Lana Wessels, the captain of the hosts, Voortrekker, played her 100th game for the school in their 5-1 win over The Wykeham Collegiate. Photo: Voortrekker on Facebook.
The coaches and technical staff who made the trip to Bethlehem for the 11th edition of the Balling Hockey Festival will journey back to their bases on Sunday with a better idea of where their teams stand as they prepare for the 2024 hockey season.
The annual showpiece included many of the top teams in the country, but none emerged with a clean record
Oranje sailed through the first three days, winning all of their games. That run was halted, though, by St Mary’s DSG on Sunday morning when the girls from Kloof, in KwaZulu-Natal, beat the Bloemfontein powerhouse 2-1 in a much-anticipated clash.
Unfortunately for Union High School, they failed to record a win over the four days of competition. However, they played well against St Dominic’s and ended their festival with an encouraging draw. That result was routine for St Dominic’s. They drew all four of their matches.
Emile Odendaal, the festival director, was also there with The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC), whom he started coaching last month. One of his goals was to help turn around the school’s hockey programme, and the Pietermaritzburg school certainly made progress during the event. They finished on a high note, with a 3-2 win over Menlopark, which was the team that kept St Mary’s from going undefeated.
Eunice was another side that finished strongly. Coach Nika Coertzen’s side registered a 4-0 win over Noordheuwel. The girls from Krugersdorp experienced all three results over the four days they spent at Voortrekker and will travel back to Gauteng with their heads held high.
Sasolburg finished their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Noordheuwel’s archrivals, Monument. That was also the outcome of the game between St Dominic’s and St John’s DSG. Draws don’t sting like losses, so none of the four teams will be too dispirited by those results.
The Balling Festival, the first of the 2025 season, is now in the books. The hockey season is here and the action will soon come thick and fast. Buckle up!
RESULTS
Oranje 1st XI 1-2 St Mary’s
Oranje 2nd XI 4-1 Witteberg
Union 1-1 St Dominic’s
Our Lady of Fatima 1-1 Oranje 1st XI
TWC 3-2 Menlopark
Eunice 4-0 Noordheuwel
Sasolburg 0-0 Monument
Oranje 2nd XI 2-0 Goudveld
St Dominic’s 0-0 St John’s
Josh van Biljon’s 68* held the DHS innings together and steered School to victory over Clifton. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Clifton College visited Durban High School’s (DHS)Theobald Oval on Saturday for a 50-overs-a-side clash. In a grind-it-out performance, School came away with a hard-fought five-wicket win.
After calling the coin flip correctly, Clifton captain Tim Saulez elected to bat first.
Clifton lost Hayden Drieselmann early, but, through Byron Ward and Caleb Naicker, made good progress, with Ward playing aggressively and Naicker holding down his end. That approach brought them a 54-run partnership.
Taine Havermann ended it when he bowled Naicker for a watchful 14 from 54 balls. Unfortunately for Clifton, Ward, who has been in fine form since hitting a century against St John’s College (Harare) in the Clifton T20 Tournament, followed soon after that. He was caught by Ethan Cooper off Havermann for 43 from 58 balls, which had included five fours and a six.
When Tim Saulez followed for three, only one run later – another victim of Havermann – Clifton’s healthy 59/1 had become a less rosy 65/4.
Cristiano Borrageiro and Zach Williamson added 15 runs before Borrageiro became the second of three victims of the left-arm spin of Dhilan Naraidu, who, as he often does, took the new ball on Theobald Oval. Naraidu’s third wicket arrived the very next ball when he trapped Lawson Dinsdale in front.
While Williamson, another batsman who has found his form in recent weeks, stood firm, he was devoid of a solid partner until Blake Johnson, batting at 10, helped him add 23 for the ninth wicket.
Clifton, though, was bowled out for 131 after 45.2 overs.
The DHS bowling figures made for tidy reading. Taine Havermann, the fifth bowler introduced into the attack, captured a sparkling 4/22 from 8.2 overs. Dhilan Naraidu snagged 3/34 from 10, while captain Bayanda Majola kept Clifton’s batsmen honest and returned 1/12 from eight. Lazlo Jooste‘s contribution was a neat 1/25 from 10.
When DHS visited the crease, Tim Saulez removed opening batsman Ethan Cooper before DHS had reached double figures, and Blake Johnson’s left-arm spin accounted for Ismaeel Omar, one of DHS’s dangermen, for 14, which left School on 29/2.
Josh van Biljon and Taine Havermann settled down, though, and slowly took control of the contest. They combined for a 47-run third-wicket partnership before Havermann was caught by Ward off Johnson for 18. The problem for Clifton was that Josh van Biljon had played himself in at the other end.
Gabriel Vermeulen came on to grab a couple of sticks in two overs as DHS closed in on victory, but Van Biljon kept them going and after 40.1 overs DHS secured a five-wicket win.
Van Biljon was undefeated on 68. His measured innings had taken 105 deliveries, eight of which he had hit for four, with one other going over the boundary.
Vermeulen’s two overs brought him a return of 2/10, while Blake Johnson bowled well up front, snaring 2/28 from 10 accurate overs. Shiraz Perumal was tight, too, conceding only 21 runs from his 10, but without being rewarded with a wicket.
