Action from Maritzburg College vs College Old Boys on Saturday, 31 May, during Maritzburg College’s Reunion Weekend. Photo. Maritzburg College on Facebook.
With the mid-year exams looming, football action around the country is winding down, with several schools in the Eastern Cape, Free State, and Gauteng having played their last matches for the first half of the season.
Siya Pongco rounds up recent action in the East London High Schools Football League, the Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League, the Mangaung Schools Football League, as well as various derbies and friendly matches.
B-Block BWFLA High Schools Soccer League (East London)
The fixtures for the East London High Schools Soccer League will be put on hold during the forthcoming examination period, which meant that only match was played last week, with Dale College claiming a victory after a series of defeats.
Dale headed into their clash with Westbank High in mid-table, below their usual lofty status, but they pulled off a hard-fought and morale-boosting 2-1 win.
Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League
On Friday, in the Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League, Virginia High School and Harmony High School, in circuit nine, produced exceptional performances, but Reatlehile Secondary School, unfortunately, failed to appear for their match against St Anne’s Technical High.
Virginia High, who went into their match in second place in the standings, one point behind St Anne’s, powered their way to a resounding 6-1 victory over Meloding Secondary School. St Anne’s, meanwhile, was awarded a 2-0 walkover win over Reatlehile, which kept them ahead of the Absa Wildeklawer champion.
In a second meeting between the teams, Harmony High defeated Marematlou Secondary School 2-0.
Mangaung Schools Football League
In the Free State’s Mangaung Schools Football League, there was limited activity on Friday, but some teams were able to catch up on fixtures that had been scheduled for earlier in the season.
Petunia Secondary School rolled to a 4-2 win over Kagisho Secondary School, while HTS Louis Botha recorded a 2-0 win over Sand du Plessis.
In a high-scoring contest, Kyrios Independent School picked up a 5-3 victory over Bainsvlei Combined School.
Challenges, Derbies and Reunion fixtures
From left to right: Vincent Tseka (Team Manager), Monde Hlatshwayo (Director of Football, Grey College), Hugo Broos (Bafana Bafana Head Coach), Braam van Wyk (Headmaster, Grey College), and Helman Mkhalele (Bafana Bafana Assistant Coach). Photo. Grey College on Facebook.
On Saturday, Grey College welcomed East London’s Selborne College for matches in squash, rugby, hockey, and football.
On the football field, Grey decisively defeated Selborne 4-1.
Renowned in South African schools’ football, Grey College showcased their exceptional skills to continue a strong season which has seen them excel in the Mangaung Schools Football League and secure a place in the final 16 of the Curro Halala Cup.
Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, Grey College had the honour of hosting the Bafana Bafana technical team, including the national team coach Hugo Broos, which surely provided Grey with a good boost ahead of their showdown with Selborne.
On Saturday, Maritzburg College, celebrating the school’s Reunion Weekend, faced the challenge of an Old Boys’ team. In an evenly contested clash, seven goals were scored, with College, led by goalkeeper CJ Sukraj, sneaking a 4-3 victory.
The Red, Black, and White, have already booked their place in the final of the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA)Inland A-League, but before that they have one last round-robin match to play against Haythorne Secondary, at Barns Field, on Tuesday.
RESULTS
Wednesday
B-Block BWFLA High Schools Soccer League (East London)
Dale College 2-1 Westbank
Friday
Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League
Virginia High 6-1 Meloding
St Anne’s Technical High School 2-0 Reatlehile Secondary School (Walkover)
Harmony High 2-0 Marematlou (Rematch)
Friday
Mangaung Schools Football League
Petunia 4-2 Kagisho
HTS Louis Botha 2-0 Sand du Plessis High School
Krios Independent School 5-3 Bainsvlei
Derbies/Challenges, and Reunions
Grey College 4-1 Selborne College (Challenge match)
Maritzburg College 4-3 Old College Boys (Reunion)
Pearson pulled off a thrilling draw against Framesby in the final minute when wing Siya Ncwadi sliced through the defence for an outstanding try next to the poles in their King Price Derby Series clash, at Framesby, in Gqeberha, on Saturday.
Despite the relatively easy nature of the conversion, the pressure was on Pearson fullback Keano Beling with time running out, but he nailed the kick to draw the scores level at 19-19.
The drama, however, was not over because, from the kick-off, Framesby was awarded a penalty around the Pearson 10-metre line, five metres in from touch. However, the kick to win the match failed to find its mark and the teams had to settle for a share of the spoils.
Meanwhile, in the other big showdown in Gqeberha, St Andrew’s College produced an outstanding team effort to inflict another one-point defeat on Grey High, winning 28-27 on the Kolisi Field. This came after Grey lost 24-25 to Queen’s College the previous weekend.
In Makhanda, Graeme College crossed for three tries after halftime to transform their 22-21 lead at the interval into a 43-42 victory over Nico Malan.
