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After flying starts to their respective 2024 campaigns, the Hudson Park High School boys’ and girls’ senior hockey teams made their way to Knysna in the Western Cape for the Oakhill Co-Ed Festival over the weekend.

Rewatch the action from the Oakhill Festival on SuperSport Schools

Hudson was the only team from the Border region in action at the festival but they more than held their own against their Western Cape opposition.

Before the festival, both Hudson’s boys’ and girls’ teams had registered wins on the opening weekend of derby action against Cambridge High School in East London.

The girls’ team, under the guidance of coach Jerry Snyman, scrapped their way to a hard-fought 1-0 win, with Inathi Lubelwana netting the winner for her side.

Meanwhile, coach Sipe Matafeni’s boys posted a 2-1-victory, courtesy of goals from Ayola Rubushe and Somila Mkhokeli.

In Knysna, both of the East London school’s teams impressed, with their attractive brand of hockey helping them to score some notable victories.

In six matches, the Hudson Park girls were rampant, scoring a whopping 24 goals without conceding.

They claimed the scalps of Outeniqua (4-0), Oakhill School (4-0), Knysna High (7-0), Reddam House Durbanville (3-0), and Milnerton (5-0).

Their final match on Sunday, against St Patrick’s, was called off due to bad weather. That mattered little though, as coach Snyman was satisfied with what he had seen.

“This past weekend, the girls played with great structure, which allowed them to work on what we’ve been practicing and aiming towards,” he told SuperSport Schools after the festival.

“This includes stuff such as ball speed, connections, and intensity as a team.

“The momentum gained this weekend should carry over into the rest of the season as the players are settling into the team and the expectations.

“We are now entering the derby season, with the Spar Hockey Challenge just ahead of us. The team is working hard and they’re positive, so we’re looking to continue this momentum,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the Hudson Park boys’ side will be satisfied with the progress they showed during the festival.

They opened their account with successive wins against Outeniqua (4-2) and Oakhill (3-1). They did, however, stumble against Stellenberg High, going down 0-2, before sharing a 1-1 draw with Knysna.

They bounced back on day three, beating Reddam House Durbanville 1-0 and Milnerton 2-1, before losing out by the odd goal to the Grey High 2nd XI in their final match

Reacting at the end of the event, coach Matafeni said he hoped his boys would take the lessons learned during the festival with them into the rest of the season.

“It’s a well-run festival and playing only two 15-minute halves per match offers a different dynamic,” he said.

“It forces players from both sides to switch on from the very first whistle, as there is simply no time to try and ease into the game.

“It also reduces the amount of time you have to claw your way back, if you concede. All of these factors create an action-packed 30 minutes for each game.

“I am hoping that my boys will carry the ability to get going from the first whistle into the season.”

The girls’ team will be back in action on Sunday, 21 April, when they take part in the Border Coastal Spar Hockey Challenge.

The boys’ side, on the other hand, has a weekend off before returning to the turf against St Andrew’s College later this month.

Hudson Park’s results from the Oakhill Co-Ed Hockey Festival

Girls
Hudson 4-0 Outeniqua 2nd
Hudson Park 1-1 Stellenberg
Hudson Park 4-0 Oakhill
Hudson Park 7-0 Knysna
Hudson Park 3-0 Reddam House Durbanville
Hudson Park 5-0 Milnerton
Hudson Park vs St Patrick’s – No result, rained out.

Boys
Hudson Park 4-2 Outeniqua 2nd
Hudson Park 3-1 Oakhill
Hudson Park 0-2 Stellenberg
Hudson Park 1-1 Knysna
Hudson Park 1-0 Reddam House Durbanville
Hudson Park 2-1 Milnerton
Hudson Park vs St Patrick’s – No result, rained out.
Hudson Park 0-1 Grey High 2nd

Die Vrystaat B-liga het die afgelope naweek in Bloemfontein by Sand du Plessis afgeskop, met SPS Brandfort, Zastron en Reddersburg (Hendrik Potgieter) wat hul onderskeie veldtogte met goeie seges kon loods.

Brandfort se groot agsteman, Greyven Dempsey, het vir die tweede naweek agtereenvolgens vier drieë ingeryg.

Verlede week het Dempsey ‘n vierkuns behaal teen Hoërskool Heilbron in sy span span se wegholoorwinning van 48-6, en Saterdag was hy weer in die kollig toe Brandfort vir ‘n begeesterde Hoërskool Bloemfontein met 31-12 kon tem.

Verlede jaar het die Brandfort-span ook gereeld hul agsteman ingespan om aanvalle af te rond, met Wehan Strydom wat een van hul voorste driedrukkers was. As Dempsey en sy pak hierdie tempo kan volhou behoort die Brandfort-manne vir nog heelwat vermaaklike rugby te sorg vanjaar.

Gashere, Sand du Plessis, het die dag se aksie afgeskop met ‘n riller teen Jim Fouché se vierdes. Die kragmeting het ‘n wipplankstryd afgegee en met die omdraaislag het die tuisspan nog met 12-14 agtergeloop.

