiercely contested semifinal.

The final lived up to every expectation, delivering a thrilling contest between two skilful and resilient teams who refused to back down. St Stithians drew early momentum from a packed home crowd, but St Anne’s responded with composure and precision as the match ebbed and flowed, with the sides exchanging goals throughout.

In the end, it was Saints’ superior conversion rate and defensive discipline in the closing minutes that proved decisive, as they held off a late St Anne’s surge to seal a 9–8 victory and their sixth St Stithians Invitational crown.

The closing day also saw several standout performances in the classification matches. Herschel finished third after a dominant 8–4 win over Roedean, while Reddam House Constantia held off DGC 8–6 in another thriller.

Clarendon High School for Girls overcame DSG Makhanda 9–6, and St Mary’s Waverley claimed a 5–3 win over Pearson High. Reddam Bedfordview defeated Kingswood 6–4, Beaulieu College topped St Dominic’s 4–2, and Kingsmead earned a narrow 5–4 victory over Rhenish.

RESULTS

Kingsmead 5-4 Rhenish (19/20)
Crawford Lonehill 5-3 Woodridge (17/18)
Beaulieu College 4-2 St Dominic’s (15/16)
St Peter’s College 9-7 Collegiate (13/14)
Clarendon 9-6 DSG (11/12)
Pearson High 3-5 St Mary’s (9/10)
Reddam Bedfordview 6-4 Kingswood (7/8)
Reddam House Constantia 8-6 DGC (5/6)
Roedean School 4-8 Herschel (3/4)
St Stithians College 9-8 St Anne’s (1/2)

The School of Excellence, one of the Gauteng Development League‘s (GDL) and South Africa’s most renowned football academies, recorded two victories while scoring 10 goals without conceding any in two outings on the weekend.

It has been an unexpectedly difficult season for the School of Excellence, but they turned on the style on Saturday to deliver a captivating performance against Elspark United at Elandsfontein Park

Elspark had few answers as the home side netted seven times while remaining rock-solid on defence.

On Sunday, the School of Excellence returned to the same venue to take on the East Rand Athletic Club. The home ground advantage once against worked for the hosts, who rolled to a 3-0 victory.

In Vereeniging, Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) hosted the recent bronze medal winners of the Engen Champ of Champs, Panorama, at President Park.

Despite their medal-winning efforts in the Champ of Champs, Panorama carried mixed form into the clash. Ever since they won the Engen Knockout Challenge Gauteng in July, where they defeated Kaizer Chiefs in the final, it has been a roller-coaster ride for the Roodepoort club, and on Saturday another dip awaited Panorama.

RESA prevailed 4-0 to keep their grip on third place in the standings, while also keeping them within reach of possibly finishing as high as second by the season’s end.

It took 34 minutes for the home side to open the scoring, with Bandile Radebe netting after an assist from Samukelo Mthombeni.

Seven minutes into the second half, Mthombeni netted a goal of his own, with Onthathile Lemao setting him up.

Their third came only five minutes later, courtesy of an own goal, and Radebe slotted his second with nine minutes remaining, again thanks to Mthombeni’s assistance, to complete the scoring.

Mamelodi Sundowns, in second place and chasing Highlands Park for the title, was forced to abandon their match on Sunday because of adverse weather, but so, too, was Highlands Park forced to abandon theirs.

Sundowns, though, closed the gap because they won on Saturday, outplaying Seven’s Academy 6-1 at Clapham High.

Much like the School of Excellence, Kaizer Chiefs has typically been one of the title contenders, but this season has been more challenging than usual. although Chiefs lie sixth on the table, while the School of Excellence is in 14th place following their two big wins.

After a narrow 3-2 victory over Jomo Cosmos last weekend at the Kaizer Chiefs Village, the Phefeni Glamour Boys took on the 13th-placed Rockefvs at the ACCP Grounds, and it was the home team who came away with the points, downing Chiefs 2-1.

A number of matches resulted in the sides sharing the spoils, with Jomo Cosmos and Wits Junior playing to a goalless draw. There was a similar result in the game between Kathorus Hyper Academy and East Rand Athletic on Saturday at Tsakane Stadium.

Joburg City and SuperSport United drew 1-1.

RESULTS

Saturday, 18 October

Jomo Cosmos 0-0 Wits Junior
Kathorus 0-0 East Rand Athletic
Joburg City 1-1 SuperSport United
RESA 4-0 Panorama
Mamelodi Sundowns 6-1 Seven’s Academy
School of Excellence 7-0 Elspark United
Randburg 1-1 TS Galaxy
Rockefvs 2-1 Kaizer Chiefs

Sunday, 19 October 

School of Excellence 3-0 East Rand Athletic

Games abandoned due to bad weather: 

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Panorama
Highlands Park vs Tuks