At Framesby, the home side was forced onto the defensive early on, conceding a scrum penalty in the second minute and allowing Pearson two shots at goal.
Both of those missed, however, and it was Framesby who struck first when a bad error in Pearson’s in-goal area saw flank Ethan Terblanche pounce on a loose ball to dot down. Jaiden Brewis added the conversion to make it 7-0.
But Pearson had come to play. They soon spelt out their intentions when a brilliant backline move saw centre Sibu Mkhontwana surge through a gap to put away the irrepressible Denilo Jordaan for their first try.
Soon after halftime, Framesby extended their lead when livewire wing Damian Witbooi darted past a couple of defenders to score next to the poles, with Brewis adding the conversion.
But it was a game in which neither side was able to take control and Pearson’s ability on attack was again shown when Jordaan was put into space for his second try, making it 14-12.
Then came a crucial turnaround when, with the visitors pressing hard in the Framesby 22, the ball bobbled around from a pass, only to be collected by Witbooi who showed extreme pace by running 80 metres for a try in the corner, chased all the way by Mkhontwana.
The conversion failed, but Framesby had a cushion, only to be crushed by another spectacular attack, leading to Ncwadi becoming the hero for Pearson.
St Andrew’s College was delighted to claim a hard-fought win over Grey High School on Kolisi Field. Photo: St Andrew’s College on Facebook.
On the Kolisi Field, St Andrew’s shocked the Grey supporters when they broke through for two outstanding tries by Qhawe Madikizela and Aphindile Ngcuka, which put the visitors 12-0 ahead after 16 minutes.
The match was a fluctuating battle, but eventually Grey found a way through, largely through the magical feet of fullback Meyer Prinsloo, who scored an outstanding try in the 23rd minute, which bamboozled the visiting defence.
That was followed by a pushover try for flank Cody Wilmot, but St Andrew’s astutely created some scoreboard pressure through the accurate boot of Will Stevens.
He knocked over two penalties to make it 18-10 at halftime and three minutes after the restart he added a third penalty.
Grey’s lineout did not function smoothly, with St Andrew’s lock William Beamish poaching a number of balls at the front, but when it did, Grey was able to drive forward for Wilmot’s second five-pointer.
The visitors, however, were always innovative, often taking quick taps and this resulted in Beamish storming over for a crucial try from about 15 metres out.
A superb touchline conversion by Stevens was significant because it put them eight points ahead, which was just as well for them because Prinsloo was again at it soon after the restart.
Receiving the ball on the halfway line, the Grey fullback swiftly sized up his options and again sliced through the visitors’ defence for his second score of the match.
He slotted the conversion to make it a one-point ballgame, but neither side could add any further points during the last 10 minutes, and it was St Andrew’s who erupted with joy at the end.
Graeme College built up a critical cushion in their clash with Nico Malan after a tightly contested first half.
From a score of 22-21, the home team scored two tries to make it 36-21 and although Nico Malan hit back once, another try restored Graeme’s 15-point advantage.
That ultimately helped them secure the win because Nico Malan was not done and crossed for two tries in the last 10 minutes to close the gap to only one point.
Unfortunately for them, the referee blew for fulltime after their final try and there was no chance for the visitors to snatch victory.
For Graeme, the standout players included Lucritia Magau, Erin Nelson, Luke Doyle, and Ayola Mali, while Waldo Krige and Neil Lategan each crossed for a brace of tries for Nico Malan and Leighton Lawrence kicked six conversions from six attempts.
Schoolgirls’ hockey within the Border region has been dominated by Clarendon High School for Girls, Hudson Park High, and Stirling High over the past five years.
That has changed in 2025 with the emergence of the so-called “smaller” schools, which are now making their presence felt.
Over the past week, Lilyfontein School achieved a notable 2-1 victory over Cambridge High, their first-ever against that opponent.
Then, Queenstown Girls’ High made their share of history when they defeated Hudson Park 2-1 on Saturday, courtesy of goals by Joylyn Maytham and Keeziah Essop.
It was a massive victory for the girls from Komani, who have had a topsy-turvy season and have been on the receiving end of some tough losses.
Their last two outings before facing Hudson resulted in defeats to Union High (1-4) and DSG Makhanda (2-5), away from home.
They did, however, get one over their biggest rivals, Kingsridge High School for Girls (KHS), winning 4-2 in May, but the win against Hudson was the cherry on the top.
“Getting the win over Hudson was special, no doubt about that,” said Queenstown Girls’ High captain, Stella Emmanuel.
“It’s our first time beating them after some years, and we all feel very relieved that our hard work has paid off.”
After struggling for a number of years, the school acquired the services of coach Siya Lusiba, who is also Director of Hockey at Queen’s College. He’s come in and made some changes, and Emmanuel said, they’ve learnt a lot from him.
