{"id":76403,"date":"2025-06-30T22:07:56","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T20:07:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=76403"},"modified":"2025-06-30T22:07:56","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T20:07:56","slug":"sashoc-national-week-kicks-off-with-a-bang-in-pietermaritzburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=76403","title":{"rendered":"SASHOC National Week kicks off with a bang in Pietermaritzburg"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_76426\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76426\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-76426\" src=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/hockey-southern-free-state-southerns-b-300625-400x268.jpg\" alt=\"Matthias Visser scored with a searing drag flick to lift Southern Free State a 1-0 win over Southern Gauteng B on the opening day of the 2025 u18 SASHOC ational Week. Photo: Brad Morgan.\" width=\"400\" height=\"268\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-76426\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matthias Visser scored with a searing drag flick to lift Southern Free State a 1-0 win over Southern Gauteng B on the opening day of the 2025 u18 SASHOC National Week. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There was an early Monday morning start as the fog was starting to clear over <strong>Pape&#8217;s Astro<\/strong>, at <strong>Maritzburg College<\/strong>, in Pietermaritzburg. The temperature read a mere four degrees Celsius as <strong>Eastern Province A<\/strong> and <strong>Southern Gauteng A<\/strong> got the ball rolling at the 2025 <strong>SASHOC National<\/strong> Week.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">After months of preparation, it was time for the players to walk the talk and show spectators, national selectors, and, potentially, scouts in attendance, what they had to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The big winners on the opening day were the defending champions <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/western-province-hunts-a-fifth-straight-sashoc-national-week-title\/\">Western Province A (WP)<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/reddy-to-lead-southern-gauteng-u18a-at-sashoc-nationals\/\">Southern Gauteng A<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/boland-ready-to-level-up-at-sashoc-national-week\/\">Boland A<\/a><\/strong>, <strong>Southern Free State A<\/strong>, and <strong>Northern Gauteng A<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Southern Gauteng defeated <strong>Eastern Province A<\/strong> (EP) 1-0 in the first game of the tournament, thanks to a strike by <strong>Parktown Boys&#8217; High<\/strong> stalwart, <strong>Zeyad Davids<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The boys from Gauteng were made to sweat for their win. In a scrappy first half, EP came out fighting and created ample chances. However, c<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">oach <strong>Andrew Beynon<\/strong>&#8216;s boys were their own worst enemies. Their finishing let them down.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Hockey - Boland B vs Western Province A - Boys SA Schools Hockey - 30 June 2025\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/85JzTCWuRIk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In the first half, they were awarded several short corners, but their execution was rough, and those chances went begging.<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Southerns, meanwhile, struggled to gel but showed promising signs, and their defence, steered by captain <strong>Ethan Kapanda<\/strong>, <strong>Khanyisa Kraai<\/strong>, and <strong>Benjamin Simon<\/strong>, was rock solid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Up front, they didn\u2019t create much, but Davids used the single chance that came his way, while <a href=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/saints-dangerman-blatch-ready-to-rip-through-teams-at-aitken-cup\/\"><strong>Aidan Blatch<\/strong> <\/a>showed glimpses of his potential.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_76429\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76429\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-76429\" src=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/hockey-sashoc-u18-300625-1-1-400x266.jpg\" alt=\"Western Province A scored an assured victory over Boland B to get their campaign off to a solid start. Photo: Teamphoto SA.\" width=\"400\" height=\"266\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-76429\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Western Province A scored an assured victory over Boland B to get their campaign off to a solid start. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TeamphotoSA\/\"><strong>Teamphoto SA<\/strong><\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The action intensified quickly when the defending champions, Western Province, took on Boland B.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Province defeated<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/western-province-claims-back-to-back-sashoc-national-week-titles\/\"> Boland A 3-2 in last year\u2019s final<\/a><\/strong> and arrived in the Midlands as one of the favourites. Boland B, on the other hand, earned promotion after winning the B-Section in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">WP hardly got out of first gear but, after a well-contested first chukka, went in front in the second chukka through <strong>Litha Kraai<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">They doubled their tally soon after through a thunderbolt drag flick from captain <strong>Jo le Roux<\/strong>. Then, in the final chukka, <strong>Aiden Topper<\/strong> sealed the victory with a brilliant solo goal. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_76428\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76428\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-76428\" src=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/hockey-sashoc-u18-300625-4-400x301.jpg\" alt=\"Pushed hard by KZ Coastal B, KZ Inland A scored a tidy 2-0 wi in their opening match.\" width=\"400\" height=\"301\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-76428\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pushed hard by KZN Coastal B, KZ Inland A scored a tidy 2-0 win in their opening match. Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TeamphotoSA\/\"><strong>Teamphoto SA<\/strong><\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Another side that had a good opening day was <strong>KZN Inland A<\/strong>, who finished fifth in 2024, a placing with which they were disappointed.<\/p>\n<p>Coach <strong>Damian Kimfley&#8217;<\/strong>s boys have flown under the radar ahead of the tournament, but they\u2019re one of the sides to keep an eye on in a tough Pool A.<\/p>\n<p>They enjoyed a good start, defeating a game <strong>KZN Coastal B side<\/strong> 2-0. Later in the day, they played out a goalless draw with Eastern Province A.