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The annual South Western Districts derby between Hoërskool Outeniqua of George and Oakdale Landbou from Riversdale will headline this weekend’s King Price Derby Series action across South Africa.

Both schools boast a proud rugby tradition and have long dominated selections for the u18 Craven Week, a trend that continues in 2025. Oakdale has 14 players and Outeniqua six representing the South Western Districts at next month’s 60th Craven Week in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

Adding to the prestige, both schools have produced British & Irish Lions players in recent years in Outeniqua’s Duhan van der Merwe and Oakdale’s CJ Stander.

On paper, the Bulle of Oakdale may seem favourites, especially after their emphatic 60–8 win in last year’s fixture. However, this year the Kwaggas from Outeniqua will enjoy home-ground advantage – a factor that historically plays a decisive role in this heated rivalry.

In fact, the last time the away side claimed victory was in 2015, when Oakdale edged Outeniqua 24–17 in George. That Oakdale side included future first-class players like Adré Smith, HP van Schoor, and Darren Adonis. 

Outeniqua’s last away win in Riversdale came in 2012 with standout players like Duhan van der Merwe, Warrick Gelant, and Dewald Human.

This year’s Oakdale team will feature several returnees from last year’s rout, including fullback Reinhardt Viljoen, prop Kai Pratt, inside centre Christian Vorster, wing Lee-Winn Pretorius, and flankers Jannes Snyman and Liam Lightly.

Both teams enter the derby with just three losses each this season. Oakdale fell to Grey College (10–25), Rondebosch Boys’ High (7–10), and Paarl Gimnasium (9–29). Outeniqua’s defeats came at the hands of Menlopark (24–34), Grey College (18–29), and Noordheuwel (32–35).

The rivalry is further enriched by the legacy of professional talent produced. 

Oakdale has given South Africa Springboks such as Pedrie Wannenburg, Meyer Bosman, Johann Muller, and JC Janse van Rensburg. 

Outeniqua’s alumni include Manie Libbok, Warrick Gelant, Marco Wentzel, Johan Heunis, and Faan Conradie.

In another King Price Derby Series clash Rondebosch Boys’ High will face Wynberg Boys’ High in an encounter which will give them a good idea if a second successive Southern Suburb Slam is possible. 

A feat Rondebosch last achieved in the late 90’s before last year’s slam. A Southern Suburb Slam is achieved when one of the four southern suburbs’ schools win all six of their matches during the season. 

Before Bosch’s slam last year, it was Wynberg Boys’ High in 2014 to achieved this momentous feat. 

There are another two King Price Derby Series encounters this Saturday as the Northwood Knights host Hilton College in Durban and unbeaten Westville Boys’ High looks to extend their streak at home against Kearsney College. 

The Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Second-Term Coastal and Inland Leagues have delivered fantastic competition this season, especially in the Coastal competition, where the traditional powers have been challenged and stretched.

Coastal A-League 

Hillcrest High has crafted a fairytale run to the final of the league for the first time in the school’s history. They’ll face Westville Boys’ High on Tuesday, 10 June, for the title.

Based on their performances in past seasons, few would have anticipated what Hillcrest High has been able to achieve this year. However, look at where we stand – we, as football enthusiasts, fans, writers, and commentators, are in awe of what coach Cayle Marillier has accomplished by leading a very young squad to the final of the Coastal A-League, which in recent seasons has belonged to Westville, and Glenwood High.

With any of the top four teams in with a shot at qualifying for the final, Tuesday’s last round of round-robin matches, which featured the top four in action against one another – Hillcrest High vs Port Shepstone and Westville Boys’ High vs the two-time defending champion, Glenwood – was for high stakes.

Hillcrest High played to a tight 1-1 draw against Sheppie, while Westville came from a goal down late in their match to grab a 1-1 draw with Glenwood, which eliminated the Green Machine on goal difference.

Westville celebrated the draw, as it lifted their points’ tally to 17 and first place in the standings. Hillcrest High finished second with 16 points, which was matched by Glenwood, who miss out on the final after making it for three seasons in succession. Port Shepstone rounded out the top four with 13 points.