“Our season has had its ups and downs, but we just kept pushing. Our new coach is wonderful. We are very grateful for him. We have learnt a lot of new things from him and are adapting very well.”
Emmanuel and her side will next shift their attention to a clash against Aliwal North High this week and then focus on their mid-year exams before returning to action next term.
“Our goal is to keep the momentum we have going and possibly secure more wins. We want to make those who watch and support us extremely proud,” Emmanuel said.
Maritzburg College flank David Colenbrander scored a special try, beating three players before dotting down in the tackle of a fourth. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Kearsney College enjoyed more possession, but Maritzburg College‘s defenders put in a committed, disciplined shift as the Red, Black, and Whitetriumphed on Saturday on Goldstone’s.
In front of a huge crowd on their Reunion Weekend, College withstood a spirited challenge from the One-Stripe, claiming a 35-20 victory after leading only 17-13 at halftime.
It was College’s physical defence that made the difference, with the home team turning turnovers into points and forcing Kearsney to work far harder for their tries than they had to for theirs, despite the surfeit of possession the visitors enjoyed.
“It was a tough game,” Maritzburg College captain Wasi Vyambwera told SuperSport Schools Plusafterwards.
“Kearsney came at us with all they’ve got. Thank you to our supporters. It was a big day for Maritzburg College, and it’s also my final year, so I’m grateful for the support.”
Reflecting on Kearsney’s control of the possession stakes, he admitted: “They had a lot of possession, but the College dog came through.”
In their previous match, College had caused unbeaten Westville Boys’ High serious difficulties before succumbing 21-22. It was a loss, but the Red, Black, and White benefitted from that game, Vyambwera said.
“We drew a lot of strength from our performance against Westville, and it gave us a lot of confidence during the week.”
Relieved and proud after the 15-point win, following a strong second-half performance, the College captain said: “It was big, very big to play in front of the Old Boys on Reunion Weekend.”
From the opening whistle, Kearsney did most of the attacking, but when they were forced to clear from a scrum inside their 22, they kicked deep down the left flank.
After receiving the kick, College attacked along the touchline at first before bringing the ball back inside. Some sharp hands, then, took the ball into the middle of the park where Jordan Thackwray took a short pass, sold a dummy and hared through a gap to round the Kearsney defence and go over to the left of the uprights after only four minutes. Dom du Toit‘s dependable right boot made it 7-0.
Kearsney responded well and took play deep into College’s 22 where the home team stopped a One-Stripe attack by tackling the ball carrier into touch. Unfortunately for Maritzburg College, a knock-on after they had won a clean lineout led to one of their players being caught offsides and Lwazi Mbebe scored Kearsney’s first points with a penalty after 10 minutes.
Three minutes later, College’s advantage was back out to seven points after Du Toit slotted a penalty.
Then, from a lineout on the halfway line, Kearsney scored a superb try. After a clean take from the safe hands of Joseph Roylance, the ball was sent to the backline. Eighthman Nhlanhla Ndlovu hit it up directly at the home side’s defence.
Basher Ridge was a sight to behold as Maritzburg College claimed victory on their Reunion Weekend. Photo: Brad Morgan.
It was recycled quickly and a nice loop between flyhalf Jayden Jonsson and inside centre Keanu Williamson created space for Mbebe to run into. He made good ground and passed inside as he was dragged to ground.
Jonsson received the ball, dummied inside, then cut outside, drawing the final defender. Then, he let the pass go inside to Doan Nel who sprinted clear and dived over for a fantastic five-pointer.
A simple conversion kick from Mbebe levelled the scores at 10-10.
College flank David Colenbrander, then, caught Kearsney unawares at a ruck, charging around the left side and leaving two players grasping at air. He powered through a third tackle before being caught by the cover defence right on the try line. His momentum carried him over, however, for a special solo score. Du Toit’s trusty boot added two points to the home side’s tally.
Another Mbebe penalty made it 17-13 to Maritzburg College at halftime.
From the start of the second half, College built up momentum, mostly turning to their pack to knock Kearsney back metre by metre. Then, when they released it down the backline, good hands created space for the home team’s captain Wasi Vyambwera and he crashed over on the right.
Keanu Williamson impressed at centre for Kearsney and scored the visitors’ second try. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Kearsney surged back onto the attack, and when they won a penalty, which would have presented Mbebe with an easy kick at goal, they opted for a tap. A practice ground move worked out perfectly when Keanu Williamson sent the College defence one way with a show of the ball while he headed the other direction, over the try line.
With the conversion, Lwazi Mbebe narrowed the gap to only two points at 22-20 to the hosts.
College pressure at a ruck, and then a high tackle, won them two penalties and Dom du Toit banged both over to extend his side’s advantage to eight points. The Red, Black, and White was playing the game where they wanted to play it – deep inside Kearsney’s half.