Kearsney College vs St Charles College
For a second time in recent weeks, Kearsney College scraped a tight victory over St Charles College. At the Clifton T20 Tournament, it was by only three runs. On Saturday, in a limited-overs match played on the AH Smith Oval, it was by just 12 runs.
The visitors, after winning the toss, opted to bowl first and made Kearsney work hard for their runs in the early going. When Rivan Moodley was bowled for Caleb Sharp for six, the home side had only 18 runs on the board in the tenth over.
Captain Jason de Gryse set a good example at the top of the order, putting his head down to score 39 from 93 balls, with four fours. Cole Young was more attacking, cracking an unbeaten 38 from 49 deliveries to continue his solid late-season form, while 20, from Nic Comrie, helped boost the hosts to 172 all out after 49.1 overs.
Keegan Vermaak accounted for De Gryse and also got stuck into the Kearsney middle-order to keep the batsmen in check. In 10 overs, he captured 5/35. The support from the opening bowlers, Rowen Rajah and Caleb Sharp, was good. Rajah knocked over 2/26 in nine overs and Sharp returned a miserly 1/17 from 10.
Vermaak and Thando Zama then gave Saintsthe kind of start they would have wanted. They combined for 56 runs in just over 12 overs for the first wicket before Vermaak was caught by Asher Hollister off Matthew Gorrie for 20.
Unfortunately for St Charles, Thando Zama followed four runs later, a victim of leg spinner Rivan Moodley for 33 from 38 balls. His innings had featured two sixes and three fours.
Gorrie struck a massive blow when he had Saints’ skipper Rico Honiball caught for a duck and Moodley, soon after, sent Caleb Sharp packing. When Moodley also got rid of AJ Bosman cheaply, the visitors had slumped to 72/5. They were in trouble, but Rowen Rajah and Ryan Clarke pulled them out of it.
They shared a 66-run stand for the sixth wicket before Gorrie struck for a third time to end it, removing Clarke for 29. When Rajah followed two runs later, another Moodley victim, for 39, Saints was in trouble once again, on 140/7. Within six overs, it was all over.
Aided by a run out of Dylan Leppan, Kearsney bowled out St Charles for 160. Moodley’s torrid form with the ball continued with a superb haul of 4/28 from 10, while Gorrie snared 3/46.
Interestingly, St Charles conceded 13 more extras than Kearsney, including 11 more wides. The winning margin was 12 runs.
Scores
Clifton College 130/10 (Byron Ward 43, Zach Williamson 35*, Taine Havermann 4/22, Dhilan Naraidu 3/34); Durban High School 131/5 (Josh van Biljon 68*, Gabriel Vermeulen 2/10, Blake Johnson 2/28). DHS won by five wickets.
Kearsney College 172/10 (Jason De Gryse 39, Cole Young 38*, Nic Comrie 20, Keegan Vermaak 5/35, Rowen Rajah 2/26); St Charles College 160/10 (Rowen Rajah 39, Thando Zama 33, Ryan Clarke 29, Rivan Moodley 4/28, Matthew Gorrie 3/46). Kearsney College won by 12 runs.
Maritzburg College, after a win over Northwood on Goldstone’s in January, was beaten on Goldstone’s by The Knights on Saturday. Photo: Justin Waldman Sports Photography.
Two days removed from a seven-wicket win over Michaelhouse in the final of the Tuskers 100-Baller, Hilton College must have thought they were on course for another win over their great rivals when they bowled them out for only 113 on the Hart-Davis Oval on Saturday. They weren’t. ‘House, with a disciplined bowling performance, dismissed Hilton for 99 in reply.
William Russon, with a gritty knock of 49 from 143 balls, with just one four, made all the difference. His innings was worth 25 runs more than the next highest scorer in the contest, Hilton opener, Alex Pitman, whose 24 he more than doubled.
The scoring rate from both teams was glacially slow. Michaelhouse batted at 2.4 runs per over. Hilton went at only 2.12. Nonetheless, Russon’s stubborn, disciplined innings proved to be match-winning.
Graydon Leslie made a key contribution, scoring 22, but no other batsmen reached double figures in Michaelhouse’s total of 113 runs.
The only partnership of note came from Russon and Leslie, who added 38 for the third wicket. In the context of what happened, though, the 10th wicket stand of 16, between Russon and Liam O’Dwyer, which lifted ‘House from 97/9 to 113 all out was hugely consequential.
Paceman Sechaba Gude – who brought Russon’s innings to an end, after the opener had partnered every other Michaelhouse batsman – claimed 3/23 from 9.1 overs. Off-spinner Luke Campbell clamped down on the run-scoring and bagged two wickets, finishing with 2/14 from nine overs, while David Hill picked up 2/24 from 10.
Much like William Russon, Hilton opener Luke Wilson adopted a cautious approach. He and Alex Pitman scored 31 runs for the first wicket in 10.4 overs before Pitman was caught off the bowling of Ben Heuer for 24. Still, Hilton had a foundation from which to work.
Unfortunately for the home team, they lost Wilson and James Ogilby for the addition of only three more runs, which left them on 34/3 in the 16th over.
A slight recovery brought them 19 runs for the fourth wicket from Ben Erasmus and Robert Burman, but another flurry of wickets followed, with Erasmus, Burman, and Jayden Roux departing while only five runs were added, leaving Hilton on a shaky 58/6 in the 27th over.
