It has been a solid season for the Pearson High School girls’ hockey side, and they continued to pad their record when they picked up two victories in George over the weekend, beating York High 4-1 and Hoërskool Outeniqua 2-1.
Last weekend, the Gqeberha school faced Collegiate Girls’ High at Collegiate’s 150th reunion and came away with a hard-fought draw.
That clash was tightly contested, with both sides creating clear-cut goalscoring opportunities, but the goalkeepers pulled off crucial saves to keep the scoreboard motionless.
That stalemate wouldn’t have disheartened the Pearson girls. There have been lessons to learn this season, including in a big 6-0 win over Westering, and in a 0-4 defeat against Rhenish, who have proved themselves to be one of the best teams in the country in 2024.
Pearson took on York High on Friday afternoon, with the local girls fresh off of a 3-1 win over Woodridge College a week earlier.
Coach MJ Meyer‘s York side stuck one past Pearson, but the Gqeberha girls responded with four goals of their own to claim a comfortable 4-1 victory, with Zanike Coetzer, Isabella Costa Gamaleri, Hanna Potgieter, and Zoey Mostert getting their names onto the score sheet.
The following day, Pearson was made to work extremely hard for a 2-1 win over Outeniqua. This time around, it was Annemi De Villiers, and Nyssa Slabbert, who contributed goals to take their side to victory.
There’s no let-up for Pearson. They next travel to Makhanda to face DSG Makhanda.
Over the weekend, DSG went down 1-2 against Collegiate. They’ll be motivated to reverse that loss.
Photo credits: Woodridge College
Woodridge College, after their defeat to York High last weekend, got back to winning ways at the expense of Union High School.
Woodridge, under the leadership of coach Herman Kitshoff, started the season positively, and will take confidence from the win.
Dané Strydom struck twice for Woodridge, while Emilee Tinderholm also found the back of the net.
Next weekend, Woodridge takes on Victoria Park.
East London’s Clarendon High School for Girls was also on the road on the weekend, visiting Kingsridge High School for Girls (KHS) in Qonce.
After being trounced by Eunice in late April, Clarendon has bounced back impressively. In the past fortnight, they’ve defeated Ooskus Gimnasium (formally known as Grens) 12-0 and Lilyfontein School 8-1.
Against KHS, they kept their free-scoring ways going with a comfortable 5-0 win.
In other matches, Alexander Road edged out Westering 2-1, while Stirling High and Cambridge drew 2-2 in an East London derby.
RESULTS
York High 1-4 Pearson High
Alexander Road 2-1 Westering High School Outeniqua 1-2 Pearson High
Woodridge College 3-1 Union High School
Stirling High 2-2 Cambridge High
Kingsridge High School for Girls 0-5 Clarendon High School for Girls
DSG Makhanda 1-2 Collegiate Girls’ High
Voortrekker Hoërskool het ‘n hoogs suksesvolle netbaldag by die jaarlikse interskole teen Hoërskool Witteberg beleef, met 10 uit hul 16 spanne wat as oorwinnaars uit die stryd kon tree.
Die eerste netbalspan behou ook hul onoorwonne rekord in die Wesgrow Sentrale-sportreeks, na hul indrukwekkende sege van 52-34 oor Witteberg.
Voortrekker het vanuit die staanspoor die toon aangegee om, na afloop van die eerste kwart, reeds met 14-8 voor te loop en teen halftyd ‘n voorsprong van 26-20 te geniet.
Die Trekkers het nietemin die tempo aansienlik gelig in die derde kwart. Witteberg se doele het hulself vasgeloop teen die rotsvaste verdediging van Anja van Zyl en Marilé Jonck, terwyl die uitmuntende aanvallende spel van Jasmine Liebenberg, Mianca van Niekerk en beide doele, Elizbé Heyns en Chloë Opperman, die gaping in die derde kwart na 38-25 vergroot het.
Goudveld-Hoërskool se eerste netbalspan het al vier kwarte teen Welkom-Gimnasium oorheers, met verál voortreflike verdediging deur Lara Badenhorst en Tyla Wasmuth, om welverdiend met 36-28 te seëvier.
Die Gouties se aanvallende spelers het ook merkwaardige spanwerk aan die dag gelê, met die kaptein, Levi Oehley, Carli Taljaard en Nyrette Steenkamp wat uitgeblink het.