On the hour, when Kearsney made it into the Maritzburg College half, hooker Theo Boshoff claimed a loose pass. Scrumhalf Du Toit, subsequently, fed it to the blindside where fullback Amahle Hadebe popped a kick over the top, down the left touchline. The bounce of the ball beat Mbebe but not Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, who grabbed it and hit the gas to go over to the left of the uprights.
Du Toit’s conversion kick made it 35-20 with 10 minutes to play, and that’s how it ended.
Westville Boys’ High vs Glenwood High
At Westville, on Bowden’s Field, Glenwood gave a good account of themselves but were beaten 42-25.
The visitors trailed by only a point at halftime and led 25-21 six minutes into the second stanza, but Westville Boys’ High turned to their forwards for a couple of Ross Calvert tries from the rolling maul.
Then, an intercept from lock Moustapher Gcina – not for the first time; he reads the game well – completed their scoring as they tacked on 21 points without reply.
The home side went over for six tries in all, with Jade-Will Koopman, who played a fine game, pulling the strings at flyhalf and converting all six. The Green Machine replied with four tries of their own.
Glenwood was well led by their captain Lizwe Mtetwa and their pack did a good job of challenging Westville, giving them a tough examination, but the quality of the Griffincame through in the end.
SCORES
Maritzburg College 35 (17) – Tries: Jordan Thackwray, David Colenbrander, Wasi Vyambwera, Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein. Conversions: Dom du Toit (3). Penalty: Dom du Toit (3); Kearsney College 20 (13) – Tries: Doan Nel, Keanu Williamson. Conversions: Lwazi Mbebe (2). Penalties: Lwazi Mbabe (2)
u19 – Maritzburg College I 35 Kearsney I 20; Maritzburg College II 19 Kearsney II 10; Maritzburg College III 45 Kearsney III 5; Maritzburg College IV 50 Kearsney IV 0; Maritzburg College V 50 Kearsney V 0; Maritzburg College VIII 42 Kearsney VI 5; Maritzburg College X 36 Kearsney VII 22
u16 – Maritzburg College A 47 Kearsney A 40; Maritzburg College B 24 Kearsney B 3; Maritzburg College C 57 Kearsney C 5; Maritzburg College E 26 Kearsney D 21; Maritzburg College F 19 Kearsney E 5
u15 – Maritzburg College A 15 Kearsney A 15; Maritzburg College B 28 Kearsney B 0; Maritzburg College C 50 Kearsney C 0
u14 – Maritzburg College A 50 Kearsney A 7; Maritzburg College B 42 Kearsney B 0; Maritzburg College C 50 Kearsney C 0
Westville Boys’ High vs Glenwood High
u19 – Westville I 42 Glenwood I 25; Westville II 18 Glenwood II 10; Westville III 33 Glenwood III 19; Westville IV 24 Glenwood IV 12; Westville V 50 Glenwood V 0; Westville VI 36 Glenwood VI 7
u16 – Westville A 27 Glenwood A 10; Westville B 29 Glenwood B 10; Westville C 52 Glenwood C 0; Westville D 27 Glenwood D 14
u15 – Westville A 7 Glenwood A 0; Westville B 10 Glenwood B 0; Westville C 43 Glenwood C 0; Westville D 27 Glenwood D 5
u14 – Westville A 17 Glenwood A 12; Westville B 27 Glenwood B 0; Westville C 49 Glenwood C 0; Westville D 37 Glenwood D 3; Westville E 37 Glenwood E 3
A penalty only seconds from the final whistle, struck between the uprights by Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) flyhalf, Ruben Groenewald, broke the hearts of Jeppe supporters as the Wit Bulle, from Pretoria, snatched a nail-biting 38–36 victory on Collard Field, in Johannesburg, on Saturday.
Relive all the action on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
It wasn’t the first time this season that Groenewald’s boot had caused heartbreak. Earlier in the year, the Affies’ flyhalf slotted a crucial conversion to secure a 16–16 draw against Paarl Gimnasium in a rain-soaked encounter in Paarl.
The 70 minutes in Johannesburg were a rollercoaster of momentum shifts, keeping the Collard Field crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the clash.
It was the second time in as many years that the black and white striped jerseys came within two points of a historic first-ever victory over the Wit Bulle, since the fixture’s inception in 1996. The previous near miss came in 2023, in another enthralling clash on Collard Field, won 33-31 won by the visitors.
Flyhalf Groenewald kicked three penalties and two conversions for a crucial personal tally of 14 points, while eighthman Stefan McDonald stood out for the Pretoria school.
Recently selected to represent the Blue Bulls at Craven Week in Middelburg later this year, McDonald was in fine form. The back rower was characteristically dominant with powerful carries and rock-solid tackling on defence. He was ably supported by his fellow back rower, Elwin Jansen van Vuuren, who also delivered a tireless performance.