<\/p>\n<p>Inland created several good goal-scoring opportunities, but were frustrated by EP.\u00a0It was a tightly contested affair, but EP&#8217;s <strong>Keegan Le Roux<\/strong> had a golden chance to win it in the dying minutes of the game when he picked up a loose ball and made a circle entry. His shot was wide of the mark, however, and it didn&#8217;t bother <strong>Viwe Ndlovu<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Inland also had a chance to snatch victory, but<strong> Kiano Broadhurst<\/strong> proved why he&#8217;s so highly rated, pulling off some acrobatic saves to keep the hosts goalless.<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In Hilton, <strong>St Anne\u2019s DSG<\/strong>\u2019s lower AstroTurf hosted three boys&#8217; matches, too, with Boland A taking on Western Province B, Northern Gauteng facing KZN Coastal A, and Southern Free State A tackling Southern Gauteng B.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Province B competed wholeheartedly, but Boland controlled the contest and finished well to run up an emphatic 5-0 victory, which set a nice foundation for the Western Cape side for the remainder of the tournament.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>Ruben Gouws<\/strong>, <strong>Tylor Carter<\/strong>, <strong>Christo Swanepoel<\/strong>, and <strong>Adam Leitch<\/strong>, all of Paul Roos, netted, while\u00a0<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>Luka Meets<\/strong> completed the scoring, converting a stroke with a minute to play, to make it five.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The match of the day was undeniably between Northern Gauteng A and KZN Coastal A.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Led by coach <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/paulo-eager-to-lead-northerns-sashoc-nationals-challenge\/\">Steven Paulo<\/a><\/strong>, the Northerns boys made a poor start, but coach Paulo\u2019s speech halfway through the match sparked his boys back to life.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_76425\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-76425\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-76425\" src=\"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/hockey-northerns-kzn-coastal-mcmennamin-300625-400x241.jpg\" alt=\"A penalty corner save by Owen McMennamin was one of the key plays in orthern Gauteng's win over KZ Coastal. Photo: Brad Morgan.\" width=\"400\" height=\"241\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-76425\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A penalty corner save by Owen McMennamin was one of the key plays in Northern Gauteng&#8217;s win over KZN Coastal. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">They trailed 0-2 at the break courtesy of strikes by <strong>Joshua Mungherera <\/strong>and<strong> Luke Allen<\/strong>, who both netted field goals in the second chukka. <strong>Owen McMennamin<\/strong>, though, kept his side from going a further goal behind by saving a penalty stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Northerns had to respond, and they did so early in the second stanza when <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>Tyler Trower<\/strong> pulled one. With seven minutes left to play, <strong>Luken Brunette<\/strong> levelled matters with a successful penalty stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A 2-2 draw would have been befitting of the occasion, but Northerns had other ideas. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">On the hooter, the boys from Pretoria were awarded a short corner. They turned to their co-captain, Luken Brunette.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">He is no stranger to big match moments, and he did what he does best and converted, rocketing the ball past <strong>Georg Wolhuter,<\/strong> in the Coastal goal, to snatch a dramatic 3-2 win.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Southern Free State, meanwhile, mustered a 1-0 win over Southern Gauteng B, with by captain <strong>Matthias Visser<\/strong> slotting a penalty corner to secure the win for the boys from Bloemfontein, who dominated the contest, but found Southerns B tough to break down.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Day 1 | Results and scorers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pool A<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Southern Gauteng A 1:<\/strong> Zeyad Davids. <strong>Eastern Province A<\/strong> <strong>0<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>KZN Inland A 2:<\/strong> Lynton Fitz, Gordon Deutscher. <strong>KZN Coastal B 0<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Western Province A 3<\/strong>: Litha Kraai, Jo le Roux, Aiden Topper. <strong>Boland B 0<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Eastern Province A 0<\/strong>. <strong>KZN Inland A 0<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pool B<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Southern Free State A 1:<\/strong> Matthias Visser. <strong>Southern Gauteng B 0<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Boland A 5:<\/strong> Ruben Gouws, Tylor Carter, Christo Swanepoel, Adam Leitch, Luka Meets. <strong>Western Province B 0<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Northern Gauteng A 3<\/strong>: Luken Brunette (2), Tyler Trower. <strong>KZN Coastal A 2<\/strong>: Joshua Mungherera, Luke Allen<\/p>\n<p><strong>DAY 2 FIXTURES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pool A<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>11:45<\/strong> &#8211; Southern Gauteng A vs KZN Inland A<br \/>\n<strong>13:10<\/strong> &#8211; Eastern Province A vs Western Province A<br \/>\n<strong>14:35<\/strong>&#8211; KZN Coastal B vs Boland B<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pool B<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>07:30<\/strong> &#8211; Boland A vs Northern Gauteng A<br \/>\n<strong>08:55<\/strong> &#8211; Southern Gauteng B vs Western Province B<br \/>\n<strong>10:20<\/strong> &#8211; KZN Coastal A vs Southern Free State A<br \/>\n<strong>16:00<\/strong> &#8211; Boland A vs Southern Gauteng B<br \/>\n<strong>17:25<\/strong> &#8211; Western Province B vs KZN Coastal A<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There was an early Monday morning start as the fog was starting to clear over Pape&#8217;s Astro, at Maritzburg College, in Pietermaritzburg. The temperature read a mere four degrees Celsius as Eastern Province A and Southern Gauteng A got the ball rolling at the 2025 SASHOC National Week. After months of preparation, it was time [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":76426,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=76403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76403\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/76426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=76403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=76403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=76403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}