Na ‘n aksiebelaaide tweede helfte was die besoekers steeds met twee punte voor, maar ‘n strafdoel in die doodsnikke deur Zander du Toit het vir sy span ‘n naelbytsege van 27-26 beklink. Keanu Rafferty het ook twee drieë bygedra om met die louere as Speler van die Wedstryd weg te stap.

Zastron het met 51 punte teen geen met Bloemfontein South High School afgereken, met Magwethu Magidela wat ‘n driekuns behaal het.

Reddersburg het ook ‘n indrukwekkende vertoning teen President Steyn gelewer om met 40-7 die botoon te voer. Stirling Batties, Reddersburg se binnesenter wat verlede seisoen reeds by die VKB Reitz-week as lid van die Vrystaat Kiewiete uitgeblink het, was weer op sy stukke met ‘n bydrae van 13 punte.

Volgende naweek kom die spanne by St Andrew’s in Bloemfontein bymekaar, waar Brandfort en Zastron mekaar aanvat in wat vroeg in die seisoen reeds beloof om ‘n bepalende kragmeting te wees.

Hoërskool Bloemfontein sal ook spoedig na die wenpad wil terugkeer wanneer hulle vir St Andrew’s op hul tuisveld die stryd aansê.

Puntemakers:

SPS Brandfort 31 (19) – Drieë: Greyven Dempsey (4), Cecil Lee. Doelskoppe: Amolang Maloisane. Hoërskool Bloemfontein 12 (5).

Sand du Plessis 27 (12) – Drieë: Keanu Rafferty (2), NJ Oelofse, Siya Sebata. Doelskoppe: Zander du Toit (2). Strafdoel: Du Toit. Jim Fouché IV 26 (14).

Zastron 51 (36) – Drieë: Mawethu Magidela (3), WG Rautenbach (2), Lechabile Leballo, Jacques-Philip Franzsen, Marthin Naude, Migael Burger. Doelskoppe: Leballo (3). Bloemfontein South 0.

Reddersburg 40 (21) – Drieë: Boitshepo Nthipe, Waylon Strydom, Attie Melato, Tumi Pholoane, Stirling Batties, Pieter Jacobs. Doelskoppe: Batties (4), Enslin van Wyk. President Steyn 7 (0).

 

Ander tellings:

o. 16 – Zastron 19, Bloemfontein South 5.

o. 15 – Reddersburg 24, President Steyn 19.

Maritzburg College hosted Pretoria Boys High on Goldstone’s on Saturday and there was a feeling of déjà vu about the result as the home team put together a powerful second half surge to win 43-15.

Last year, in Pietermaritzburg, College won 42-13, while the score in Pretoria was 47-15.

“It was similar to last year’s result, but Boys High were in the fight at halftime,” Maritzburg College coach Tim Orchard said, after the game.

“They scored just before halftime, from a maul. At halftime, we made a few changes in terms of how we defended it. They ran out of legs in the second half.”

Indeed, at halftime there was not much in it, with the Red, Black and White leading 21-15 after the visitors had forced their way over just before the whistle with a strong driving maul. After the break, however, College put up 22 points without reply.

It took the hosts six minutes to get onto the board and it came from a try by their Craven Week lock, Jake Jansen, who enjoyed a very good day carrying the ball. Flyhalf James Slevin converted from 10 metres to the right of the posts, and it was 7-0.

Eight minutes later, PBHS struck from a lineout 10m from the College line, with a quick transfer of the ball isolating a number of College defenders, who couldn’t contain the maul as it charged over the try line in the right-hand corner, with 8th-man Katlego Shebu dotting down.

College was on the board next, with centre Nkululeko Sithole handing off a defender and powering over the line after strong direct running from the forwards had sucked in the visitors’ defence. Another Slevin conversion further extended the home side’s lead to nine points.

PBHS enjoyed great success with their mauling in the opening stanza and that won them a penalty deep inside the College 22m area, resulting in Tebogo Nchabaleng knocking over an easy kick to make it College 14-10 Pretoria Boys High.

Then, a good run from Imivuyo Kemka took the Maritzburg no.8 to within five metres of the try line, in the left-hand corner. Shifting the attack, College moved the ball quickly through the hands to the opposite side of the field, where they were awarded a penalty. Before Boys High culd organise their defence, Kemka was put into a gap for another five-pointer. Slevin made it 21-8 by slotting the conversion.

With half-time approaching, the visitors set up a maul from a lineout just inside the College 10m line. They marched forward towards the hosts’ try line, exerting force on one side of the maul and then the other. When College gave away a penalty, Boys High kicked the ball into touch and turned back to the maul which had been working so well for them.

Another good drive put Jeffrey Singo over the line and Nchabaleng’s successful conversion made it 21-15 to Maritzburg College at halftime.