Outside centre Lindelani Nkambule had the Jeppe faithful roaring when he twice crossed the Affies’ try line twice to show why he was selected to represent the Golden Lions Craven Week side later this year, even though he is still u17.
His attacking instincts, combined with the blistering pace of winger Ndimphiwe Mjiji, posed constant problems for the Affies’ defence.
However, it was Jeppe’s flyhalf, Nehemia Hollenbach, who, arguably, stole the show. Despite finishing on the losing side, he won the kicking duel. Hollenbach kept the scoreboard ticking with a flawless performance from the tee, slotting three conversions, four penalties, and a spectacular drop goal with just over a minute remaining for a personal haul of 21 points.
That drop goal edged Jeppe in front, but Groenewald struck with seconds to spare after Affies were awarded a penalty from the kick-off.
Scorers:
Affies 38 (24) – Tries: Stefan McDonald (2), Divan Fourie, Elwin Jansen van Vuuren, Joshua Gouws. Conversions: Ruben Groenewald (2). Penalties: Groenewald (3). Jeppe High School for Boys 36 (17) – Tries: Lindelani Nkambule (2), Ndimphiwe Mjiji. Conversions: Nehemia Hollenbach (3). Penalties: Hollenbach (4). Drop Goal: Hollenbach.
Sedert sy skuif van heelagter na losskakel het Hoërskool Klerksdorp se Dorian Isaacs in die afgelope paar wedstryde van die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Plaat-afdeling eenvoudig van krag tot krag gegaan.
Isaacs het Saterdagmiddag in Kempton Park die Klerksdorpers tot ‘n derde agtereenvolgende oorwinning geïnspireer deur 22 van sy span se punte aan te teken in hul sege van 37-27 oor Hoërskool Kempton Park.
Buiten sy instinktiewe voorgevoel op die aanval, waarskynlik danksy sy ervaring op heelagter, was Isaacs se skopvisier duidelik ingestel. Hy het ál vier sy span se drieë suksesvol verdoel en ook drie strafdoele deur die pale gejaag.
Die Klerksdorpers se uitnemende skrumwerk het vir hulle die grondslag gelê om 24 punte in die tweede helfte op te stapel, met Cravenweek-senter, Winton Abrahams, en regtervleuel, Tyrand Masango, wat na hartelus kon aanval om die Kempies se verdediging onder groot druk te plaas.
Hoewel aan die verloorkant, was die Kempies steeds indrukwekkend. Stian de Villiers het vir die soveelste keer vanjaar sy generaalskap tentoongestel op losskakel en, nes Isaacs, ál sy span se drieë verdoel en met twee strafdoele geslaag.
Aan De Villiers se buitekant het binnesenter, Rocco Louw, ‘n barshou gespeel en ‘n groot aandeel gehad daarin dat die tuisspan met die omdraaislag met 20-13 kon voorloop. Dit was egter uiteindelik nie genoeg om die besoekers se aanslag in die tweede helfte af te weer nie.
Hoërskool Zwartkop het sy 13de agtereenvolgende sege in 2025 behaal deur vir Hoërskool Oos-Moot, in die Moot, met 36-15 te verslaan. Dit beteken dat die Vikings steeds vanjaar onoorwonne is.
Dit het soos verwag ‘n fisieke stryd voorlangs afgegee, maar die Vikings het mettertyd die oorhand verkry danksy slot Logan Knot, en Mika Allers, wat sy kans in die beginspan laat tel het, se hoë werkverrigting.
Die Oosies se ervare skrumskakel, David Joubert, was oudergewoonte ‘n uitblinker, het die Zwarries dikwels aan die raai gehou en goed versprei om sy span in die wedloop te probeer hou, maar die Vikings was nét te goed.
Hoër Tegniese Skool Middelburg het Hoërskool Wesvalia se onoorwonne segetog in vanjaar se Plaat-afdeling beëindig met ‘n oorwinning van twee punte in Klerksdorp. Die Wesssies het ten minste 13 punte op die veld gelos, maar dit neem niks weg van die Rooi Bulle se triomf nie.
Hul verdediging was rotsvas en het vir die tuisspan heelwat hoofbrekens besorg, terwyl hulle ook deeglik munt geslaan het uit die opposisie se foute. Stut, Marinus Oberholzer, is met ‘n vyfpunter beloon ná hy meedoënloos duikslae ingesit het.
Hoërskool Middelburg se vaskopstut, Dewald du Toit, het twee keer deur Marais Viljoen se verdediging gebreek in sy span se sege van 45-17 oor die besoekers van Alberton.