While the upper section of the table generated excitement, there was, also, great anxiety at the opposite end of the standings where Northwood pulled off a Houdini act and escaped relegation by picking up their first win of the season, a 3-0 defeat of Pinetown Boys’ High, after they had previously suffered five losses and played to one draw.

Unfortunately for Empangeni High School, which was promoted from the Coastal B-League to the Coastal A-League this season, they’ll be returning to the B-League after going down 0-2 to Bechet.

The Zululand school finished with one less point than Northwood after winning one match and losing six.

Inland A-League

The last round of matches in the Inland A-League’s round-robin stage had no bearing on the finalists. It was already known that Maritzburg College and Carter High School had qualified for the title decider.

What was left to be decided, however, was which team would be relegated.

On Tuesday, at Barns Field, Haythorne Secondary confronted a daunting challenge, competing against the league-leading College and needing a win to avoid going down. They gave it a good go and battled their way to a 1-1 draw, but they needed three points and not one, and their relegation was confirmed.

Newton was also in the danger zone, and were beaten 5-2 by Edendale Technical High, but they had done just enough in previous rounds to finish seventh and remain in the A-League.

Edendale, newcomers to the A-League, completed their first season in the top-flight with 13 points, only one point behind second-placed Carter High.

Surprisingly, Carter was on the losing end on the final day, going down 0-2 to Alexandra High. Still, their place in the final next Tuesday had already been secured.

There was plenty of excitement in the match between Ixopo and Linpark, with Ixopo winning by the odd goal in five.

Results

Coastal A

Northwood 3-0 Pinetown
Bechet 2-0 Empangeni
Hillcrest High 1-1 Port Shepstone
Glenwood 1-1 Westville

Inland A

Edendale 5-2 Newton
Alexandra 2-0 Carter
Haythorne 1-1 Maritzburg College
Ixopo 3-2 Linpark

Final Table Standings 

Coastal A-League 

	School	PLD	W	D		L	PTS	GF	GA	GD
1	Westville	7	5	2		0	17	12	4	8
2	Hillcrest High	7	5	1		1	16	12	6	6
3	Glenwood	7	5	1		1	16	12	7	5
4	Port Shepstone	7	4	1		2	13	12	6	6
5	Bechet	7	1	2		4	5	4	9	-5
6	Pinetown	7	1	2		4	5	7	14	-7
7	Northwood	7	1	1		5	4	7	9	-2
8	Empangeni	7	1	0		6	3	4	15	-11

Inland A-League 

	School	PLD	W	D	L	PTS	GF	GA	GD
1	Maritzburg College	7	5	2	0	17	15	4	11
2	Carter High	7	4	2	1	14	10	4	6
3	Edendale	7	4	1	2	13	12	5	7
4	Ixopo	7	2	3	2	9	11	10	1
5	Alexandra High	7	2	3	2	9	8	9	-1
6	Linpark	7	2	1	4	7	6	8	-2
7	Newton	7	1	1	5	4	3	19	-16
8	Haythorne	7	0	3	4	3	2	8	-6

Forthcoming Fixtures

Thursday, 5 June: Coastal B

Queensburgh High School 

Field 1 

15:10 – Grosvenor vs Redwood
16:15 – Amanzimtoti vs Ashton Ballito B

Field 2

15:10 – Durban High School vs Sastri
16:15 – New Forest vs Queensburgh High

Thursday, 5 June: Inland B

Alexandra High School 

Field 1

15:00 – Alexandra High School B vs Heritage Academy

Field 2

15:00 – Maritzburg College B vs Thornhill
16:05 – ML Sultan vs Northbury Park

Friday, 6 June: Coastal C Final

Queensburgh High School

Field 1

15:30 – Canaan College vs Brettonwood

The mid-year exams are rapidly coming into view, but there is no shortage of hockey action on the first weekend of June.

While some schools have taken a step back, it will be business as usual in the Western Cape with mouthwatering fixtures lined up for the weekend.

All of the top teams will be in action on Friday night, and the matches will be broadcast LIVE on the SuperSport Schools App.

One of the most intriguing games is a showdown between Paarl Boys’ High and Parel Vallei High School (PV), in Paarl.

They have, arguably, the most improved hockey programmes in the province, and both have played entertaining and winning hockey this season.