Slevin got the scoreboard moving in the second half with a penalty before PBHS was made to pay for a missed lineout throw. College shovelled the ball quickly down the backline out to their left-wing Reinhardt Jacobsz, who crashed over the try line, in a tackle, to score. Slevin’s good day with the boot continued as College moved 18 points clear.

The pressure from the home team was unrelenting, with Boys High playing a lot of rugby deep inside their own half, and it told as Maritzburg skipper Rambo Kubheka forced his way over, with Slevin adding two more points to his team’s total.

The home team had built up momentum. The linking between backs and forwards was smooth and PBHS was now conceding metres at a time as College pounded their defensive line and Jacobsz was, once more, the beneficiary of some slick handling, diving over for his second try in the left-hand corner.

For once, Slevin was unable to make the kick, but the contest had been decided and Maritzburg College had won convincingly.

Coach Orchard praised the performance of Slevin, saying the number 10 had played one of his better games, and had distributed the ball well. He also highlighted the performances of the two men outside of Slevin, the centres, Nkululeko Sithole and Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, who tore holes in the Pretoria defence throughout the game.

Summarising the match, during which he felt his team had produced its best performance of the season thus far, Orchard said: “In terms of forward play, it was definitely a step up, and there was more cohesion on attack.”

Scorers

Maritzburg College 42 (21) – Reinhardt Jacobsz (2) , Jake Jansen, Nkululeko Sithole, Imivuyo Kemka, Phiwayinkosi Kubheka, Conversions: James Slevin (5). Penalty: James Slevin. Pretoria Boys High 15 (15) – Tries: Katlego Shebu, Jeffrey Singo. Conversion: Tebogo Nchabaleng. Penalty: Tebogo Nchabaleng

Scores

u19 – Maritzburg College II 15 Pretoria Boys High II 7; Maritzburg College III 28 Pretoria Boys High III 7; Maritzburg College IV 15 Pretoria Boys High 0; Maritzburg College V 17 Pretoria Boys High 7; Maritzburg College VI 24 Pretoria Boys High VI 0; Maritzburg College VII 46 Pretoria Boys High VII 7; Maritzburg College VIII 49 Pretoria Boys High VIII 7; Maritzburg College IX 20 Pretoria Boys IX 12; Maritzburg College X 38 Haythorne 0

u16 – Maritzburg College A 13 Pretoria Boys High 8; Maritzburg College B 33 Pretoria Boys High 0; Maritzburg College C 18 Pretoria Boys High 10; Maritzburg College D 31 Pretoria Boys High 14; Maritzburg College E 21 Pretoria Boys High E 22; Maritzburg College F 27 Pretoria Boys High F 22

u15 – Maritzburg College A 31 Pretoria Boys High A 7; Maritzburg College B 35 Pretoria Boys High B 7; Maritzburg College C 36 Pretoria Boys High C 15; Maritzburg College D 20 Pretoria Boys High D 6; Maritzburg College E 19 Pretoria Boys High E 5; Maritzburg College F 34 Pretoria Boys High F 21

u14 – Maritzburg College A 7 Pretoria Boys High A 14; Maritzburg College B 17 Pretoria Boys High B 34; Maritzburg College C 26 Pretoria Boys High C 5; Maritzburg College D Pretoria Boys High D 0; Maritzburg College E 12 Pretoria Boys High E 0; Maritzburg College F 7 Pretoria Boys High F 8; Maritzburg College G 17 Pretoria Boys High G 7

Die Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale het Saterdag op die plaas in Riversdal vir Stellenberg met 29-22 die loef afgesteek in ‘n rugbyskouspel wat in goeie gees gelewer is.

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Nadat die twee spanne verlede seisoen by Stellenberg “sussies gesoen” het met 13-13, het albei ‘n kring om vanjaar se bepaling getrek as een van die hoogtepunte van die seisoen. Die Oakdale-bulle het hul tuisveld met mag en mening verdedig en kon net-net daarin slaag om die “Jade Brigade” met sewe punte te troef.

Gedurende die eerste helfte het Oakdale die meerderheid van die balbesit en gebiedsvoordeel geniet, en ook daarin geslaag om dié voordeel in punte te omskep, aanvanklik deur hul staatmaker op senter, Kurt Coetzee, se stewel.

Die tuisspan se eerste drie het gekom toe heelagter, Waylon Kortjie, op ‘n losbal geduik het, voordat die boere se opwindende jong loskopstut, Kai Pratt, vier Stellies-verdedigers afgestamp het om aan sy span ‘n 15-punt voorsprong te bied.

Pratt het verlede jaar by die Grant Khomo-week as deel van die SWD-span reeds aandag getrek en bewys homself keer op keer vanjaar as ‘n speler om fyn dop te hou.

Die besoekers het in die laaste sekondes van die eerste helfte uiteindelik hul rekening oop gemaak toe hul groot slot en kaptein, Dale du Toit, oorgebars het vir hul eerste drie en losskakel, Eben Rademan die ekstras bygevoeg het.