Hoërskool Duineveld is gekroon as vanjaar se Griekwa-ligakampioen, nadat hulle die afgelope naweek vir Hoërskool Noord-Kaap met 49-21 in Kimberley kafgedraf het.
Die “Wittes” se ster-losskakel, PJ Smit, en breker op agsteman, Wihan Liebenberg, het elk twee drieë aangeteken in Duineveld se oortuigende sege.
Jaqcuin Jasson, hul staatmaker op heelagter, en die veteraan-flank, Alek Andrianatos, het ook agter die Northerns se doellyn gaan kuier in dié spogsege.
Verlede jaar moes die span van Upington sweet om vir Noord-Kaap met 18-15 te troef, maar vanjaar het Duineveld se eerste span duidelik hul spel na die volgende vlak geneem.
Verlede naweek het hulle ook die spogregte op die dorp verdien met ‘n dramatiese sege van 17-15 in die “Interjol” teen Hoërskool Upington.
Vroeër in die seisoen het hulle vir Hoërskool Kalahari met 38-9 afgeransel, voordat hulle in ‘n rillerstryd teen ‘n sterk Diamantveld-span in Upington met 14-12 geseëvier het.
Die Velties se skrumskakel, Franco Erasmus, het die afgelope naweek weer uitgetroon en het, saam met sy vurige senterpaar, van Gregon Jansen en Xavier Swarts, die span deurentyd op die voorvoet hou.
Kaptein, Arno Luttig, en sy makkers sal op hierdie massiewe momentum wil voortbou wanneer hulle volgende in die Kovsie-uitspeelrondes teen van die sterkste spanne van die Vrystaat- en Griffons-streke te staan kom.
Puntemakers
Duineveld 49 – Drieë: PJ Smit (2), Wihan Liebenberg (2), Alek Andrianatos, Jacquin Jasson. Doelskoppe: Smith (4), AJ Burger. Strafdoele: Smith (3). Hoërskool Noord-Kaap 21 – Drieë: Lwandle Maseko, Jayden Potgieter, Cayleb Stevens. Doelskoppe: Abdul Fischer (3).
POTCHEFSTROOM – Potchefstroom Volkskool sal nóg ‘n jaar moet wag om hul tradisionele vyande, Potchefstroom Gimnasium, as die Prinse van Potchefstroom te probeer onttroon.
Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
Die Gimmies het weereens hul baasskap bewys in die jaarlikse FNB Classic Clashes-kragmeting deur op ‘n drafstap met 30-13 te wen. Vanjaar se derby het ook deel uitgemaak van die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Bowl-afdeling.
Ten spyte van die taamlike groot wenmarge was dit nietemin ‘n opwindende kragmeting op die Volkies se tuisveld. Albei spanne het gevaarlik voorgekom op die aanval, met die besoekers wat op die einde van die dag eenvoudig beter afgerond het om uiteindelik met 17 punte te seëvier.
Die voorspelers het mekaar vir die volle 70 minute voos geduik. Volkies het uitstekend gevaar om die besoekers se agsteman, Elrich Bosch, en haker, Jaco Nel, aan bande te lê, maar het nie ‘n antwoord gehad vir Gimmies se Cravenweek-sneller, David Ndlala, se vermoë om die kleinste van gapings uit te buit nie.
Heelagter, PC Schutte, het ook deurentyd hoofbrekens vir die Volkies besorg wanneer hy by die agterlyn aansluiting gevind het, en hy en Ndala het elk ‘n tweekuns behaal.
Die tuisspan het self ‘n pragtige drie, vanuit hul eie halfgebied, gedruk, deur regtervleuel, Wickus van Aswegen, maar kon ‘n hele aantal ander geleenthede nie afrond nie en dit het tot hul ondergang gelei.
In Brits het Merensky Landbou Akademie hul greep op sake in die Bowl-afdeling verstewig. Die Ligbloues van Tzaneen het ‘n tweede agtereenvolgende oorwinning behaal, danksy hul dominerende pak, deur vir Hoërskool Wagpos met 48-18 te verslaan.
Die Plasies se Cravenweek-agtsteman, Hardus Terblanche, het van voor gelei en het, na ‘n ietwat stil seisoen tot dusver, Saterdag sy stempel behoorlik afgedruk om die dag af te sluit met twee drieë agter sy naam.