Die Middies se skakelpaar was uitsonderlik, met Keabetswe Nkgadima se uitstekende diens wat die Cravenweek-losskakel, Matthew Abbey, in staat gestel het om die krane oop te draai. Hulle het elk een keer agter die besoekers se doellyn gaan kuier, terwyl Abbey ook ses doelskoppe en ‘n strafdoel oorgeklits het vir ‘n persoonlike bydrae van 20 punte.
DSG Makhanda maintained their unbeaten record in the Eastern Cape after beating Collegiate Girls’ High 4-1. Photo: DSG Makhanda
A near-perfect performance, featuring moments of brilliance and silky skills, secured a 4-1 victory for DSG Makhanda over Collegiate Girls’ High School, in Gqeberha, on Saturday.
The clash between the teams, two of the best in the country in 2025, had been heavily hyped up. It was, undeniably, the match of the weekend in the Eastern Cape.
Both teams carried unbeaten records in the province into the match, with DSG racking up crucial wins throughout May, while Collegiate had carried on from where they left off after winning the All Girls’ Festival in Cape Town.
The week prior, Collegiate had defeated Kingswood College 4-0 while DSG thumped Clarendon High School for Girls 7-0, so both sides were in a confident frame of mind ahead of the showdown.
Collegiate started like a house on fire and reaped early dividends, scoring only four minutes in through the dangerous Kerrin Gillies.
After receiving a pass just outside her half from Taryn Peltenburg, she made a penetrating run into the circle. Unchallenged, she smashed a shot into the back of the goalbox for the contest’s opener.
DSG responded seconds before the end of the first chukka after a pinpoint long ball sliced through the middle of the Collegiate defence and found Emily Walker on the left-hand post, where she deflected it into the back of the net.
The visitors, playing with vigour, upped their intensity in the second chukka and were rewarded almost instantly.
Ava van der Walt got her name on the scoresheet before a moment of individual brilliance by Lucy Holderness made it 3-1 to the visitors at the break.
Collegiate created ample chances to get back into the game, including winning a number of penalty corners, but it was just not working out for them.
With 50 seconds left in the third chukka, Abigail Holderness made sure of the win with a pinpoint accurate PC drag flick that flew past Salome Oosthuizen, in goal, for DSG’s fourth.
The home team kept fighting and attempted a comeback in the final chukka, but DSG’s defence remained rock-solid, and the girls from Makhanda recorded an impressive win.
“We started a bit slow. They scored first, but I think we stuck to our game plan,” coach Geowynne Gamiet told SuperSport Schools Plus after the game.
“We showed more energy, played well in the right areas, and took our chances.”
The DSG hockey programme has been on an upward trajectory for the past couple of years since Gamiet joined the school as the Director of Hockey. While the results haven’t always gone their way, it’s been a work in progress, and the coach said he’s pleased to see the school reap the rewards for its commitment to the sport.
“It’s taken a while for us to get to where we are,” he admitted. “All programmes don’t just click in one go. It takes quite a while. I do think our hockey is where we want it to be now, and we can compete with some of the best teams in the country.
“I think we are playing well, and my girls are always humble. They don’t celebrate too much when they score goals. They get back and get on with it.
“We have some games remaining, but July will be a test for us because we have an empty schedule. We will try and see if we can’t get any friendly matches to fit in there before Top 12.”
In the coming week, DSG takes on Cambridge High before preparing for one of their biggest games of the season, K-Day, against Kingswood, on Saturday, 14 June.
Other matches
Woodridge College played to a 2-2 draw with Outeniqua, in Thornhill, while Pearson High proved too strong for Framesby, thumping their Gqeberha rivals 6-0.
Stirling High made light work of Cambridge, outscoring them 4-0, courtesy of braces from Mathibeni Mqeni and Kishka Baartman.
Queenstown Girls’ High pulled off a massive 2-1 win over Hudson Park.
EASTERN CAPE GIRLS’ RESULTS
DSG Makhanda 4-1 Collegiate Girls’ High
Woodridge College 2-2 Outeniqua
Pearson High 6-0 Framesby
Stirling High School 4-0 Cambridge High
Queenstown Girls’ High 2-1 Hudson Park High
Reddam House Constantia escaped from their clash with Rustenburg Girls’ High with a 3-2 win. Photo: Khulani Media
The final weekend of May produced exciting and thrilling hockey in the Western Cape as teams vied to end the month on a high.
The season has delivered some scintillating hockey, but, with the mid-year exams approaching, it was an opportunity for some of the province’s best to make another tick in the win column.
The action started on Friday night with four clashes, three of them in Cape Town, while the other was played in Stellenbosch.
Reddam House Constantia, under coach Chris Hibbert, took on Rustenburg Girls’ High and claimed a tight 3-2 victory on their home turf.
Leading the way for Reddam was Emma Hibbert, who has been a regular goal-scorer this season. She netted a brace before Jess Bester sealed the win.