Na die omdraaislag het Stellenberg hul ritme gevind en die Oakdale verdediging toenemend begin aanvat. Heelagter, Marco Staples, het die agterstand na 12-15 laat krimp met hul tweede drie, maar sy direkte opponent, Kortjie, het onmiddelik daardie drie uitgekanseleer toe hy in die hoekie oorgeduik het vir sy tweede van die dag.

Die besoekers se voorspelers het die boere nogmaals laat sweet en, met sowat 20 minute oor, het hulle vir Almeiro Keizer oorgedryf om weer binne trefafstand te kom.

Oakdale het egter weer onmiddelik reageer. Rademan se lynskop is afgestorm, CT Vosloo het balbesit vir die tuisspan herwin en, toe hy voor die doellyn platgetrek is, het Jannes Snyman afgerond om die buffer te herstel.

Estian Steyn het nog ‘n skitterende drie vir Stellenberg gedruk, maar daar was eenvoudig nie genoeg speeltyd oor om Oakdale se vroeë voorsprong in te haal nie. Die boere kon dus nog ‘n teenstander se naam op die lys van spanne plaas wat vanjaar reeds teen hulle die knie moes buig.

Intussen het Worcester Gimnasium en Hoërskool Montagu die Boland se naam hoog gehou op die tuinroete.

Die Gimmies het in Mosselbaai vir Hoërskool Punt met 22-15 verslaan, terwyl Montagu kon vasbyt vir ‘n oorwinning van 40-33 oor Hoërskool Oudtshoorn.

Montagu se ster-losskakel, Ronaldo Koker, het Saterdag op binnesenter begin waar hy floreer het. Benewens die 20 punte wat hy eienhandig bygedra het, het hy heelwat slaankrag in die middeveld verleen.

Die tuisspan het egter ook skitterend gevaar om die momentum te swaai, nadat hulle teen halftyd met 14-33 agtergeloop het.

Puntemakers 

Oakdale Landou 29 (15) – Drieë: Waylon Kortjie (2), Jannes Snyman, Kai Pratt. Doelskoppe: Kurt Coetzee (3). Strafdoel: Coetzee. Stellenberg 22 (7) – Drieë: Estian Steyn, Marco Staples, Almero Keizer, Dale du Toit. Doelskop: Eben Rademan.

Worcester Gimnasium 22 – Drieë: Valentino Nomadluka, Ryan Jacobs, Luke Cupido, Elrenzo Swarts. Doelskop: Aiden Abrahams. Hoërskool Punt 15 – Drieë: Caleb Meyer, Dean Vorster. Doelskop: Gabbrielle Hinkman. Strafdoel: Meyer.

Montagu 40 (33) – Drieë: Ronaldo Koker (2), Linden de Silva, Nazeer Ahmed, Peter-Wayne Soldaat, Algurvine Everson. Doelskoppe: Koker (5). Oudtshoorn 33 (14) – Onbekend.

 

Ander uitslae

o. 19 – Langenhoven Gimnasium 50, Hoërskool Langenhoven 19; Oakdale II 19 Stellenberg II 13; Worcester Gimnasium II 49, Hoërskool Punt II 0; Hoërskool Punt III 15, Worcester Gimnasium III 7; Hoërskool Punt IV 7, Worcester Gimnasium IV 7; Oudtshoorn II 24, Montagu II 7.

o. 16 – Stellenberg 20, Oakdale 12; Worcester Gimnasium 24, Hoërskool Punt 22; Hoërskool Punt B 14, Worcester Gimnasium B 14; Montagu 26, Oudtshoorn 12.

o. 15 – Stellenberg 14, Oakdale 8; Worcester Gimnasium 33, Hoërskool Punt 10; Worcester Gimnasium B 55, Hoërskool Punt B 12; Oudtshoorn 67, Montagu 5.

o. 14 – Oakdale 10, Stellenberg 3; Worcester Gimnasium 45, Hoërskool Punt 0; Worcester Gimnasium B 66, Hoërskool Punt B 5; Oudtshoorn 39, Montagu 7.

Northwood and DHS had put together remarkably stingy defensive records ahead of their meeting on Saturday on Reece-Edwards Field in Durban. Despite early tries from both sides, they kept those miserly defensive records intact, with the contest ending 7-7.

DHS made the early running but, uncharacteristically, their flyhalf Aka Boqwana missed a sitter and the Knights made the Horseflies pay shortly after that by putting points on the board the first time they visited deep into DHS territory.

From a five-metre lineout, they put together a well-structured maul and got the shove on the visitors to force their way over. Ramatuku Sikhakane neatly added the extras to put Northwood into an early 7-0 lead.

Within three minutes, DHS had levelled, with Zenkhosi Mthiyane going over from a beautifully executed backline move which created a wide gap for the left-wing to run through and score to the right of the uprights. Boqwana’s conversion was on the mark, and it was 7-7.

From then on, though, it was a stalemate.