Hoërskool Piet Retief het vir die eerste keer in die nuwe afdeling hul rieme styf geloop, toe Hoërskool Randburg vir hulle met 23-18 ore aangesit het. Die span van Randburg is mooi op dreef en spog met hul tweede sege in die drie wedstryde wat hulle reeds gespeel het.
Puntemakers:
Potchefstroom Gimnasium 30 (10) – Drieë: PC Schutte (2), David Ndlala (2), Dian Smith. Doelskop: Jhanco de Beer. Strafdoel: De Beer. Potchefstroom Volkskool 13 (6) – Drie: Wikus van Aswegen. Doelskop: Juandre Maree. Strafdoel: Maree.
Merensky 48 (17) – Drieë: Hardus Terblanche (2), Carl Volschenk, JD Boshoff, Heinrich Lubbe, Maritz Meintjies, Leon de Lange, Byron Hendicks. Doelskoppe: Hendricks (5). Strafdoel: Hendricks. Wagpos 18 (15).
MIDDELBURG – Hoër Tegniese Skool Middelburg se Rooibulle is steeds onoorwonne in die Plaat-afdeling van die SDC Noordvaal Cup.
Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
Die Rooibulle het hul segetog voortgesit met ‘n oortuigende tuisoorwinning van 27-14 oor een van die nuwelinge in die afdeling, Hoërskool Oos-Moot.
Dit was boonop die eerste keer in 20 jaar dat die twee spanne kragte gemeet het.
Die tuisspan se voorspelers het, nes verlede naweek teen Hoërskool Middelburg, die botoon gevoer. Hierdie slag was dit agtsteman, Tercuis Bezuidenhout, se beurt om die kollig te steel. Bezuidenhout het die Oosie-verdediging kwaai op die proef gestel met sy kragtige lopies in die middeveld en ook deurgebars vir die eerste drie.
CJ Muller, op linkervleuel, het weer beïndruk telkens wanneer hy in besit gestel was en het met een van sy kenmerkende dartellopies teen die kantlyn af nóg ‘n vyfpunter op sy kerfstok geplaas.
Die Oosies se voorspelers het ietwat tam voorgekom en gesukkel om aan die gang te kom.
“Ons was nie goed voor gewees nie”, het Braam Pretorius, die Oosies se hoofafrigter te kenne gegee. “Dit was ‘n afdag vir die pak.
“Dit gebeur met almal; dis maar skolerugby.”
Die besoekers het wel met rukke en stote taamlik aanskoulike hardlooprugby gespeel, en een so ‘n stukkie ondernemende spel is puik deur regtervleuel, Jayden Pretorius, in die hoekie afgerond. Skrumskakel, David Joubert, een van die besoekers se beste spelers op die dag, het sy span se ander drie aangeteken.
In Ermelo het die ander nuweling in die afdeling, Ligbron Akademie, hul eerste oorwinning in vanjaar se reeks behaal. Na ‘n puik eerste helfte, moes hulle egter hul keer ken om uiteindelik met 31-26 oor Hoërskool Montana te seëvier.
Niemand het beter vertoon vir Ligbron nie as slot, Jaco van Wyk, en agtsteman, Janco Classen, wat die tuisspan deurgaans oor die voordeellyn gehelp het met met hul kragtige dryfspel.
Dit was ‘n egter ‘n kragmeting van twee helftes. Die span van Pretoria het moedig teruggeveg om 19 onbeantwoorde punte aan te teken in die tweede skof, en so hittete iets spesiaal te vermag. Hul vertoning in die laaste 35 minute het weer gewys dat die Monties, op ‘n gegewe dag, enige span kan troef.
Hoërskool Transvalia se Brandonlee Smit (binnesenter) het ‘n indrukwekkende tweekuns behaal in sy span se sege van 50-33 oor Kempton Park in Vanderbijlpark, en Hoërskool Middelburg se regtervleuel, Kefilwe Phamotse, het dieselfde vermag in sy span se oorwinning van 22-9 oor Hoërskool Klerksdorp.
Puntemakers:
HTS Middelburg 27 (27) – Drieë: Tercius Bezuidenhout, CJ Muller, Dirk du Plooy, Janco Aucamp. Doelskoppe: Jacque Stassen (2). Strafdoel: Stassen. Oos-Moot 14 (7) – Drieë: Jayden Pretorius, David Joubert. Doelskoppe: Ruwan Allen (2).