Obakeng Motsepa and David Hill shared a 17-run stand for the seventh wicket, but Luke Mitchell brought it to an end when he had Motsepa caught for 14, the second-highest score of Hilton’s innings. Shortly after that, Hill fell, too.
At 79/8, the hosts were staring down the barrel. They needed another 35 runs to win with two wickets standing and run-scoring had been exceptionally difficult throughout the day.
Rendani Nonge, who had removed Hill, accounted for Luke Campbell, which left Michaelhouse needing only one more wicket and Hilton still 26 runs short of victory.
Ben Heuer, then, trapped Sechaba Gude LBW to claim his third wicket of the innings, which wrapped up a battling win for ‘House. Heuer led the visitors’ attack with a superb 3/15 from 9.4 overs and was well supported by Jean-Luc Rey, who snared 2/13 from 10 stifling overs.
Rendani Nonge weighed in with a couple of important late wickets and returned 2/9 from three overs.
Maritzburg College vs Northwood School
Northwood had suffered a narrow 12-run defeatagainst Maritzburg College when they met on Goldstone’s earlier in the season. On Saturday, the Knightsvisited College’s home ground again, but this time they walked away with a convincing 49-run victory.
After winning the toss, Northwood’s Kyle White elected to bat first and his top order responded well to the challenge.
David de Bruyn and Tuswa Phetha began cautiously, sharing a 36-run stand for the first wicket in 12.2 overs before de Bruyn was caught by Sam Hughes off left-arm seamer Sphamandla Dzanibe for 20.
Phetha and the new man in, Ross McGlashan, set about rebuilding the innings and did an excellent job. They put on 74 runs in 99 balls, advancing the total to 110, before Phetha’s resistance was brought to an end by Nathan Pembridge. The opener had scored 31 from 69 deliveries, having run every single one of those runs.
McGlashan and White made another useful contribution, scoring 32 runs for the third wicket, before White went out to his opposing captain, Daniel Nadasan, for 19.
Still, Northwood kept chugging along. Morgan Jones joined McGlashan and they tacked on 46 runs, lifting the Knights to 188/3 in the 47th over before McGlashan’s fine knock was ended when he found the safe hands of Luan van der Merwe from a Reece Willson delivery. He had scored 79 from 111 balls, striking five fours and two sixes.
A couple more wickets followed in quick succession as the visitors sought a late boost to their batting effort, and after 50 overs they finished on 206/6.
Reece Willson picked up 2/23 from eight, and Daniel Nadasan 2/34, also from eight, while Dom du Toit tied down the Northwood batsmen, returning 0/14, from eight, also.
College’s reply was hurt by the run out of opening batsman, Ewald Bester. That’s the fourth time that has happened this season. Then, Reece Willson, went early, also, and the Red, Black, and White was 39/2 in the 11th over.
Captain Daniel Nadasan and Karl Dedekind combined for 36 runs for the third wicket, but Northwood struck back with a double blow. First, Nadasan was caught by Connor Leclezio off Jordan Matthews for 36 from 62 balls. A run later, Dedekind followed for 22, which left the home side in a spot of bother on 75/4.
When off-spinner Ben Cilliers caught and bowled Tian Van Niekerk, College had lost half their wickets for 90 runs. They suffered a further blow when Luka Puddu became the second player to be run out in the innings. Six runs later, they were seven wickets down in the 32nd over when Cilliers grabbed a second wicket by having Luan van der Merwe caught by Morgan Jones for 12.
Maritzburg College faced a steep uphill battle. They scrambled through Dom du Toit (13) and Sam Hughes (22*) to extend their innings, but Northwood had the contest under control.
After 41 overs, College was dismissed for 157, which left Northwood the winners by a decisive margin. Ben Cilliers led their attack with a decisive return of 3/26 from 10 overs, while Jordan Matthews picked up two wickets.
Scores
Michaelhouse 113/10 (William Russon 49, Graydon Leslie 22, Sechaba Gude 3/23, Luke Campbell 2/14, David Hill 2/24); Hilton College 99/10 (Alex Pitman 24, Ben Heuer 3/15, Rendani Nonge 2/9, Jean-Luc Rey 2/13). Michaelhouse won by 14 runs.
Northwood School 206/6 (Ross McGlashan 79, Tuswa Phetha 32, Morgan Jones 23*, David de Bruyn 20, Reece Willson 2/23, Daniel Nadasan 2/34); Maritzburg College 157/10 (Daniel Nadasan 36, Sam Hughes 22*, Karl Dedekind 22, Ben Cilliers 3/26, Jordan Matthews 2/39). Northwood won by 49 runs.
DIAN VISAGIE, slot van die Hoërskool Fichardtpark se Leeus, duik hier oor die doellyn vir sy span se enigste drie in die hoofwedstryd van vanjaar se Standard Bank Sportdag wat deur sy skool in Bloemfontein aangebied word. Fichies het met 7-25 die onderspit in die hoofwedstryd gedelf. FOTO: Marnus Prinsloo
Die Wesgrow-reeks skop dalk eers op 15 Maart amptelik af, maar die eerste skote van dié oorlog het reeds geklap.