In their last outing, Paarl Boys’ High defeated Stellenberg High 3-1, while Parel Vallei claimed a hard-fought 3-2 win over Paarl Gimnasium in Somerset West.

It was an outstanding performance from coach Michael van Rensburg‘s side, who frustrated Gim and pounced on their opportunities in front of goal.

After that clash, PV captain JP van der Walt said: “We knew the game would be in the balance. We prepared well for Paarl Gim, and we focused on implementing what our coach wanted us to focus on, and we came out on top.”

Commenting on the strength of the school’s hockey programme, the skipper explained: “At Parel Vallei, we focus on building the person first, then the player.

“This is a major part of our hockey programme. We know we can trust each other and will always keep fighting for one another. We trust our coach and know if we follow the plan, we will succeed.”

There’s no doubt PV will head into the clash with their tails up, but it won’t be easy against a Paarl Boys’ High side that has found its feet this season.

While that clash in Paarl will be in the spotlight, Cape Town will host two massive games.

Bishops Diocesan College faces Paarl Gimnasium in the Mother City, while Wynberg makes the short trip to face Rondebosch Boys’ High in a southern suburbs’ derby.

Bishops and Gim both registered wins last weekend when coach Ryan Julius’s troops beat Reddam House Constantia 5-4 while Gim thumped HTS Drostdy 5-0.

It has been a season of mixed fortunes for Bishops, but facing Paarl Gim on their iconic Woodlands AstroTurf is a fantastic opportunity to grab a signature win.

Wynberg, meanwhile, will be seeking a bounce-back performance after being held to a 3-3 draw by Stellenberg a week ago.

Coach Ben Wiley’s boys would’ve been disappointed with that result. They led 3-1 before allowing Stellies to come back and snatch a share of the spoils.

They face a dangerous Rondebosch side that defeated DF Malan 2-1 last week.

Paul Roos Gimnasium, meanwhile, welcomes Stellenberg to the Maties AstroTurf, in Stellenbosch.

South African College High School (SACS) hosts Reddam Constantia at the Brewery AstroTurf, and DF Malan takes on Durbanville.

WESTERN CAPE BOYS’ FIXTURES

Friday, 6 June

19:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Stellenberg High
19:00 – Bishops vs Paarl Gimnasium
19:10 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Wynberg Boys’ High
19:15 – SACS vs Reddam House Constantia
19:15 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Parel Vallei
19:45 – DF Malan vs Durbanville

The Jeppe High School for Boys’ football team has put together a good run thus far in 2025.

As usual, the school’s 1st XI hockey side has caught the eye, as has their exciting rugby 1st XV, but, under Head of Football, Kevin McCarthy, the boys playing the beautiful game have also been making their mark. SuperSport Schools Plus chatted with McCarthy about Jeppe’s football programme.

McCarthy was emphatic about what is prioritised: “We are educators first, so that’s a very important aspect to the school itself, but also to me, that we focus on comprehensive education and that we focus on educating the boys on all aspects. Obviously, sport is a huge aspect of that.

“My passion for football has been very long standing. I’ve worked as a football coach previously at St Peter’s College, where I coached both the boys’ first team and girls’ first team.”

McCarthy has also worked at St David’s Marist Inanda, one of Gauteng leading football-playing schools. He’s a St David’s old boy, having attended the school from grade one to grade 12, and he witnessed how football was promoted there. St David’s was where he developed his passion for the sport, said McCarthy.

As a South African, he finds an inherent connection to football and appreciates the guidance he has received from different mentors over the years.

Earlier this season, Jeppe faced elite competition at the Absa Wildeklawer Soccer Tournament, in Kimberley, and finished in 15th place. Their group included Navalsig, who finished fifth overall, Grey College, who placed sixth, Maritzburg College, and Selborne College.

In a pre-tournament match, Jeppe showed their quality when they defeated Westville Boys’ High 4-2. Next week, Westville will face Hillcrest High in the final of the KZNHSFA Coastal A-League. McCarthy said he saw taking on an established football power like Westville as an important test for his team.

Building relationships through football

With the support of teachers, football serves to build bonds between players, not only on the field but also off of it, McCarthy said. Some boys, he warned, rush to prioritise club football, but balance is necessary.

“At this stage in Gauteng, we are definitely losing because the boys are choosing clubs when it comes to a decision between major tournaments, for a club or a school, they will choose the club, unfortunately,” he said.