Ligbron Akademie 31 (31) – Drieë: Jaco van Wyk, Janco Classen, Neo Zwane, Bandile Thanjekwayo, Thami Lamula. Doelskoppe: Renier van Staden (3). Montana 26 (7) – Drieë: Keagan van der Merwe (2), Devan van der Merwe, Marinus Oberholzer. Doelskoppe: Devan van der Merwe.
In a breathtakingly outstanding advertisement for schoolboy rugby, Westville Boys’ High and King Edward VII(KES) played to a stunning 36-36 draw on Bowden’s Field on Saturday. The entertainment was rich and enthralling from the first whistle to the last.
While the game was played in KZN, the red of KES was prominent around the field. The Red Army‘s coach Marco Engelbrecht commented after the game: “We are incredibly blessed. I have yet to come across a team of supporters like our parents, who have come down in their numbers. It’s a KZN derby at Westville, and there’s the whole stand, a sea of red. Wherever we go, we are so grateful for them, win or lose. That’s special.” The product on the field was special, too.
In the lead-up to the game, Westville coach Njabulo “Jabz” Zulu had said it was important that his charges get off to a good start against a side that had built up huge momentum with a string of terrific performances. They got it.
KES flyhalf, Simphiwe Moyo, a star performer for the visitors, had an early cross field kick charged down and Westville lock Oliver Gcina brought the home supporters to their feet as he raced through to score under the uprights. Westville no. 10 Jade-Will Koopman added the extras.
But the punch and counterpunch nature of the match revealed itself when KES responded swiftly through their flying left wing, Haniel Monkoti, who used every centimetre of his body to stretch out and dot down on the line in the left-hand corner to score the first try for the Johannesburg side.
KES wing Haniel Monkoti, with Evan Moolman hanging onto him, extends to ground the ball for the first of six KES tries.
In a swirling wind, KES, mainly through Moyo, worked to turn Westville and force them to play from deep by kicking to the corners.
The Griffin, though, as they have done to so many teams this season, turned the screws in the tight scrums. It won them an early tighthead, and later in the first half it won them a penalty five metres from the KES try line. Westville hit it up but were turned over at the ruck and conceded a penalty.
Moyo, taking charge, tapped only five metres from his try line and sent the ball out wide to the left. Monkoti flew up the left flank, but the hosts’ fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya cut him down with a splendid tackle on the Westville 22. Still, it showed the willingness of KES to play the situation as they saw it in front of them.
Right before halftime, Siyaya gathered a bouncing ball inside the Westville 22, escaped heavy pressure from KES lock Michael Bownes and counterattacked. A neat chip and gather put him in the clear. He drew Moyo, the last cover defender, and passed inside to Lwandile Simelane, who matched his second-row partner, Oliver Gcina, by diving over under the posts.
KES, though, claimed a small victory when centre Olunje Meholmakulu pulled off a Cheslin Kolbe move and charged down the conversion attempt. That would prove to be a pivotal moment in the match,
Just before the break, KES responded with a try from a maul, scored by Esethu Mnebelele, the first of three for the Red Army’s captain.
“We struggled a bit with the maul,” Westville coach Jabz Zulu admitted. “We found a solution for that at the end, with the sack. Unfortunately, it took us too long to come up with that solution. But I was proud of the pack. They defended well today.”
Moyo’s conversion attempt from the right, in tricky conditions, was on target and the teams changed ends level at 12-12. It had been a thrilling first half, but the second half delivered even greater thrills.
It looked as if Westville might have undone all of their good work when they conceded two soft tries in quick succession early in the second stanza, but they came roaring back, showing excellent character, to level the scores once more at 24-24 when their bruising centre, Blake Allbon, swallow-dived over the try line.
Centre Blake Allbon dived over for two tries for Westville.
“You’ll get great character from an Njabulo Zulu team,” reckoned KES coach Engelbrecht. “His players will die for him, I can tell you that for free, and they certainly came out today and showed that. That’s awesome to see, and it’s good to test yourself against that.”
KES turned to their driving maul and hooker Esethu Mnebelele once again to add another five points, and a Moyo conversion put them 31-24 clear, which was incidentally the final score when Jeppe beat Westville in Johannesburg. But that wasn’t the end of the scoring on Saturday.