Die Hoërskool Diamantveld het die Fichardtpark Leeus met 25-7 in die hoofwedstryd van die jaarlikse sportdag deur Hoërskool Fichardtpark gestamp. Standard Bank was vanjaar die hoofborg van die grootste sportdag in Suid-Afrika.
Die twee spanne sal mekaar later vanjaar op 24 Mei op dieselfde veld weer die stryd in ‘n Wesgrow-wedstryd die stryd aansê.
Die span van Kimberley het egter met dié sege ‘n belangrike sielkundige uitklophou vir later vanjaar geplant.
Die Diamonds, wat in geel truie uitgedraf het om nie met die gasheer se blou-truie te bots nie, het teen rustyd reeds ‘n stewige voorsprong van 15-0 opgebou. Die besoekers het vyf keer agter die doellyn gaan kuier, maar kon nie met ‘n enkele doelskop slaag nie.
Die wenspan se binnesenter, Jonathan Harding, het ‘n stewige vertoning opgedis. Hy is gewis ‘n speler wat vanjaar dopgehou moet word. Hy het ook twee van sy span se drieë afgerond. Hy en sy direkte teenstander, Junior Titoti, was in ‘n hewige stryd in die middelveld gewikkel.
Titoti is egter net voor rustyd koelkas toe gestuur. Diamonds het in die tweede helfte self vir ‘n ruk met net 13 spelers gespeel toe die disipline begin lostorring het. Die span se buitesenter, Jaco Beukes, is van die veld gestuur na hy sy tweede geelkaart weens ‘n ongeoorloofde duikslag ontvang het.
Die span se losskakel, Duran Makoni, is ook kort koelkas toe gestuur. Makoni het egter ‘n goeie wedstryd beleef met sy agttal wat voorlangs die botoon gevoer het. Sy skakelmaat, Ruben van der Linde, het ook op die voorvoet baljaar.
In die agttal het die slot Zuan Rautenbach, die haker Jaydrian Jacobs asook die losvoorspelers Enrique Boshoff en Jayden de Klerk goeie wedstryde beleef.
Vir die Fichies die heelagter, Unathi Ntuli, elke keer gevaarlik gelyk wanneer hy in besit geplaas is.
In die eerste wedstryd van die sportdag het die Hoërskool Bultfontein en Hopetown seker gemaak dat die ondersteuners wat vroeg uit die vere moes kom, nie teleurgesteld was nie.
Albei spanne het op die veld gedraf om aanvallende voetbal te speel. Bultfontein het die kragmeting met 12-5 gewen, maar dit was Hopetown wat in die eerste helfte die bal hope lug gegee het.
Hopetown se linkervleuel, Robin-Lee Eland, beskik meer oor die spoed van ‘n Rooihartbees as die van ‘n Eland. Hy het agter die doellyn gaan draai, maar die drie is weens ‘n vorentoe-aangee nie toegeken nie. Die skrumskakel, Faithden Jantjies, het Bultfontein besig gehou agter die oond en ook sy span se enigste drie na ‘n skerp breekslag gedruk. Die span se heelagter, Kabelo Poni, het ook verniet ‘n draai agter die doellyn gemaak.
Bultfontein het in die tweede helfte behoorlik ingeklim met sy plaasvervangers wat ‘n duidelike impak gemaak het. Veral Deon du Toit het op flank vanaf die plaasvervangersbank ‘n impak gemaak.
Die verloorspan se Le-ru Klok en Charl du Plessis (buitesenter) was hul span se beste spelers op die dag.
Puntemakers:
Diamantveld 25 (15) – Drieë: Jonathan Harding (2), Clinton Brits, Driaan Jacobs, Zuan Rautenbach. Fichardtpark 7 (0) – Drie: Dian Visagie. Doelskop: JM Rensburg.
The Reef Cup Water Polo tournament hosts, St Stithians College, secured a place in the final for the ninth consecutive time on Saturday in their home pools.
Coach Megan Sileno’s side was in scintillating form in their playoff matches, starting an easy 13-2 win over the visitors from Zimbabwe, Falcon College, in the quarterfinals.
They faced St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls in the semi-finals and it was again a comprehensive victory for Saints, who secured a place in the title decider against Reddam House Bedfordview with a 10-2 win.
Reddam Bedfordview was every bit as dominant as St Stithians in their playoff games, outplaying Reddam House Umhlanga 12-1 in the quarterfinals before matching Saints with a 10-2 win in their semi-final against Beaulieu College.
That leaves St Dominic’s to face Beaulieu College in the playoff for third and fourth, while another Zimbabwean school, Hellenic Academy, will tackle Kingsmead College in the fifth and sixth playoff.
Hellenic beat their fellow Zimbabweans, Falcon College 4-2, and Kingsmead College edged out Reddam House Umhlanga 4-3 to secure their places in the fifth-place playoff.
Kingsmead coach, Masibonge Namba, reflected on her side’s win over Reddam Umhlanga: “We did not play too badly. I think our first chukka was incredible. The girls stuck to the game plan. The game plan worked, and we scored when we needed to score.
“In the second chukka, we could have taken way more opportunities than we did but, other than that, for us to make the top eight in this tournament is great for our school,” she added.
Kingsmead was unbeaten on the first day, beating Durban Girls’ College(DGC) 5-2 before being held to a 3-3 draw with Woodridge College. On day two, they romped to an 11-1 win over Rand Park High School and blanked Pretoria High School for Girls 12-0.
