{"id":80930,"date":"2025-08-18T16:31:25","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T14:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=80930"},"modified":"2025-08-18T16:31:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T14:31:25","slug":"champions-crowned-at-growthpoint-sa-national-junior-squash-champs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=80930","title":{"rendered":"Champions crowned at Growthpoint SA National Junior Squash Champs"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\"Dean
Free State’s Dean Katzin was crowned the u17 national champion at the Growthpoint SA Junior National Squash Championship after winning a pulsating final against Eden’s Christian Swanepoel. Photo: Grant Pitcher\/Gallo Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Den\u00e9 van Zyl<\/strong> and Judah Phillips<\/strong> were crowned the u19 women’s and men’s champions when the Growthpoint SA National Junior Squash Championships<\/strong> came to an exciting conclusion at the V&A Waterfront<\/strong>, in Cape Town, on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Playing on the all-glass court at Makers Landing<\/strong>, Van Zyl retained her title with a relatively comfortable 3-0 win over her cousin from <\/span>Northerns<\/span>, Chant\u00e9 Leppan<\/strong><\/span>, to finish her career in the junior ranks in a satisfying fashion.<\/span><\/p>\n

She went through the tournament unbeaten and fully deserved the title despite a spirited effort by <\/span>Leppan<\/span> in the last match.<\/span><\/p>\n

Down 5-10 in the third game, Leppan<\/span> forced it to a 10-10 tiebreaker before Van Zyl closed out the match 11-5 11-7 12-10.<\/span><\/p>\n

Men’s top seed Judah Phillips, of <\/span>Northerns,<\/span> showed similar control in winning the national title for the first time. He met Western Province’s Thomas <\/strong><\/span>Boutall<\/span><\/strong> in the title decider after both went unbeaten in the lead-up to final.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a good contest, but it was Phillips who dictated most of the play, leading to a convincing 11-6 11-5 11-5 victory.<\/span><\/p>\n

In one of the matches of the tournament, Free State’s Dean <\/strong><\/span>Katzin<\/span><\/strong> called on his deepest reserves of energy and determination to outlast Eden player Christian Swanepoel<\/strong> in a gruelling five games to take the boys’ u17 title.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a rare defeat for Swanepoel in the Growthpoint Junior Nationals as he had won the u15 title the previous two years.\u00a0<\/span>He showed his ability and sheer grit in a humdinger of a match which saw <\/span>Katzin<\/span> stand on the verge of victory when he had three match points in the third game.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Swanepoel has not achieved his elevated status without demonstrating a dogged character and he turned the tables on his opponent to win the next five points to stay in the match, taking the game 12-10.<\/span><\/p>\n

Remarkably, St Andrew’s School<\/strong>‘s <\/span>Katzin<\/span> regrouped in spirited fashion and opened up a 5-1 lead in the final game. But\u00a0<\/span>Swanepoel was not done. He levelled at 5-5 before <\/span>Katzin<\/span> was able to force a crucial three-point lead. Eventually, he was able to outmanoeuvre his opponent on his fifth match point after a tremendous display by both players.<\/span><\/p>\n

Afterwards <\/span>Katzin<\/span> was at a loss to explain how he managed to come back in the fifth game: “<\/span>It’s amazing to win the title and I really don’t know how I managed to come back in the fifth,“ he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019m just very proud to be the champion and I would like to thank so many people who have helped me on this journey.“<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Elzandri
Elzandri Janse van Rensburg, of Northerns, defeated Kwazulu-Natal’s Makayla Naidoo in the girl’s u17 final. Photo: Grant Pitcher\/Gallo Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the girls\u2019 u17 final, <\/span>Northerns’<\/span> star <\/span>Elzandri<\/span> Janse<\/span><\/strong> van Rensburg<\/strong> retained her title with a controlled display of power to outduel her <\/span>longtime<\/span> rival Makayla Naidoo<\/strong>, of KZN, 11-9 11-7 11-7.<\/span><\/p>\n

The left-handed champion was lethal on the attack, pouncing on anything loose with a series of penetrating drives to the back of the court, which Naidoo was unable to return.<\/span><\/p>\n

On occasions, <\/span>Janse<\/span> van Rensburg showed deft touches in the front of the court, and although Naidoo fought back with courage to take a lead in the third game, the <\/span>Northerns<\/span> player reimposed her pattern of play to take the title.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I sometimes struggle with the conditions on the all-glass court, but I felt I played well today,“ <\/span>Janse<\/span> van Rensburg said.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Makayla and I have been playing each other for a long time, and we always have close games, so you are never quite sure who is going to win. But I’m happy to take the win today.“<\/span><\/p>\n

RESULTS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Girls’ u17<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pool A: <\/span><\/strong>Elzandri<\/span> Janse<\/span> van Rensburg (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>) <\/span>bt<\/span> Makayla Naidoo (KZN) 3-0 (11-9 11-7 11-7), Starla Phillips (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>) <\/span>bt<\/span> Kate van <\/span>Biljon<\/span> (Border) 3-0 (11-6 11-4 12-10).<\/span><\/p>\n

Final positions:<\/strong> 1 <\/span>Elzandri<\/span> Janse<\/span> van Rensburg (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>,) 2 Makayla Naidoo (KZN), 3 Starla Phillips (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>), 4 Kate van <\/span>Biljon<\/span> (Border).<\/span><\/p>\n