A loose pass, when KES tried to go wide after Moyo had fielded a Siyaya up-and-under, found Allbon out on the left and he raced over for his second in the left-hand corner. Koopman, with admirable composure, nailed the difficult conversion, drawing a huge roar from the home supporters.
It was exhilarating, end-to-end and heart-in-the mouth stuff.
Throughout the contest, Moyo had tested Westville with chips over the top, well placed kicks that turned into 50/50 balls, and one of those soon paid off in a big way.
He just missed out on putting Monkoti over with a cross kick, but the bounce of the ball didn’t favour the winger. No problem. A few minutes later, Moyo drifted to the blindside, behind a KES ruck, and dinked a ball over the top. This time the bounce favoured the Red Army and the flyhalf’s halfback partner Regan McGurk raced onto the ball, caught it, and dived over in the right-hand corner.
The conversion kick was missed, but KES led 36-31. Just over three minutes remained in the game.
With Simphiwe Moyo lining up a conversion kick, KES supporters tried to help him guide it over between the posts.
With time almost expired, the Red Army forced Westville back into their 22 with a series of hard-hitting tackles. Still, the Griffin held onto the ball. However, when flyhalf Jade-Will Koopman received it, in the right corner and five metres from his try line, he found two players bearing down on him.
Stepping inside, he avoided them and just escaped a tackle attempt from the workaholic KES no.6 James Kobrowisky. Pinning his ears back, he accelerated towards the opposite sideline and rounded the visitors’ defensive line on the Westville 10m line. Then, using his support runners to draw the attention of covering defenders, he raced through a gap and cut inside before heading towards the sideline once more.
Monkoti hared across from the opposite wing, desperate to kill the danger. He grabbed the Westville flyhalf only metres from the line, but Koopman popped the ball back over his head and Jadrian Afrikaner was up in support to dive over for a sensational score-equalling try. Astonishing!
Koopman’s conversion kick, to edge his team ahead, struck the left upright to oohs and aahs from the crowd.
Still, the referee hadn’t yet blown the final whistle and the Westville no. 10 had a chance to win it for his team when they were awarded a penalty.
He had a shot at goal, 15 metres in from the right touchline, about 38 metres out. It was a tough kick, given the swirling wind, and it passed narrowly to the right of the posts.
Let off, Jeppe surged back down the field and into the Westville 22. Moyo almost played himself in for a try with a chip and chase, but the home side’s scrumhalf Ryan Pistor beat him to the ball, fielding it on the run, before clearing over the touchline. With that, the final whistle blew. Both coaches looked a little shattered and relieved.
Westville’s flyhalf Jade-Will Koopman, who had brought so much to the game, was distraught. He felt he had let his side down but rugby staff from both sides, in heart-touching moments, took time to comfort him and reassure him he had brought honour upon himself, his side and the game.
“That last try, that’s what he’s capable of doing,” Jabz Zulu commented. “He feels like he’s let the team down, but we wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for him.”
And that reflected the best side of schoolboy rugby. Kudos to the players and coaches of both teams.
“Credit to them. I thought we got lucky. I thought they probably deserved to win on their home ground,” KES coach Marco Engelbrecht magnanimously said.
“I thought we handled them nicely, and I’m proud of our boys, as well.”
Game of the year? Maybe…
Scores
Westville Boys’ High 36 (12) – Tries: Blake Allbon (2), Oliver Gcina, Jadrian Afrikaner, Wandile Simelane, Zekhethelo Siyaya. Conversions: Jade-Will Koopman (3). King Edward VII 36 (12) – Tries: Esethu Mnebelele (3), Regan McGurk (2), Haniel Monkoti. Conversions: Simphiwe Moyo (3).
u19 – Westville II 5 KES II 26; Westville III 14 KES III 21; Westville IV 17 KES IV 31; Westville V 10 KES V 40; Westville VI 15 KES VI 45
u16– Westville A 28 KES A 33; Westville B 21 KES B 17; Westville C 0 KES C 19; Westville D 12 KES D 0
u15 – Westville A 24 KES A 5; Westville B 3 KES B 15; Westville C 5 KES C 12; Westville D 12 KES D 45; Westville E 5 KES E 45
u14 – Westville A 14 KES A 22; Westville B 7 KES B 7; Westville C 22 KES C 10; Westville D 12 KES D 12; Westville E 12 KES E 55
Hoërskool Waterkloof het daarin geslaag om dit twee uit twee te maak teen Hoërskool Menlopark, met ‘n spogsege van 51-33 in die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Beker-afdeling.
Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com).
Die twee Pretoriaanse skole het gesorg vir aanskoulike hardlooprugby, maar dit was die Klofies se kliniese vertoning in die eerste helfte, toe hulle reeds 31 punte kon aanteken, wat die deurslag gegee het.
Die Parkies was duidelik onkant betrap met Klofies se aanvanklike aanslag, maar het daarin geslaag om hul ritme te vind in die tweede skof en met 21 punte terug te veg.
Die Klofies se haker, Llwelyn Steenberg, wat die beseerde Ruan Jacobs vervang het, het sy kans met albei hande aangegryp. Steenberg het gewoeker voorlangs, die Parkie-verdedigers met sy begeesterde dryfspel besig gehou en was haas onstuitbaar om ‘n welverdiende driekuns te behaal.
Klofies se Cravenweek-agtsteman, Marko Kok, het ook gewys hoekom hy die groenlig van die Blou Bulle se keurders ontvang het. Kok was telkens gevaarlik wanneer hy op loop gesit het met die bal en het self die doellyn twee keer oorgesteek.
Die tweestryd tussen die skrumskakels, Migael Prinsloo (Waterkloof) en Gustav Schaffener (Menlopark), was ‘n fees om te aanskou.
Prinsloo se balverspreiding was uit die boonste rakke en het grootliks bygedra dat die Klofies vir die meerderheid van die wedstryd op die voorvoet was, terwyl Schaffener die Klofies besig gehou met sy breekslae om die afbreekpunte. Hy het ook die tuisspan se rekening oopgemaak toe hy toegeslaan het op ‘n losbal naby die doellyn.
Dit is duidelik dat die lynstane, en dryfmaalbewegings wat daarmee gepaardgaan, ‘n vername wapen vir die Parkies is. Hulle het dit dikwels aangewend om die Klofies onder druk te plaas en die baan te weg vir haker, Declan Pelser, om twee keer te druk.
Hoewel Hoërskool Marais Viljoen met 19-31 teen Hoërskool Garsfontein se Bere vasgeval het, het hulle nietemin taamlike weerstand gebied op hul tuisveld in Alberton.
Binnesenter, Brandon Els, was uitmuntend op die aanval en het, na ‘n paar briljante individuele lopies, twee keer agter die Bere se doellyn gaan draai. Die voorspelers het ook, vernaam in die eerste helfte, nie geskroom om die Bere fisies die stryd aan te sê nie.
Vir die Bere het niemand beter vertoon nie as linkervleuel, Junaide Stuart, wat op enige beskikbare spasie toegeslaan het, terwyl Junade Pasensie se skuif van heelagter na losskakel blyk om ‘n meesterskuif te wees. Met sy instinktiewe aanvoelling vir die spel het Pasensie die Bere se agterlyn gereeld op die voorvoet geplaas.
Hoërskool Rustenburg het, danksy ‘n strafdoel deur Lorenzo Snyers, ‘n naelskraapse sege van 22-19 oor Hoërskool Nelspruit behaal. Die Rusties se heelagter het ook met twee doelskoppe geslaag.
Die Nellies se Rhino’s het hul dragslae teen Helpmekaar Kollege verlede naweek agter hulle gesit, met buitsesenter, Ian Wood, wat hul grootste uitblinker op die dag was.
Selborne College skipper, Tre’ Gilbert drag flicking for his side during their match vs Dale College in Qonce. Photo: Shot by Shani Photography
Selborne College’s first team captain, Tre’ Gilbert continued his fine form this season when he netted four times to lead his side to an emphatic 10-1 victory over Dale College at the Qonce school’s 163rd reunion on Friday.
Gilbert’s four goals were accompanied by a Jaques van der Merwe brace, while Kungothando Macanda, Daniel Conroy, Waeden Plaatjes, and Daniel Sirgel also got their names on the score sheet.
Entering the clash, the visitors had set their sights on improving their general play and on scoring more goals from open play.
When they contested the Hibbert Shield in Gqeberha earlier this month, Selborne scored 18 goals in their five matches, with most of them coming from perfect execution during penalty corners.