Then, in the quarterfinals, they suffered their first loss, going down 5-9 to Beaulieu College. They returned to winnings ways against Reddam House Umhlanga.
“I think we have been growing every day,” coach Namba said. “We had fewer games than other teams before the tournament. However, I think we have done incredibly well. We have grown in every game. My girls are getting stronger and more confident. They are listening better, so, I think, day by day we are playing better, and the tournament is getting better.
“The weather has its ideas but otherwise, overall, the vibe of the tournament has been very good. My team’s morale has been great, as well. I coach a very positive team. It is very nice, my girls tend to not shout at each other, and are very good at uplifting one another, so those are some of the most important and critical things in our team – positive affirmation at all times,” she concluded.
In the boys’ competition, St David’s Marist Inanda beat St Benedict’s College 11-4 in the quarterfinals before withstanding Michaelhouse’s challenge and winning their semi-final clash 9-6..
Affies posted a 9-2 win over Hellenic Academy in the quarterfinals and then handed Durban High School (DHS) an 8-4 loss in a hard-fought semi-final showdown.
That result means that the battle for third place will be an all-KwaZulu-Natal affair between DHS and Michaelhouse.
The fifth-and sixth-place playoff will be between Woodridge and Bennies. Woodridge beat Hellenic Academy 8-5 in their playoff game to book their spot, while St Benedict’s beat St Alban’s 7-4.
RESULTS – GIRLS
Saturday, 1 March
Playoffs
G41: 5-12 (A2/B3): St Dominic’s 4-3 Durban Girls
G42: 5-12 (B2/A3): Woodridge 2-3 Falcon College
G43: 5-12 (C2/D3): St Peter’s 6-7 Reddam Umhlanga
G44: 5-12 (D2/C3): Beaulieu College 7-3 Crawford Lonehill
G45: 13-20 (A5/B4): Maris Stella 10-0 Rand Park
G46: 13-20 (A4/B5): Tournament Inv. 10-1 Pretoria HSG
G47: 13-20 (C5/D4): AHMP 8-12 Steyn City
G48: 13-20 (C4/D5): Parktown 9-5 Reddam Helderfontein
G53: 17-20 (L45/L47): Rand Park 7-4 AHMP
G54: 17-20 (L46/L48): Pretoria HSG 3-4 Reddam Helderfontein
G55: 9-12 (L43/L41): St Peter’s 6-9 Durban Girls
G56: 9-12 (L44/L42): Crawford Lonehill 1-2 Woodridge
G57: 13-16 (W47/W45): Steyn City 7-11 Maris Stella
G58: 13-16 (W46/W48): Tournament Inv. 8-6 Parktown
G60: 5-8 (L50/L49): Kingsmead 4-3 Reddam Umhlanga
G61: 5-8 (L52/L51): Falcon College 2-4 Hellenic Academy
Quarterfinals
G49: QF1 (A1/W43): Reddam Bedfordview 12-1 Reddam Umhlanga
G50: QF2 (W44/B1): Beaulieu College 9-5 Kingsmead
G51: QF3 (W41/C1): St Dominic’s 7-5 Hellenic Academy
G52: QF4 (D1/W42): St Stithians 13-2 Falcon College
Semifinals
G59: SF1 (W50/W49): Beaulieu College 2-10 Reddam Bedfordview
G62: SF2 (W52/W51): St Stithians 10-2 St Dominic’s
BOYS
Playoffs
G41: 5-12 (A2/B3): St Alban’s 10-9 Maritzburg College
G42: 5-12 (B2/A3): St Benedict’s 14-8 Grey College
G43: 5-12 (C2/D3): Woodridge 15-5 St Peter’s
G44: 5-12 (D2/C3): Hellenic Academy 7-6 Steyn City
G45: 12-20 (A5/B4): Beaulieu College 5-8 Falcon College
G46: 12-20 (A4/B5): Reddam Bedfordview 8-3 Parktown Boys’
G47: 12-20 (C5/D4): Rand Park 6-11 Reddam Helderfontein
G48: 12-20 (C4/D5): Glenwood 6-2 Reddam Umhlanga
G53: 17-20 (L45/L47): Beaulieu College 20-12 Rand Park
G54: 17-20 (L46/L48): Parktown Boys’ 9-7 Reddam Umhlanga
G55: 9-12 (L43/L41): St Peter’s 8-10 Maritzburg College
G56: 9-12 (L44/L42): Steyn City 5-6 Grey College
G57: 13-16 (W47/W45) Reddam Helderfontein 3-10 Falcon College
G59 13-16 (W46/W48): Reddam Bedfordview 9-5 Glenwood
G61: 5-8 (L50/L49): Hellenic Academy 5-8 Woodridge
G62: 5-8 (L52/L51): St Benedict’s 7-4th Alban’s
Quarterfinals
G49: QF1 (A1/W43): DHS 10-4 Woodridge
G50: QF2 (W44/B1): Hellenic Academy 2-9 Affies
G51: QF3 (W41/C1): St Alban’s 3-9 Michaelhouse
G52: QF4 (D1/W42) St David’s Marist 11-4 St Benedict’s
07:50 G63: 19th/20th (L53/L54): AHMP vs Pretoria HSG
07:50 G64: 17th/18th (W53/W54): Rand Park vs Reddam Helderfontein
07:50 G65: 15th/16th (L57/L58): Steyn City vs Parktown
09:30 G66: 13th/14th (W57/W58): Maris Stella vs Tournament Inv.