McCarthy has over 15 years of experience coaching young students His greatest joy comes from working with them, he said: “I absolutely love working with kids. That’s why I’m a teacher.”

Merging his enthusiasm for education with his passion for football, he takes pleasure in being out in the open air.

“There is no better thing for me. When the rain comes in the afternoon, and I know I’m going to miss training, it does upset me, even though I’m going to get home a little bit earlier,” he revealed.

Some of his most successful years as a football coach came during his time at St. David’s Marist Inanda, alongside Chaid White.

“We were there from 2014 to 2017, and we worked together. We built some lovely youth sides there, and they often made finals.”

McCarthy remains in contact with some of the boys he coached at St David’s, observing their progress as they complete their degrees, including several of them who received football scholarships to United States’ universities.

In 2023, he also did well with the St Peter’s College girls’ first team, winning the women’s league. He recalled that during his initial three games as the coach of St Peter’s, the team suffered three big defeats, losing 0-11, 0-10, and 0-9, conceding 30 goals without scoring.

However, he successfully transformed that team into a competitive unit, and St Peter’s ultimately went on to enjoy victories over those same teams that had overwhelmed them.

In 2024, his u14 boys’ team was one of the top sides in the country, dropping only two games, one of them against the Tuks u15 team, and the other a narrow 2-3 defeat against Grey College.

Current Jeppe Squad

Turning to Jeppe’s first team, McCarthy said he feels good about the side. They have a very good energy about them.

“The boys have great relationships with each other and treat each other in a really positive way. They build each other up. There’s a lot of banter, but it never goes past that line that then goes into breaking boys down. I’m really positive about this team.”

McCarthy firmly believes that in the coming years, Jeppe will emerge as a formidable force in football, citing an abundance of talent, particularly in the younger age groups.

Jeppe has undergone significant changes in its coaching structure over the past two years, with Caesar Maphalla currently serving as the head coach of the first team.

McCarthy praised Maphalla, a former professional player, as an outstanding youth coach with extensive experience, including at the University of the Witwatersrand.

While football has not yet reached the heights of the Jeppe’s hockey and rugby programmes, he’s aiming to emulate their success and believes the side has what it takes to reach that level of consistent achievement.

McCarthy said the success of Jeppe’s other teams serve as inspiration for the football team to elevate themselves.

Faith, hard work, and discipline have been at the forefront of Luke Tait’s hockey career at Grey High School.

Tait is the first-team hockey captain at the Gqeberha school and embodies great leadership on and off the turf. He carries himself well and and gives his all between the four lines.

He’s led his side through mostly ups and some downs this season, but, on the final weekend of May, he celebrated a personal milestone when he played his 100th match for the 1st XI against St Andrew’s College.

Tait was the first player to achieve the feat in almost 22 years. Before him, Mpumelelo Slwana reached triple figures in 2003.

It was a momentous occasion for the captain, his teammates, and his family when he received a warm guard of honour at the Rectory AstroTurf before leading his team to a hard-fought 1-0 win against their Makhanda rivals.

Reflecting on the milestone, he told SuperSport Schools Plus:”“It’s an honour and privilege to have represented the first team at Grey for four years.

“Every Grey boy wants to represent their school at a first-team level, and since I’ve done it for a long time, I feel grateful and blessed.”

Tait, who attended Grey Junior in his primary school days, made his first team debut in grade nine against Queen’s College on his school’s Reunion Day. He recalled the moment he heard the news: “When I was told I was benching for the first team against Queen’s, I was nervous, to be honest with you.

“I used to watch the senior players play at a high tempo, and I didn’t think I deserved to be there. Nevertheless, I stuck in and learnt a lot from all the senior guys. I came off the bench, played as well as I could, and I haven’t stopped since then.”

During his tenure representing the Azzurri, Tait has been exposed to several leadership styles that have influenced his style of captaincy.

He’s played under three captains, namely Casey Keevy, Matthew Kingston, and the 2024 skipper, Kian Cambier.

“Each one of them was different and had their style of captaincy, and I’ve tried to implement those with my style, of course.

“Casey Keevy led with his performance on the pitch. His inspirational team talks were great, and he always lifted everyone and made us feel we were more important than him.