After the contest, DHS Director of Rugby Peter Engeldow commented: “There was a lot more tactical kicking in the game than in the past, especially from Northwood’s side, and to be fair, tactically they were a bit better than us in the kicking game.

“We didn’t kick very accurately and, when we did kick, we kicked straight to guys in position. It was a bit frustrating. ”

DHS also missed out on a penalty kick at goal when they took too long to bring out a kicking tee. Instead, Northwood received a scrum. Northwood, though, also saw an easy kick miss the target near the end.

Candidly, Engeldow said: “If I’m honest, they deserved to win the game. We were lucky to draw, in the end. We weren’t clinical enough. In key areas, we didn’t execute well enough.”

While it was a draw, it was another step forward for coach Jacques Deen and the Northwood Knights. They were comfortably beaten by DHS in 2023, with School winning 26-7 at home and 27-5 at Northwood.

Some stern tests await Northwood, but with a win against Hilton and a draw against DHS, two of the stronger teams on their schedule, they’ve made a lot of people sit up and take notice already.

At the Riverside Sports Club, Clifton College welcomed Glenwood High School, with both entering the match off the back of hard-fought defeats, with Clifton having gone down by five to St Stithians and Glenwood losing by 11 to Maritzburg College.

The hosts met fire with fire and made the Green Machine fight hard for each and every point, but Glenwood’s control of possession was the telling factor in their 34-7 win.

There is only so much defending a team can do before the dam wall breaks and the visitors managed to cross for three tries in the opening stanza.

In the second half, for a long time there was little to separate the sides as Clifton gave as good as they got.

When the teams turned, it was 17-0 in Glenwood’s favour and they edged further ahead with another try, but Clifton, deservedly got themselves onto the scoreboard through a try from their burly centre Bradley Beeslaar, who was rewarded for his industry when he joined a maul near the visitors’ try line.

Glenwood, though, will be satisfied with the control they exerted over the game and, of course, with scoring a win.

Traditionally, the Green Machine has built its success off of solid set pieces and the forwards delivering quality ball to the backs – it’s a well-known and proven recipe that works – and there was plenty of that to be seen.

Clifton, though, defended manfully and made it a bruising battle for the visitors.

SCORES

Northwood vs DHS

u19 – Northwood I 7 DHS I 7; Northwood II 27 DHS II 33; Northwood III 5 DHS III 19; Northwood IV 26 DHS IV 17; Northwood V 10 DHS V 12; Northwood VI 17 DHS VI 7

u16 – Northwood A 14 DHS A 21; Northwood B 12 DHS B 0; Northwood C 31 DHS C 7; Northwood D 20 DHS D 0

u15 – Northwood A 10 DHS A 23; Northwood B 7 DHS B 10; Northwood C 20 DHS C 5; Northwood D 22 DHS D 14

u14 – Northwood A 12 DHS A 36; Northwood B 0 DHS B 24; Northwood C 10 DHS C 7; Northwood D 10 DHS D 15; Northwood E 17 DHS E 10

Clifton College vs Glenwood

u19 – Clifton I 7Glenwood I 34; Clifton II 0 Glenwood II 56; Clifton III 29 Glenwood 17

u16 – Clifton A 3 Glenwood A 53; Clifton B 10 Glenwood 34

u15 – Clifton A 12 Glenwood A 26; Clifton B 31 Glenwood 24

u14 – Clifton A 0 Glenwood A 12; Clifton B 10 Glenwood 7

The top seeds, who had made it through to the finals of the three age groups at the South African Schools Closed Squash Championships in Johannesburg on Sunday, showed why they were the top seeds, with each of them winning. It was only in the boys’ u16 event that the pattern was broken.

Luhann Groenewald was crowned the boys’ u19 champion, and he did it in style, beating Devon Osborne, the third seed, 3-0 in the title decider to complete the event without dropping a game.

He had been a hot favourite ahead of the Championships after lifting the Bloemfontein Junior Open title early in March, where the u19 division also included players who are no longer in school.

Groenewald’s Hoërskool Zwartkop schoolmate and girls’ u19 top seed, Chanté Leppan, matched him by outplaying Midstream College‘s Elzandri Janse van Rensburg 3-0 in an all-Northerns final.

However, Leppan narrowly missed out on a perfect record, after dropping one game against Bianke Pienaar on Saturday.

The boys’ u16 competition proved to be the most unpredictable of the six being contested. On day two, top seed Benji Newman was ousted by Christian Swanepoel. Then, second seed Joel Rix barely escaped Joseph Feast, but he eventually gritted his way to a 3-2 win, taking it 14-12 in the fifth.

On Sunday, matters were less nerve-wracking as Rix, having recovered from his marathon match, grabbed the title with a 3-1 win over Swanepoel.

Makayla Naidoo justified being the number one seed in the girls’ u16 age group by posting a 3-1 win over Brianna Robinson in the final.

The result was similar in the boys’ u14 gold medal match. In a one versus two battle, top seed Déwan Borstlap overcame Daniel Tarr 3-1.