09:30 G67: 11th/12th (L55/L56): St Peter’s vs Crawford Lonehill
09:30 G68: 9th/10th (W55/W56): Durban Girls vs Woodridge
11:10 G69: 7th/8th (L61/L60): Falcon College vs Reddam Umhlanga
11:10 G70: 5th/6th (W61/W60): Hellenic Academy vs Kingsmead
11:10 G71: 3rd/4th (L62/L59): St Dominic’s vs Beaulieu College
13:10 G72: 1st/2nd (W62/W59): St Stithians vs Reddam Bedfordview
BOYS
07:00 G63: 19th/20th (L53/L54): Rand Park vs Reddam Umhlanga
07:00 G64: 17th/18th (W53/W54): Beaulieu College vs Parktown Boys’
07:00 G65: 15th/16th (L57/L59): Reddam Helderfontein vs Glenwood
08:40 G66: 13th/14th (W57/W59): Falcon College vs Reddam Bedfordview
08:40 G67: 11th/12th (L55/L56): St Peter’s vs Steyn City
08:40 G68: 9th/10th (W55/W56): Maritzburg College vs Grey College
10:20 G69: 7th/8th (L62/L61): St Alban’s vs Hellenic Academy
10:20 G70: 5th/6th (W62/W61): St Benedict’s vs Woodridge
10:20 G71: 3rd/4th (L60/L58): Michaelhouse vs DHS
12:10 G72: 1st/2nd (W60/W58): St David’s Marist vs Affies
Die Volkies het met ‘n naelskraapse sege van 14-12 oor Bergsig Akademie in Rustenburg die pyp gerook.
Dit was beslis nie Volkskool se aanskoulikste vertoning nie, met hanteerfoute wat die besoekers se momentum geknou het. Daardeur het hulle bykans 20 punte verlore laat gaan, maar dit is iets wat ‘n mens te wagte kan wees in die openingswedstryd van ‘n seisoen.
Dit neem egter niks weg van Bergsig se veggees nie. Die tuisspan het soos tiere verdedig, wat aanleiding gegee het tot die besoekers se oorgretigheid op die aanval en ongedwonge foute naby die doellyn. Indien Bergsig op dié begeesterde vertoning kan voortbou, sal hy beslis talle teenstanders nog hoofbrekens besorg.
Die besoekers se vurige agsteman, Jaco Botha, het ‘n barshou gespeel en nie geskroom om by die fisieke stryd voorlangs betrokke te raak nie. Hy het oral op die veld opgeduik om bewegings verder te voer en dit het ook aan hom ‘n welverdiende drie besorg.
Buitesenter, Juandré Pretorius, was ewe effektief op die aanval en het oorgeduik vir die drie wat uiteindelik die oorwinning vir die Volkies beklink het.
Benewens die Arende se rotsvaste verdediging, was hul aanvallende spel ook prysenswaardig. Die tuisspan se vermoeë om die bal in kontak af te laai is uit die boonste rakke, met die Dos Santos-duo, Paulo Dos Santos (skrumskakel) en Alzandro Dos Santos (heelagter), wat dit uitstekend benut het om elk agter die Volkies se doellyn te gaan kuier.
Hoërskool Pietersburg se heelagter, Ryno Mienie, het in nat toestande met twee strafdoele en ‘n doelskop geslaag om vir sy span ‘n oorwinning van 13-6 oor Potchefstroom Volkskool, in Potch, te verseker. Steelkantflank, Juan Janse van Rensburg, en vasskopstut, Stephan Jansen van Rensburg, het voorlangs hand opgesteek om die Potchefstromers te laat les opsê.
Die tuisspan se skrumskakel, Juan Geldenhuys, het ál ses sy span punte met ‘n paar strafdoele aangeteken.
Hoërskool Die Anker het sy stem dik gemaak met ‘n wegholsege van 69-7 oor Hoërskool Wagpos. Die span van Brakpan het nie minder nie as 11 drieë op sy tuisveld ingeryg om die besoekers van Brits stert tussen die bene huis toe te stuur.
Dit was ‘n familie-affêre met oopkantflank, Markus Herbst, wat twee keer gaan druk het, terwyl sy neef, binnesenter, Edrick Pienaar, ook een keer agter die doellyn gaan draai het. Pienaar het boonop die verantwoordelikhede vanaf die skopkegel behartig en sewe van sy span se drieë verdoel om sy persoonlike bydrae op 19 punte te staan te bring.
Puntemakers:
Heidelberg Volkskool 14 (14) – Drieë: Jaco Botha, Juandré Pretorius. Doelskoppe: Marco Botha (2). Bergsig Akademie 12 (12) – Drieë: Alzandro Dos Santos, Paulo Dos Santos. Doelskop: Bradley Stonehous.
Bishops outplayed KES to secure a semi-final place in the KES Water Polo Tournament. Photo: TeamPhoto SA
The defending champions of the King Edward VII (KES) Water Polo Tournament, Rondebosch Boys’ High will face their southern suburbs’ rivals, Bishops Diocesan College, for a place in Sunday’s final.