That execution needed to be transferred to general play, too, and coach KJ Friend’s team duly delivered, as they opened the scoring in the first two minutes through Plaatjes, who received the ball inside the circle and carved out some space before finding the back of the net.
After that opening goal, the heavens opened.
With Selborne dominating ball possession and territory, Van der Merwe scored their second from open play and, with five minutes left in the chukka, Macanda made it 3-0.
Van der Merwe made it a double to stake his side to a 4-0 lead after the first chukka.
The visitors remained dominant in the second chukka, making Dale do all the chasing and defending.
Daniel Sirgel continued the scoring frenzy early in the quarter and was soon joined by his skipper, Gilbert, who netted twice.
His first came from a long corner, as he drove the ball into the circle before ripping a reverse stick shot past the ‘keeper. His second came from a penalty corner drag flick.
Dale pulled one back through Sonwabiso Dyani, but the hosts entered half-time trailing 1-7.
Dale thought they had scored in the third chukka, but that effort was disallowed, and Selborne bolstered their tally with two more penalty corner drag flicks from the stick of Gilbert.
The hosts continued to chase the game and created some opportunities on the counterattack through their standout player on the day, Gavin Walton.
Walton, who scored against Queen’s in a 3-2 win in Komani in April, was playing his 75th game for the Dale first team. Alongside him, Amangile Songelwa and Akanani Msuthu played their 50th matches.
The home team had scored once, but the Selborne defence refused to give up another. Late in the fourth chukka, the East Londoners drove the final nail into the Dale coffin when Daniel Conroy scored from open play to make the final score 10-1.
It was their second biggest victory of the year, trailing only a massive 16-1 win over Merrifield early in the season.
In another big Eastern Cape clash on Friday, Grey High School continued their prolific form by beating their Gqeberha rivals, Pearson High, 7-1 at the Rectory Astroturf.
Grey entered the clash brimming with confidence.
Last weekend, they had thumped Komani’s Queen’s College 6-0, and they followed that up with a 6-1 win over Woodridge College during the week.
The first half of Friday’s game was a tight struggle, however, and the teams went into half-time locked at 1-1.
Then, coach Andrew Beynon‘s charges upped the pace in the final two chukkas to break open the contest. Suddenly, they scored with ease, with Logan Goddard Ford striking twice. Caleb Humphreys, Athi Voigt and Luke Tait added field goals, and captain Xander Elkington and Ben Ristow scored with drag flicks from penalty corners.
In Makhanda, Kingswood College bagged a handful of goals to beat Victoria Park 5-2. Their win followed a 3-1 midweek triumph over Alexander Road.
Meanwhile, Stirling claimed the bragging rights in East London with a 2-0 victory over Cambridge High School.
RESULTS
Selborne College 10-1 Dale College
Kingswood College 5-2 Victoria Park
Stirling High School 2-0 Cambridge High School
Alexander Road 2-1 Westering High School
Grey High School 7-1 Pearson High School
Welkom Gimnasium claimed the bragging rights in Welkom for a 10th year on the trot after asserting their dominance over Goudveld in their annual FNB Classic Clash on Saturday.
The Gouties fought valiantly to hold Welkom Gim within range during the first half through the boot of their flyhalf, Ruben Crous.
Ronaldo Kiewiet added another hattrick to his exceptional try-scoring record for the black jerseys, however, and Welkom Gim tightened the screws in the second half to storm to a 48-9 victory.
With 11 players in this year’s provisional Griffons Craven Week team, Welkom Gimnasium has set the pace in the region this season, and they will be the heavy favourites when entering the playoff stages next term.
Apart from Kiewiet, Kananelo Tutubala, Zander Olivier, Bokang Lesenyeho, Ethan Jones and Dyllan Kemp all crossed the Goutie try line to the delight of the home supporters.
Hoërskool Trio weathered a spirited Hentie Cilliers‘ attack to score a hard-fought 26-22 victory.
Trio managed the game well from the start, with their flyhalf Byron Biennas pulling the strings from the midfield.
By halftime, the hosts had accrued a 15-3 lead, but the side from Virginia showed excellent fighting spirit to outscore Trio 19-11 in the second half.
Tries by Ashwon Mellen, Xander Wiltshire and Mosa Sesedi drove Henties to a 22-18 lead with only five minutes left to play, but another penalty by Biennas and a last-minute try by Jayden Windvogel grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat for the proud Kroonstad outfit.