It was, however, very tight in the girls’ u14 age group, which featured just eight invited players competing in two pools, with points being accumulated in each of the matches they contested.

Rylee Howells, the top seed, had suffered an upset loss to fourth seed Lily Strydom on Saturday, but she clawed her way to the title, and added another to the long list won by Epworth girls, by edging out Gemma Clarke 3-2.

That result left both players on seven points, but Howells took the crown on a points’ count.

RESULTS

Boys’ u19
Luhann Groenwald beat Devon Osborne 3-0.

Girls’ u19
Chanté Leppan beat Elzandri Janse van Rensburg 3-0

Boys’ u16
Joel Rix beat Christian Swanepoel 3-1

Girls’ u16
Makayla Naidoo beat Brianna Robinson 3-1

Boys’ u14
Déwan Borstlap beat Daniel Tarr 3-1

Girls’ u14
Rylee Howells won on points’ count after she and Gemma Clarke finished on seven points.

There were wins for Clarendon, Collegiate Girls’ High, Pearson, and Cambridge High School during the second week of the local hockey season in the Eastern Cape over the weekend.

Clarendon, Collegiate, and Pearson were all in derby action after recently participating in the St Mary’s Festival in Gauteng.

There, Pearson ended their campaign as the highest ranked Eastern Cape side, in 15^th spot, while Collegiate edged out Clarendon 2-0 to take 21^st place in the elite 32-team field.

On Thursday afternoon, Pearson was in action, playing host to their Gqeberha neighbours, Westering High School. The visitors were, undoubtedly, the underdogs, but they had boosted their confidence at the Union Festival, where they reached the final before losing 0-1 to the hosts.

Pearson, though, was a higher level of challenge and they demonstrated that by storming to a 6-0 win.

In their second match of the week, on Saturday, Pearson defeated Stirling High 5-2, while Westering played to a 1-1 draw against Volkskool Graaff-Reinet.

Collegiate, meanwhile, also added two wins to their record.

Ahead of their derby against Outeniqua, in a mid-week match, they produced a fluent performance to overwhelm Alexander Road High School 7-0.

Kerrin Gillies was the star of the show in that clash, slotting a handful of goals, while Jana Prinsloo and Kate Brennan also scored.

On Saturday, Collegiate carried the momentum from their mid-week success into their clash with Outeniqua in Gqeberha.

After her five-goal haul, Gillies added another, converting a penalty stroke, and field goals from Nina Mitchell and Kate Brennan secured a 3-1 win for the home side, with Zanelle Rensburg scoring for the visitors.

In Makhanda, Cambridge High School thumped Victoria Girls’ High 4-0. Akhile Mdlalane, who has been in good goal scoring form since the start of the season, grabbed a double, and further goals from Milisa Mntusanto and Usiphe Ngxoweni made it four for the visiting team.

Clarendon Girls High completed the weekend’s schedule with a 2-0 win over Queenstown Girls’ High (2-0) in a tightly contested clash, with Jilliana Saffy and Hannah Viviers finding finishes.

Clarendon, Stirling, Cambridge, and Hudson will next turn their attention to the Border Coastal Spar Hockey Challenge, which takes place next Sunday, 21 April.

That action will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

RESULTS:
Clarendon High School for Girls 2-0 Queenstown Girls’ High
Hudson Park 5-0 Milnerton
Collegiate Girls’ High 3-1 Outeniqua
Pearson High 5-2 Stirling High School
Cambridge High School 4-0 Victoria Girls’ High
Pearson High 6-0 Westering
Westering 1-1 Volkskool Graaff-Reinet

HTS Louis Botha compounded Sentraal‘s woes on Thursday evening, leaving their Bloemfontein opponents still chasing a first win of the season after they sneaked a thrilling 17-12 victory in Tralies’ backyard.

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It took a while for the game to get going, but the “Hatties” slowly gained the ascendency, thanks to their dominance in the set pieces.

Neo Mothibeli‘s accuracy in the lineout gave his side a weapon to chip away at the Tralies’ defences.

At scrum time, the Louis Botha forwards outmuscled the hosts, too, making it difficult for them to launch attacks without a steady platform.

Still, the visitors made their own lives difficult by failing to exit effectively, which allowed Tralies to gain territory every time they were in possession.

They also caught out the Louis Botha defenders with a trick play at a 5m lineout. The visitors were fast asleep to the danger, which allowed Steven Smith to stroll in for the easiest try he’s likely to score in his rugby career.

Just before half-time, however, Louis Botha earned a reward for their efforts when their big lock, Mogomotsi Mokunyane, stretched over for the first of his two tries.

The home team rustled up a response after the break, when their lanky no. 8, Schalk Linde, stormed over for their second five-pointer.

The Hatties could sense they were close to scoring, though, and they kept up their intensity throughout the match. Mokunyane, then, reaped the rewards of his tireless work when he grounded the ball for his second try after a period of relentless pressure by the visiting side.