In the other semi-final, Hilton College carries KwaZulu-Natal’s hopes, while St Stithians College flies the flag for Gauteng.
The action takes place at the Mark Stevens Aquatic Centre and will be broadcast LIVE on SuperSport Schools.
To book their places in the semifinals, Rondebosch, Bishops, Hilton, and Saints had to play some of their best polo in the quarterfinals.
Bosch was far from convincing on the opening daywhen they scored nervy wins over Selborne College and Jeppe High School for Boys. On Saturday, they suffered a shock 7-8 loss to Clifton College.
That defeat mattered little, however, and Bosch finished atop Pool C to book a date with South African College High School (SACS) in the last eight.
With a semi-final place on the line, coach Jared Wingate-Pearse’s outfit played their socks off, scoring 11 times while conceding eight goals. Noah Reiback and Kieran Bennewith both found the back of the net three times while Luke Burger netted a brace. The scoring was completed by further goals from Zack Labuschagne and Matthew Galpin.
Their opponents, Bishops also had a bumpy ride to the last four, although they dominated their quarterfinal clash against the hosts, KES.
What’s clear, though, is that coach Jabulani Sibiya’s Bishops’ boys have not reached their full potential and they could be peaking at the right time. Their 16-8 demolition of KES in the quarterfinal was a clear indication that they’re hitting their stride.
Harry Ford was the enforcer for the Capetonians, netting a whopping six goals, while Matt Fenn scored four times, and Danie Van der Heever snagged a brace. Jack Grout, Owen Cross, Milo Letschert, and Timothy Young also got in on the action to seal the victory for their team.
The Bish/Bosch semifinal meeting will be the fourth match between the Cape Town sides in under a month.
Bishops have the upper hand after winning two of the previous three meetings, with the most recent win coming during the final of the SACS Nite Series.
Hilton College defeated Selborne College to book their spot in the semifinals of the KES Water Polo Tournament. Photo: TeamPhotoSA
The second semifinal, which also promises to thrill, sees Hilton facing Saints, who will be banking on some home support.
St Stithians has impressed and shut down any doubters with their performances this weekend.
Under the guidance of coach Michael Stewart, they beat St Andrew’s College and Northwood in the pool stages. But they saved their best performance for the quarterfinals, where they faced Kearsney College.
It was a thrilling game of water polo that delivered end-to-end action and some superb goals.
Travis Donnelly was the standout player for Saints, striking four times while Nathan Mansfield scored a hat-trick. Blake Morton and James Crick both bagged braces, while James Pohl fired in a hat-trick for Kearsney.
With that win, St Stithians knocked out one of the favourites for the tournament, but they won’t have an easy ride against Hilton. The KwaZulu-Natal school has gone about its business in a very quiet and admirable way.
They breezed past the pool stages with two wins and one draw before brushing aside Selborne College 11-7 in the last eight.
Tristan Uys was, as usual, in the thick of the scoring, contributing four goals, while Hilton captain, Thomas Taylor, scored three. Mitchelle Garreau joined the action with another two, while Garrick Phillips and Liam Casey also made it onto the score sheet.
The losers in the quarterfinals faced off before the day’s play came to an end in the Cup playoffs section, with SACS defeating KES 4-2, and Kearsney beating Selborne 4-3.
That means it will be SACS versus Kearsney for fifth place on Sunday.
The final day’s action kicks off at 07:00, with the first semifinal scheduled for 08:00 between Bishops and Rondebosch.
DAY 2 RESULTS
Bishops (2) 9-9 (1) St Andrew’s College
Kearsney 6-5 Paul Roos
Clifton 8-7 Rondebosch
St John’s College 15-3 Pretoria Boys High
St Stithians 14-3 Northwood
KES 9-7 Westville
Selborne College 10-2 Jeppe
Hilton College (2) 10-10 (0) SACS
Plate quarterfinals
St Andrew’s College 4-3 Westville
Paul Roos 5-4 Northwood
Clifton 5-2 Pretoria Boys High
St John’s 5-4 Jeppe
Cup quarterfinals
Bishops 16-8 KES
St Stithians 11-8 Kearnsey
Rondebosch 11-8 SACS
Hilton College 11-7 Selborne College
Plate playoffs
Westville 4-3 Pretoria Boys High
Northwood 5-3 Jeppe
Cup playoffs
KES 2-4 SACS
Kearsney 4-3 Selborne
DAY 3 FIXTURES
07:00 – St Andrew’s College vs Clifton; 07:30 – Paul Roos vs St John’s; 08:00 – Bishops vs Rondebosch; 08:50 – Hilton vs St Stithians; 09:40 – Westville vs Northwood; 10:10 – Plate 5th/6th playoff match; 10:40 – Plate 3rd/4th playoff match; 11:10 – Plate final; 11:40 – Selborne College vs KES; 12:10 – Kearsney vs SACS; 12:40 – 3rd/4th Playoff match; 13:30 –Final.
Hoewel Hoër Tegniese Skool Middelburg se Rooi Bulle nie in hul kenmerkende rooi truie uitgedraf het nie, het hulle steeds hul stempel deeglik afgedruk tuis teen Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen met ‘n oortuigende sege van 30-12.