“Matthew Kingston was different. He was the type of captain you’re afraid of. He gave everything on the field, his blood and sweat, and you wanted to follow him just because of how much he cared about the team.

“And then, Kian Cambier was an exceptional player. He was almost like a full player, on and off the pitch. I could ask him anything, and he would advise me. He was inspirational.”

While the leaders who guided him were influential, Tait was also heavily influenced by his first team coaches, Mazan Dos Santos (former) and Andrew Beynon (current).

His family has also been there through thick and thin, with his father providing much-needed guidance on and off the turf.

“My dad always tries to find solutions to problems I face, and how to resolve key issues, whether it be my playing style, the way I speak to players, or my body language.

“I try to take it all in and use his advice. But my whole family, as well, has been very supportive and wants me to succeed, whether it be on the AstroTurf or in my academics.”

As previously mentioned, Tait speaks openly about his faith and how it has positively impacted his life. He said it’s something he passes on to his teammates.

“I’ve tried to instil faith in Grey’s hockey. It had been fading for the last few years.

“I started by praying for the team and speaking more openly about my faith and love of the Lord because it always transitions back to my hockey.

“I couldn’t have done it without my matric group, who are devoted to the Lord. I think, for us, we understand that we only play the game because the Lord has given us this talent, and he wants us to succeed. We’ll continue spreading the gospel.”

The skipper and 10 of his teammates will represent the Eastern Province u18A side at the SASHOC National Week, set to be hosted at Maritzburg College.

The tournament runs from 29 June to 5 July.

The Gauteng Women’s Development League (GWDL) witnessed a high-scoring weekend, with Mamelodi Sundowns, once again, leading the way.

On Sunday, a week after the Brazilians stuck 10 past Highlands Park, they tallied double figures once more, although their victims on this occasion, Edenvale FC, managed a goal in response as ‘Downs cruised to a 10-1 victory.

Only 10 games into the season, Sundowns has already netted 70 times while conceding just 12 goals. They have suffered a defeat, though, going down to SAFA Academy earlier in the season.

SAFA Academy is tied with Sundowns on 27 points. Not surprisingly, though, given their goal-scoring rate of seven per game, Sundowns tops the league table on goal difference.

On Sunday, SAFA Academy faced a stern challenge from JVW, but they came through it with flying colours, recording a 2-0 victory.

After a disappointing 0-0 draw with Edenvale FC the previous weekend, Panorama FC returned to winning form against the struggling Sporting CP, picking up a 2-0 win.

Another team that needed to regroup on Sunday was Highlands Park, off the back of the hammering they had endured at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns. They found Kempton Park FC far more to their liking and secured three points after a 5-2 victory.

Refilwe FC and the University of Pretoria (Tuks) more than lived up to the promise of an exciting Pretoria derby, producing nine goals between them, with Refilwe FC sneaking a 5-4 win after an entertaining clash.

At President Park Stadium, in Vereeniging, Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA), playing on their home ground, bagged a comfortable 4-0 win over Tornado Academy Ladies.

RESULTS

RESA 4-0 Tornado Academy Ladies
Refilwe FC 5-4 Tuks
Panorama FC 2-0 Sporting CP
Mamelodi Sundowns 10-1 Edenvale FC
Highlands Park 5-2 Kempton Park FC
SAFA Academy 2-0 JVW

Keira Pienaar, aanvallende vleuel van Hoërskool Helpmekaar se eerste span, is die tipe speler wat met elke beweging op die baan haar passie vir die spel uitstraal.

Haar netbalreis het reeds op sesjarige ouderdom begin toe sy haar eerste wedstryd gespeel het. Vandag, meer as 10 jaar later, het daardie eerste liefde gegroei in iets veel dieper: ‘n lewenstyl van toewyding, opoffering en doelgerigtheid. Hoewel haar primêre posisie nog altyd HD was, het sy haar spel uitgebrei na AV, waar sy nou met selfvertroue en strategiese aanvoeling in die aanvallende sone skitter.

Wat Keira die meeste geniet van haar rol in aanval, is om doele aan te teken. Vir haar gaan dit nie bloot oor punte op die telbord sit nie – dit gaan oor trots, oor ‘n bydrae lewer, oor oomblikke wat wedstryde kan swaai. Haar effektiwiteit in die sirkel weerspieël ’n spelpeil wat deur harde werk en fokus ontwikkel het.