That was the only victory recorded on Friday night, as Paarl Girls’ High held HMS Bloemhof to a 0-0 draw, Fairmont High School and Herschel Girls School settled for a 1-1 draw, and Durbanville and St Cyprian’s School shared the spoils, with a heated affair ending 2-2.
On Saturday, three matches were in the spotlight.
Rhenish Girls’ High made the trip from Stellenbosch to Somerset to face Parel Vallei High in a derby.
Coach Chris Gerber’s side was coming off an impressive 8-0 win over Paarl Girls’ High but managed just one goal this time around, scored by their captain Leah du Plessis, but that proved to be enough.
Stellenberg’s strong form continued in a win over DF Malana. Photo: Khulani Media
The big winners on the day, however, were Springfield Convent School and Stellenberg High School.
Coach Ziyaad Ismail‘s Springfield side scored a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Wynberg Girls’ High, with Annick Grobbelaar, Jenna Kalis, and Bella Amm finding the back of the net.
Stellenberg continued their fine form, following up last week’s 3-2 triumph over Herschel with a 3-1 defeat of DF Malan
On the scoresheet for the winners were Juane Meiring,Stella Zwiegers, and Ilke van der Merwe.
WESTERN CAPE GIRLS’ RESULTS
Paarl Girls’ High 0-0 HMS Bloemhof
Reddam House Constanta 3-2 Rustenburg Girls’ High
Fairmont High 1-1 Herschel Girls School
Durbanville 2-2 St Cyprian’s
Springfield Convent School 3-1 Wynberg Girls’ High
Rhenish 1-0 Parel Vallei
Stellenberg High 3-1 DF Malan
There were plenty of goals scored on the final weekend of May in the Gauteng region, with a couple of the top dogs, Jeppe High School for Boys and St Stithians College, racking up big victories alongside King Edward VII (KES).
In Pretoria, Hoërskool Zwartkop delivered a bold statement with back-to-back dominant victories.
Under the guidance of coach Connor Flowers, the team showed tactical discipline and clinical finishing to dispatch both Hoërskool Centurion and Hoërskool Oos-Moot in style.
In their first outing, against their local rivals, Centurion, Zwartkop controlled the tempo of the contest from the first whistle. Their accuracy and well-calculated moves were rewarded with a convincing 5-0 win.
Against Oos-Moot, Zwartkop came away with a 3-0 victory. Coach Coertzen’s charges have grown as the season has progressed, and they lived up to the expectations of their ever-improving game.
In Johannesburg, Jeppe continued their phenomenal unbeaten run in 2025. Now, following a 3-1 win by SACS over Paul Roos Gimnasium on Friday, the title of South Africa’s best in 2025 surely rests between the Cape Town school and Jeppe.
The Kensington kids warmed up for their weekend showdown with Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) with a 3-0 victory over St David’s Marist Inanda on Wednesday. That was a solid win, but they were razor-sharp on the weekend in crushing Affies 6-0.
Jeppe was on fire from the start, scoring three times in the first chukka. Adriaan Laubsher grabbed the spotlight with a superb hat-trick, while Ezra Stadt, Juan Martin, and Jaydon Da Silva also got in on the goal-scoring act.
Jeppe’s coach Siya Sityana was full of praise for his team’s performance but remained grounded in his assessment of their effort: “This game was good. It’s actually our best start this year. I mean, scoring three goals in the first chukka is something we’ve been working towards,” he said.
“That said, we still need to be more lethal. After we scored those early goals, we started relaxing, and that’s something we need to fix. We’ve got to play for 60 minutes.”
St Stithians, another Johannesburg school that has put together a strong season, dominated against St Charles College.
They’ve enjoyed good finishing all season long and there was more of that on display as they rolled to an 8-3 win over the visitors from Pietermaritzburg.
KES was also on fire, romping to a big 6-0 win over St Benedict’s College.
The game between Parktown Boys’ High and St John’s College was tightly contested. Playing at the “Lion’s Den,” the sides left it all out on the pitch, but the defences dominated, and their clash ended in a goalless draw.
RESULTS
Zwartkop 5-0 Centurion
Zwartkop 3-0 Oos-Moot
Jeppe 6-0 Affies
St Stithians 8-3 St Charles
KES 6-0 St Benedict’s
Parktown Boys’ High 0-0 St John’s
It took an hour before scrumhalf Jaydon Roberts and his DHS teammates were able to take the lead against Hilton College. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Hilton College pushed Durban High School (DHS) to the limit on Saturday in Durban, where the home side was cheered on by a lively crowd surrounding Van Heerden’s Field in celebration of Founders Day.
With time up on the clock, Schoolwas clinging on to a 19-18 lead with Hilton hammering away inside the home team’s 22.
With a show and go, flyhalf Liyema Nela had dented the DHS defence. Then, Hilton’s powerful scrumhalf Zander Vorster picked up a drove at the line.