Die eerste helfte het ‘n uiters fisieke stryd afgegee, vernaam voorlangs waar die skote geklap het. Albei spanne sal deur die loop van die seisoen met ‘n valkoog dopgehou moet word by die afbreekpunte. Jansies se haker en kaptein, Marco Ventura, en oopkantflank, Craig Lightfoot, het gewoel in die los om die Rooi Bulle se balbesit te bederf.
Vir die Middelburgers was dit senter en kaptein, Johnny Dos Santos, wat soos ‘n wafferse wegbreker-flank dikwels omgekeerde balbesit bewerkstellig het. Dos Santos se verdediging was ook weer uit die boonste rakke.
Losskakel, Nathan Jansen van Vuuren, het egter by hierdie geleentheid die Rooi Bul-kollig gesteel. Van Vuuren se balversrpreiding was nie net uiters flink nie, maar het hy die aandag uitstekend van Dos Santos afgetrek deur self die Jansies ‘n paar keer omkant te betrap op die aanval. Sy taktiese visie behoort ‘n deurslagewende faktor vanjaar te wees.
WJ Enslin, die Rooi Bulle se heelagter wat ook vanjaar die stelskoppe behartig, was in die kol met ál ses sy pogings pale toe, en het met sy drie doelskoppe en drie strafdoele die helfte van sy span se punte aangeteken. Sy taktiese skopwerk was ook uitstaande, veral die steekskoppie, vanaf ‘n strafskop om vir buitesenter, Jacques Greyling, die geleentheid te skep om suurlik oor die doelyn te duik.
Ten spyte daarvan dat hulle met 18 punte die onderspit gedelf het, was daar nietemin ‘n aantal positiewes vir die span van Boksburg. Die voorspelers was uitmuntend, met die Jansie-pak wat die oorhand geniet het in die skrums, en het dikwels skade aangerig het met hul kragtige dryfmale. Die agterlyn is ook blitsig en het gevaarlik gelyk wanneer hulle spasie gebied word.
Oranje’s Balling Festival team. Photo: Oranje on Facebook.
One of South Africa’s established hockey powerhouses, Oranje, has kicked off their hockey preseason with a bang. The Bloemfontein school remains the only unbeaten side at the Balling Hockey Festival in Bethlehem.
The festival, which is being played on the Voortrekker Astro and at New Horizon College, kicked off with two games on Thursday, 10 were played on Friday, and another 16 were contested on Saturday.
In Saturday’s action, Oranje added two more victories to their tally from day two, which included defeats of Menlopark and St Anne’s, with emphatic wins of 3-0 over St John’s DSG and 4-0 over Monument.
Monument, on the other hand, did not have a great day three. They lost 0-3 to Our Lady of Fatima in their other match. The ladies from Krugersdorp will hope to put in a better performance on Sunday in their last outing against Sasolburg.
Our Lady of Fatima was unable to carry their winning form into their next tie, going 1-2 down to a resurgent Eunice side that bounced back from a 0-2 loss to St Mary’s DSG in their morning fixture. The ladies from Kloof went on to record another victory, beating Noordheuwel 5-2 late in the day.
Coach Morne Odendaal’s St Anne’s team had only one match on Saturday, and they came away with a 2-0 win over Goudveld. The Welkom school also fell to Sasolburg and The Wykeham Collegiate (TWC), going down 1-2 in both of those matches.
Menlopark had mixed fortunes on day three, drawing one and winning one. They inflicted a 4-0 defeat on the hosts, Voortrekker, but were then held to a 1-1 draw by St John’s DSG.
The final day of the festival has some exciting matches in store, including a mouthwatering clash between Oranje and St Mary’s, two of the top teams at last year’s Fairtree Super 12 tournament.
RESULTS
St Anne’s 2-0 Goudveld
Sasolburg 2-2 St Dominic’s
Oranje 1st team 3-0 St John’s DSG
Eunice 0-2 St Mary’s Kloof
Our Lady of Fatima 3-0 Monument
Oranje 2nds 1-0 Union High
TWC 2-1 Goudveld
Voortrekker 0-4 Menlopark
Noordheuwel 4-2 Witteberg
Eunice 2-1 Our Lady of Fatima
Goudveld 1-2 Sasolburg
St John’s DSG 1-1 Menlopark
Oranje 1sts 4-0 Monument
Voortrekker 5-1 TWC
Witteberg 1-3 St Dominic’s
Noordheuwel 2-5 St Mary’s Kloof.
Sunday, 2 March
6:30 – Union vs St Dominic’s
06:30 – Oranje 2 vs Witteberg (New Horizon)
08:10 – Our Lady of Fatima vs Oranje 1
09:05 – Sasolburg vs Monument
10:00 – St Dominic’s vs St John’s
10:55 – Eunice vs Noordheuwel
11:50 – TWC vs Menlopark
12:45 – Oranje 1 vs St Mary’s Kloof
14:25 – Oranje 2 vs Goudveld
Two age group events – u14 and u16 – will be run concurrently with the u19 competition with most matches being played at New Horizon
The results from around South Africa will be updated here as we receive the results from the various schools.
If your school’s match is not listed below or you would like to send in your team’s results, please email us via e-mail at rugby@ssschoolsplus.co.za or via WhatsApp at 072 172 5455.
Or you can submit a result via our website – Submit Result.