Fullback, Nkokheli November, levelled the scores by putting the conversion between the uprights and it was game on for the final 10 minutes.

After a frantic back-and-forth, Tralies found themselves under pressure on their goal line in the dying seconds, and when a clearance kick went awry, wing Refilwe Motelung was there to collect the ball and score the winning try.

On Friday, Ficksburg also pulled off a stunning last-second win over their visitors from Ladybrand.

A charge-down try after regulation time had run out saw the hosts break the deadlock against a valiant Ladybrand team.

Scorers

HTS Louis Botha 17 (5) – Tries: Mogomotsi Mokunyane (2), Refilwe Motelung. Conversion: Nkokheli November. Sentraal 12 (7) – Tries: Steven Smith, Schalk Linde. Conversion: Lee Yagin Arendse.

Ficksburg 24 – Tries: Xander Myburgh, Khotso Potloane, Morne Swanepoel, Motlatsi Mohapi. Conversions: Oratilwe Shata (2). Ladybrand 17 – Tries: Katleho Ramakone (2), Ronaldo Martins. Conversion: Nicholas Schori.

Other results

u16 – Sentraal 43, HTS Louis Botha 0; Sentraal B 38, Grey College E 7.
u15 – Sentraal 45, HTS Louis Botha 5; Sentraal B 49, Grey College F 5.
u14 – Sentraal 38, HTS Louis Botha 7; Sentraal B 17, Grey College F 12.

After battling storms and a marauding Charlie Hofmeyr last weekend, the Strand first team was able to execute its preferred style of play on Saturday as they charged their way to a 52-22 victory over DF Malan.

The hosts’ centre, Sherwin April, visited behind the try line on four occasions while his namesake on the wing, Heinrich April went over for a brace.

Being able to provide their backline with good quality ball worked a treat for the exciting young side from Strand, and their other centre Grezano Plaatjies and wing Lyle Julies also added their names to the scoresheet. Six conversions from scrumhalf Jayden Steenkamp further boosted their efforts.

Strand has been an exciting watch all season and next weekend they’ll be in action at the Hermanus Sports Day, before taking on their biggest challenge of 2024 when they host Stellenberg on 27 April.

Luan Giliomee, once again, starred for Charlie Hofmeyr, scoring 10 of his side’s 15 points as they edged out Hopefield in another thrilling encounter for the team from Ceres.

Speedy Charlies’ wing Deolyn Isaac went over for another try as Charlie Hofmeyr weathered a fierce challenge from a fired-up Hopefield squad.

Next weekend, another exciting challenge awaits the Ceres boys when they host Bredasdorp.

Bredasdorp made Robertson sweat on Saturday and did very well to contain the threat of the Robbies‘ backline.

Robertson, however proved that they are more than a one-trick pony by switching up their playing style and changing the point of attack to the forwards, which enabled them to claw their way back and claim a win.

With only five minutes left to play, they trailed 8-19, but with only seconds remaining they scored the winning try.

It was the big boys’ time to shine as their no. 8, Ethan Fourie, dotted down twice and hooker Yannick du Plessis added the other five-pointer.

Crucially, their SA Sevens’ star, centre Bernardo Diedericks, knocked over the conversions, and also added a penalty, which proved to be the difference in the end.

Porterville‘s dynamic fullback Howard Ocks contributed 14 points, scoring two tries and landing two conversions, as they handed Curro Langebaan a 29-22 defeat at home.

Porterville’s big tighthead prop, Linrique Mason, also crossed for two five-pointers.

SCORERS

Strand 52 – Tries: Sherwin April (4), Heinrich April (2), Grezano Plaatjies, Lyle Julies. Conversions: Jayden Steenkamp (6). DF Malan 22 – Tries: Xavier von Stein, Eben Bester, Liam Greeff. Conversions: Bester, Greef. Penalty: Bester.

Charlie Hofmeyr 15 – Tries: Luan Giliomee, Deolyn Isaac. Conversion: Giliomee. Penalty: Giliomee. Hopefield 13 – Try: Jarred Faulmann. Conversion: Bronwin Williams. Penalties: Williams (2).

Porterville 29 – Tries: Howard Ocks (2), Linrique Mason (2), Arno Venter. Conversions: Ocks (2). Curro Langebaan 22 – Tries: Jacques de Klerk, Joshua Paddock, Henry Shone. Conversions: Dequinne de Bruyn (2). Penalty: De Bruyn.

Piketberg 15 – Tries: Jasper Smit, Requin Lesch. Conversion: Lesch. Penalty: Lesch. Lutzville 9 – Penalties: Leschwin Stevens (2), Ronaldinho Coetzee.

Robertson 22 – Tries: Ethan Fourie (2), Yannick du Plessis. Conversions Bernardo Diedericks (2). Penalty: Diedericks. Bredasdorp 19 – Tries: Naide April, Fortune Goni, Albert Lambrecht. Conversions: Kyle Willeman.