DHS centre Nathan Aneke, defending close to the ruck, reached in and ripped the ball out of Vorster’s grasp. Spinning away, he twice stepped off his right foot to wrong foot defenders as he exited the 22.
Then, it became a sprint as Aneke pinned his ears back and raced down the left-hand touchline while the crowd went wild. He had the legs and dived over for a spectacular try to seal a stubborn 26-18 victory after Jordan van Wyk had slotted the conversion.
DHS knew, they were in for a tough test. Hilton knew, too, that victories on Van Heerden’s are few and far between. The eye test suggested that these were two very well matched, very well coached sides. That proved to be accurate.
From the first whistle, the contest was defined by intensity. A searing counter from wing Zenkosi Mthiyane had the local supporters on their feet, but a massive tackle by Hilton captain Liyema Nela, who then won a penalty after Mthiyane held onto the ball, was an indicator of the battle that lay ahead in the loose exchanges.
Hilton was the first to strike in the ninth minute after DHS failed to deal with a well-directed high kick down the right touchline from scrumhalf Vorster. Right wing Joshua Kok got his hands on the ball after the bounce evaded two DHS defenders.
The visitors, then, took three charges at the try line. On the third, Emmanuel Dankwah had the ball stripped, but it came out sideways, not forwards, and Hilton regathered possession. It came back to Nela, who tried to send a long pass wide right over the DHS defence. The hosts, though, got a hand on the ball. Fortunately for Hilton, it fell kindly to fullback James Peattie, and he spun his way over the line for a try in the corner.
DHS forced their way down into Hilton’s 22 after the visitors had conceded a penalty and it looked as if they were over in the 21st minute, but Zingce Simka, after breaking through a couple of attempted tackles, knocked on as he dived over the whitewash.
Five minutes later, Hilton scored again, and it came from a familiar source, hooker Josh Grant, who navigated a maul from five metres out with aplomb before making the dive for five.
Half-an-hour in, Nela came close to breeching School’s defences once more with a searing break after selling a dummy, but, after he had grubbered through into the 22, the bounce of the ball didn’t go his way, and he knocked on.
One word that always applies to DHS, though, is relentless and that quality was to the fore as they scored just before halftime. Their assault from close range was started by captain Daniel Ikotela and, after a number of surges at the line, Ikotela was on hand to force his way over for a try.
Jordan van Wyk made the kick from wide on the left, leaving Hilton College 10-7 ahead at the break.
Brad Macleod-Henderson‘s charges were the first to strike in the second half, with eighthman Zander Muller bursting off a scrum deep inside the DHS 22 and crashing over despite the attention of two tacklers for a try. The conversion was missed, leaving Hilton 0 for 3 in that department.
In the 11th minute of the second half, Hilton was reduced to 14 men when Khazimla Makali was shown red. He’d dragged Nathan Aneke to ground, but in doing so had caused his opposite number to hit the turf headfirst. It wasn’t deliberate, but it met the red card threshold.
From the resulting penalty, DHS kicked out in the Hilton 22, setting up a lineout. The boys in blue got the shove on Hilton and when the maul went to ground the referee signalled a penalty try. With the seven-point play, DHS was within one at 14-15.
Just before the hour-mark, the home team took the lead for the first time. They hit it up with their forwards on the right of the Hilton 22. Then, with players looping around, they moved the ball swiftly left and Zenkosi Mthiyane was able to outflank the visitors’ defence and dive over in the left-hand corner.
Within three minutes, after a strong break from Zander Vorster, Hilton won a penalty almost directly in front of the uprights for DHS going offsides. John Grubb knocked over the kick from 27 metres out.
Seven minutes later came that moment of magic from Nathan Aneke and DHS escaped a furious Hilton challenge.
SCORES
Durban High School 26 (7) – Tries: Daniel Ikotela, Nathan Aneke, Zenkosi Mthiyane, penalty try,
Conversion: Jordan van Wyk (2); Hilton College 18 (10) – Tries: James Peattie, Josh Grant, Zander Muller. Penalty: John Grubb.
u19 – DHS I 26-18 Hilton I; DHS II 18 Hilton II 19; DHS III 24 Hilton III 10; DHS IV 16 Hilton IV 15; DHS V 15 Hilton V 6; DHS VI 19 Hilton VI 14.
u16 – DHS A 36 Hilton A 26; DHS B 26 Hilton B 10; DHS C 38 Hilton C 12; DHS D 50 Hilton D 0.
u15 – DHS A 52 Hilton A 0; DHS B 50 Hilton B 0; DHS C 44 Hilton C 10; DHS D 34 Hilton D 10.
u14 – DHS A 10 Hilton A 13; DHS B 50 Hilton B 0; DHS C 50 Hilton C 0.