‘n Groot hoogtepunt tot dusver was haar deelname aan die Wildeklawer-toernooi, wat sy beskryf as een van die opwindendste en onvergeetlikste ervarings van haar loopbaan. Haar gunstelingwedstryd was teen AHMP, waar elke pas, elke beweging en elke doel ’n toets van karakter en spanwerk gebied het. Sulke kragmetings vorm spelers en Keira steek telkens hand op wanneer dit saak maak.

Met die oog op die toekoms, het Keira ‘n duidelike doelwit: om deel uit te maak van die Indoor Netbal Wêreldbekerspan in 2026. Dit is ’n droom wat sy met toewyding nastreef, en elke oefensessie, elke wedstryd, is ’n tree nader aan daardie groter prentjie.

Haar reis word nie slegs gemotiveer deur ambisie nie, maar ook deur ’n diep liefde vir haar span en hul samehorigheid. Volgens Keira is haar spanmaats ’n voortdurende bron van energie en motivering. Hulle ondersteun mekaar, vier saam en staan saam in moeilike tye – dit is presies wat ’n span sterk maak.

Wanneer dit kom by rolmodelle, hoef Keira nie ver te kyk nie. Haar ouers is haar grootste inspirasie. Hulle is altyd teenwoordig, ondersteun haar onvoorwaardelik en speel ’n sleutelrol in haar sukses. Hulle is haar fondasie – haar dryfveer om altyd haar beste te wees.

’n Aanhaling wat Keira se benadering tot die spel perfek opsom, is iets wat haar afrigter gereeld sê: “Fire in the belly, ice in the mind.” Hierdie woorde resoneer sterk met haar. Op die baan bring sy passie, maar ook kalmte en fokus – die perfekte balans tussen vuur en beheer.

Wanneer sy afskakel van die spel en na haar eie kopruimte terugkeer, doen sy dit met musiek wat haar anker. Haar gunsteling liedjie, “Gratitude” deur Brandon Lake, herinner haar om elke geleentheid met dankbaarheid aan te gryp. En, om nooit selftevredenheid met selfvertroue te verwar nie.

Keira Pienaar is meer as net ’n speler. Sy is ’n toonbeeld van vasberadenheid en karakter. Of sy nou op HD of AV diens doen, of haar droom vir die wêreldverhoog navolg, sy dra altyd dieselfde vuur in haar hart, en dieselfde yskoue fokus in haar denke. Met sulke eienskappe is ly dit geen twyfel dat Keira se naam nog lank in netbalkringe sal weerklink nie.

After six weeks of action, the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Coastal and Inland Second-Term Leagues have reached their final round of round-robin matches.

Games are scheduled at Queensburgh High School, Barns Field (Maritzburg College), and Alexandra High School on Tuesday.

Catch the Coastal and Inland action LIVE on the SuperSport Schools App

Coastal A-League

There’s everything to play for the in Coastal A-League, with the top four teams – Westville Boys’ High School, Hillcrest High, Glenwood High and Port Shepstone – set to meet one another at Queensburgh High School. The winners will secure a place in the final. Of course, any draws would alter that simple permutation.

The 2024/25 football season has been characterised by underdog stories and fairytales, exemplified by Tottenham Hotspur. They finished a lowly 17th in the English Premier League, but they also won their first title in 17 years, lifting the Europa League in May. Additionally, Newcastle United ended a 70-year major trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup.

Closer to home, Pyramids FC, which was founded in 2008, defeated Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate score on Sunday, following a 2-1 victory over Sundowns at the 30 June Stadium, to win the CAF Champions League title, Africa’s most prestigious club competition.

In the Mancosa KZNHSFA Coastal A-League, there exists an underdog aiming to pulling off an extraordinary feat. Hillcrest High entered the 2025 football season with great enthusiasm, under the guidance of coach Cayle Marillier and Head of Football at Hillcrest High, Nsindiso Majola. They’ve made their mark.