Completely against the run of play, the industrious winger hacked through a loose ball from his own goal line and outpaced the Henties’ defenders to score a dramatic winner for Trio.
Landboudal continued their impressive run of form on the farm in Jacobsdal to take down Jim Fouché, 31-17.
The first 35 minutes was a closely contested battle, but the home team surged to victory in the second half, with their nippy winger, Jannie de Waal, diving in for two tries.
Fichardtpark also continued building on their recent good form with a second win of the week.
After a 36-14 triumph over HTS Louis Botha in a midweek clash, the Fichies surged to a 43-22 victory over Hoërskool Burgersdorp on Saturday.
Duan Viviers crossed the whitewash twice for the Bloemfontein boys.
Dean Janse van Rensburg (Stellenberg) duik oor vir een van sy twee drieë. | FOTO: Stander Photography
Stellenberg het Saterdag die spiere gebult in hul Sportsmans Warehouse Premier Interschools-kragmeting met Hoërskool Bellville, om met 26-17 die pyp te rook.
Bellville het uit die blokke geskiet met ‘n onderskepdrie deur binnesenter, James Parker, om die besoekers se ondersteuners binne die eerste minuut op hul voete te kry.
Die Jade Brigade se pak voorspelers het egter oor té veel krag voorlangs beskik, en kort voor lank het vaskopstut, Dean Janse van Rensburg, vir sy eerste van twee drieë oorgedryf.
Stellies se staatmaker-haker, Almero Keizer, het hul tweede drie aangeteken vir sy span om die voortou te neem, terwyl Bellville slegs drie verdere punte, danksy ‘n strafdoel deur Ashwin Cox, kon byvoeg, wat die halftydtelling op 14-10 in Stellenberg se guns te staan gebring het.
Na die omdraaislag was dit weer die besoekers wat die aanvanklike momentum geniet het, maar Stellenberg se verdediging het sterk gestaan en, na bykans 20 minute se oor en weer aanval, het Janse van Rensburg oorgeduik vir sy tweede drie vanaf ‘n effektiewe lynstaandryf.
Die besoekers het nogmaals teruggeslaan deur stut, Nathan van Tonder, maar Stellenberg se buitsenter, Luka Tonitz, het die wendrie in die laaste vyf minute gedruk na skitterende samespel met vleuel, Armand Pretorius.
Na ‘n reeks strawwe bepalings aan die begin van die seisoen, lyk dit asof die Jade Brigade week na week verbeter en hulle sal op daardie momentum wil voortbou wanneer hulle eerskomende naweek vir Parel Vallei in Somerset-Wes pak.
Intussen het Hoërskool Durbanville ook geseëvier teen Hoërskool Brackenfell. Die Durbies se breker-flank, Tiaan Kearns, het ‘n tweekuns behaal om vir sy span ‘n sege van 31-21 te help verseker.
Brackenfell sal die nederlaag vinnig moet afskud alvorens hulle Vrydag vir Milnerton aanvat. Milnerton het egter self die afgelope naweek met 19-59 in die hek geduik teen SACS, maar voor dié teleurstellende uitslag het hulle al ‘n paar indrukwekkende vertonings opgedis en die kragmeting met Brackenfell beloof om ‘n opwindende tweestryd, met volop hardlooprugby, op te lewer.
Puntemakers:
Stellenberg 26 (14) – Drieë: Dean Janse van Rensburg (2), Almero Keizer, Luka Tonitz. Doelskoppe: Dehan Neethling (3). Hoërskool Bellville 17 (10) – Drieë: James Parker, Nathan van Tonder. Doelskoppe: Ashwin Cox (2). Strafdoel: Cox.
Voortrekker Hoërskool het ‘n hoogs suksesvolle netbaldag by die jaarlikse interskole teen Hoërskool Witteberg beleef, met 10 uit hul 16 spanne wat as oorwinnaars uit die stryd kon tree.
POTCHEFSTROOM – Potchefstroom Volkskool sal nóg ‘n jaar moet wag om hul tradisionele vyande, Potchefstroom Gimnasium, as die Prinse van Potchefstroom te probeer onttroon.
In a breathtakingly outstanding advertisement for schoolboy rugby, Westville Boys’ High and King Edward VII (KES) played to a stunning 36-36 draw on Bowden’s Field on Saturday. The entertainment was rich and enthralling from the first whistle to the last.