Kasselsvlei 18 – Tries: Keanu Philander, Curtly Kiewiets. Conversion: Damian Jacobs. Penalties: Jacobs (2). Fish Hoek 17 – Tries: Griffen Edward, Tristan de Bruto, Onesino Choco. Conversion: Dawood Kippie.

Other results:

u19 – Swartland 33, Hermanus 24; Strand II 22, DF Malan II 9; DF Malan III 12, Strand III 7; Robertson II 27, Bredasdorp II 22; Fish Hoek II 8, Kasselsvlei II 3.

u16 – Strand 38, DF Malan 3; Strand B 12, DF Malan B 7; Hopefield 29, Charlie Hofmeyr 23;  Porterville 20, Curro Langebaan 0; Robertson 17, Bredasdorp 10; Kasselsvlei 20, Fish Hoek 10.

u15 – Strand 48, DF Malan 3; DF Malan B 14, Strand B 7; Charlie Hofmeyr 24, Hopefield 15; Porterville 41, Curro Langebaan 10; Robertson 31, Bredasdorp 10; Kasselsvlei 17, Fish Hoek 14.

u14 – Strand 48, DF Malan 0; Strand B 53, DF Malan B 7; Hopefield 40, Charlie Hofmeyr 7;  Bredasdorp 6, Robertson 0; Kasselsvlei 26, Fish Hoek 7.

Bergsig Akademie het nóg ‘n groot waarskuwing vir die res van die seisoen uitgestuur.

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

Die span van Rustenburg het, op tuisbodem, die besoekende Hoërskool Driehoek met ‘n telling van 47-3 oorweldig.

Die grootste skade was reeds in die eerste helfte aangerig, met die tuisspan wat teen rustyd gerieflik met 28-3 voorgeloop het.

Dit was die Bergsig-agterlyn wat met aanskoulike hardlooprugby vir Driehoek die uitklophou toegedien het. Dit sou egter nie moontlik gewees het sonder die fisiekheid en vuur van die groot manne voorlangs nie, wat die nodige platform vir die snellers agterlangs gelê en ‘n goed afgeronde spanpoging verseker het.

Linkervleuel, Alzandro dos Santos, was in ‘n vernietigende bui op die aanval, en het twee keer agter Driehoek se doellyn gaan draai. Losskakel, Simeon Botha, het nes Dos Santos, ook twee keer gedruk, terwyl haker, Johandre Steyl, voorlangs uiters bedrywig was en soos ‘n wafferse losvoorspeler die pap dik aangemaak het.

Hoërskool Secunda se “Blink Brink” la Grange het nie minder nie as vier keer die tuisspan, Hoërskool Hans Moore, se doellyn oorgesteek. La Grange se bydrae van 20 punte het verseker dat die manne van Mpumalanga met ‘n telling van 47-16 in Benoni kon seëvier. Heelagter, Damian de Beer, het met ses van sy sewe pogings pale toe geslaag om ook 12 punte aan te teken.

Merensky Landbou Akademie het hulself gate uit geniet in Nylstroom. Die span van Tzaneen het hul gashere, Hoërskool Nylstroom, met ‘n reuse telling van 62-13 oorrompel.

Losskakel, Byron Hendricks, het gewys waarom hy verlede jaar reeds generaal van die Limpopo Blou Bulle se agterlyn was. Hendricks het twee keer gedruk en ses doelskoppe oorgeklits vir ‘n persoonlike bydrae van 22 punte op die dag.

Puntemakers: 

Bergsig Akademie 47 (28) – Drieë: Alzandro dos Santos (2), Simeon Botha (2), Johandre Steyl, Luanda Taffa, Dewald Potgieter. Doelskoppe: Botha (4), Lundro Scheepers. Driehoek 3 (3) – Strafdoel: Juandre Hugo.

Merensky 62 (38) – Drieë: Byron Hendricks (2), Tirelo Mashapa, Rico Pieterse, PG Botes, Hardus Terblanche, JD Boshoff, Jens Bezuidenhout, Ulrich Maré, Ashten Demos. Doelskoppe: Byron Hendricks (6). Nylstroom 13 (8) – Drieë: MJ Botha, Willie Kruger. Strafdoel: Willie Kruger.

Secunda 47 (21) – Drieë: Brink La Grange (4), Franko Rossouw, Bakkies Bezuidenhout, Nkanyiso Mashiteng. Doelskoppe: Damian de Beer (6). Hans Moore 16 (11) – Drieë: Warren Minnaar, Wikus Rossouw. Strafdoele: Stephan Kellerman, Ettienne Smith.

Ander spanne:

o. 16: Bergsig Akademie 52, Driehoek 0; Merensky 50, Nylstroom 0; Secunda 34, Hans Moore 21.

o. 15: Bergsig Akademie 66, Driehoek 0; Merensky 26, Nylstroom 0; Secunda 38, Hans Moore 12.

o. 14: Bergsig Akademie 37, Driehoek 21; Merensky 32, Nylstroom 7; Hans Moore 3, Secunda 0.