Pool B:<\/strong> Tara Neville-<\/span>Smyly<\/span> (WP) <\/span>bt<\/span> Amelia Lubbe (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>) 3-0 (11-3 11-3 11-8), Vivienne van der <\/span>Schyff<\/span> (Free State) <\/span>bt<\/span> Hanrie<\/span> Duits<\/span> (Eden) 3-1 (11-4 3-11 12-10 11-7).<\/span><\/p>\n

Final positions:<\/strong> 1 Vivienne van der <\/span>Schyff<\/span> (Free State), 2 <\/span>Hanrie<\/span> Duits<\/span> (Eden), 3 Tara Neville-<\/span>Smyly<\/span> (WP), 4 Amelia Lubbe (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>) <\/span><\/p>\n

Boys’ u17<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pool A: <\/span>Dean <\/span>Katzin<\/span><\/strong> (Free State <\/span>bt<\/span> Christian Swanepoel (Eden) 3-2 (11-6 11-9 10-12 5-11 11-7), Malherbe van Niekerk (Boland) <\/span>bt<\/span> Dylan <\/span>Keswell<\/span> (WP) 3-1 (11-8 11-5 5-11 11-5).<\/span><\/p>\n

Final positions:<\/strong> 1 Dean <\/span>Katzin<\/span> (Free State), 2 Christian Swanepoel (Eden), 3 Malherbe van Niekerk (Boland), 4 Dylan <\/span>Keswell<\/span> (WP). <\/span><\/p>\n

Pool B:<\/strong> Logan <\/span>Kidson<\/span> (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>) <\/span>bt<\/span> Aiden McNeill (KZN) 3-2 (9-11 14-16 11-8 11-5 11-5). Milan Raffa (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>) <\/span>bt<\/span> Luke Goldschmidt (EP) <\/span>bt<\/span> 3-1 (11-4 11-8 9-11 11-1).<\/span><\/p>\n

Final positions:<\/strong> 1 Milan Raffa (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>), 2 Logan <\/span>Kidson<\/span> (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>), 3 Luke Goldschmidt (EP), 4 Aiden McNeill (KZN).<\/span><\/p>\n

Women u19<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pool A:<\/strong> Den\u00e9 van Zyl (Boland) Chante <\/span>Leppan<\/span> (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>) 3-0 (11-5 11-7 12-10), Brianna Robinson (<\/span>Easterns<\/span>) <\/span>bt<\/span> Cevana<\/span> Naidoo (KZN) 3-0 (11-6 11-4 11-2).<\/span><\/p>\n

Final positions:<\/strong> 1 Den\u00e9 van Zyl (Boland), 2 Brianna Robinson (<\/span>Easterns<\/span>), 3 Chante <\/span>Leppan<\/span> (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>), 4 <\/span>Cevana<\/span> Naidoo (KZN)<\/span><\/p>\n

Pool B:<\/strong> Marlene van <\/span>Wyk<\/span> (Boland) <\/span>bt<\/span> Katelyn <\/span>Walland<\/span> (EP) 3-1 (10-12 11-8 11-4 11-5), <\/span><\/p>\n

Lucy Malherbe (WP) <\/span>bt<\/span> Benedette<\/span> van <\/span>Tonder<\/span> (Free State) 3-0 (11-4 11-2 11-7)<\/span><\/p>\n

Final positions:<\/strong> 1 Lucy Malherbe (WP), 2 Marlene van <\/span>Wyk<\/span> (Boland), 3 <\/span>Benedette<\/span> van <\/span>Tonder<\/span> (Free State), 4 Katelyn <\/span>Walland<\/span> (EP). <\/span><\/p>\n

Men u19<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pool A:<\/strong> Judah Phillips (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>) <\/span>bt<\/span> Thomas <\/span>Boutall<\/span> (WP) 3-0 (11-6 11-5 11-5), Louis le Riche (Boland) <\/span>bt<\/span> Benji Newman (EP) 3-1 (11-6 7-11 11-8 11-5).<\/span><\/p>\n

Final positions:<\/strong> 1 Judah Phillips (<\/span>Northerns<\/span>), 2 Thomas <\/span>Boutall<\/span> (WP), 3 Louis le Riche (Boland), 4 Benji Newman (EP).<\/span><\/p>\n

Pool B: <\/span><\/strong>Anrieg<\/span> Small (Boland) <\/span>bt<\/span> Heinu<\/span> van Jaarsveld (Joburg Squash) 3-1 (11-6 11-8 4-11 11-8), <\/span>Ruvay<\/span> Ramdhin<\/span> (KZN) <\/span>bt<\/span> Nicholas <\/span>Basson<\/span> (WP) 3-1 (4-11 12-10 11-7 12-10).<\/span><\/p>\n

Final positions:<\/strong> 1 <\/span>Ruvay<\/span> Ramdhin<\/span> (KZN), 2 Nicholas <\/span>Basson<\/span> (WP), 3 <\/span>Anrieg<\/span> Small (Boland), 4 <\/span>Heinu<\/span> van Jaarsveld (Joburg Squash).<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Den\u00e9 van Zyl and Judah Phillips were crowned the u19 women’s and men’s champions when the Growthpoint SA National Junior Squash Championships came to an exciting conclusion at the V&A Waterfront, in Cape Town, on Saturday. Playing on the all-glass court at Makers Landing, Van Zyl retained her title with a relatively comfortable 3-0 win […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":80932,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80930","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\/80930","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\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=80930"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80930\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/80932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=80930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=80930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=80930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}