The technical team at Hillcrest High has been working diligently to reverse previous misfortunes and now they have an opportunity to turn the improbable into reality. They’ll be up against Port Shepstone High on Tuesday, aiming to become the first team from Hillcrest High to qualify for the Coastal A-League final.

Ahead of Tuesday’s matches, Hillcrest High lies second on the log, with 15 points, tied with Glenwood High, who are in third place. Port Shepstone, in fourth, has 12 points. The goal difference between the teams in second, third, and fourth is minimal, so anything is possible.

Westville, in first place with 16 points, is set to face Glenwood. They previously met in the 2024 final, with Glenwood claiming the win. Two years earlier, when they met for the title, Westville was victorious.

Should Glenwood win and make it through to the final, they’ll have an opportunity to hoist the title for a third season in succession.

Inland A-League

In the Inland A-League, both Maritzburg College and Carter High School will play in their final round-robin games free from any pressure. They’ve already secured their spots in the Inland A-League final, which will be played at College’s Barns Field.

On Tuesday, the Red, Black, and White takes on Haythorne Secondary, who are bottom of the Inland A-League standings. Haythorne is in urgent need of a victory. If they don’t win, they face the prospect of relegation to the Inland B-League.

A win over College would secure three points for Haythorne, which would take their season’s tally to five points. They would also have to hope that Newton, who have four points, goes downs to Edendale Tech High School at Barns Field.

Alexandra High School hosts the finalists and defending champions, Carter High, while, in another game at Alex, Ixopo Secondary takes on Linpark.

FIXTURES

Coastal A

Queensburgh High School

Field 1

15:10 – Northwood School vs Pinetown Boys’ High
16:15 – Hillcrest High vs Port Shepstone

Field 2

15:10 – Bechet vs Empangeni
16:15: Glenwood vs Westville Boys’ High

Inland A

Barns Field (Maritzburg College)

15:00 – Edendale vs Newton
16:05 – Maritzburg College vs Haythorne

Alexandra High School

15:00 – Alexandra High School vs Carter High
16:05 – Linpark vs Ixopo

Merensky Landbou Akademie het ‘n groot hou geplant in die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Bowl-geveg deur vir Potchefstroom Volkskool in Tzaneen met 28-19 kous oor die kop huis toe te stuur.

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

Teen rustyd was daar niks te kies tussen die twee spanne nie en is daar aan lemoene gesuig met die telling op 14-14. Die Plasies het egter in die tweede helfte losgtrek en, met die tuisskare wat wind in hul seile blaas, vir die besoekers van Potch met 14-5 getroef in die tweede skof.

Die grondslag is voorlangs gelê deur ‘n Merensky-agttal wat op alle silinders gevuur het, met haker, Marno Nel, en agsteman, Phuki Mphiti, aan die spits van die aanslag. Agterlangs, het losskakel, JD Boshoff, die telbord laat rol met drie strafdoele en twee doelskoppe vir ‘n belangrike bydrae van 13 punte.

Die Volkies se losskakel, Lourenzo Louw, was op sy gevaarlikste en sy kombinasie met binnesenter, River Samuels, het vir die Plasie-verdedigers talle hoofbrekens besorg. Flank en onderkaptein, Marlu du Preez, het vir die tweede agtereenvolgende week ‘n uitstaande vertoning gelewer, met sy hoë werkverrigting en puik verdediging wat nog baie vir die span van Potchefstroom kan beteken.

Ondanks die tientalle beserings wat vir Hoërskool Eldoraigne geteister het, het die Drake steeds beïndruk om vir Hoërskool Randburg met 34-19, in Randburg, te karnuffel. Kaptein, Darren Bruwer, se terugkeer het ‘n duidelike verskil gemaak. Bruwer, normaalweg ‘n skrumskakel, het vandeesweek spel meesterlik dikteer op losskakel, en self ook agter die Randburgers se doellyn gaan kuier.

Voorlangs het die stryd tussen die twee agstemanne behoorlik gewoed, met die Eldos se Juawan Pieterse wat oral opgeduik het om die bal met mening op te vat, terwyl Randburg se Curwin Hill ewe dinamies op die aanval vertoon het.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium se haker, Kobus Grobelaar, het twee keer gedruk in sy span se oortuigende wegsege van 39-13 oor Hoërskool Jeugland in Kempton Park. Die verdedigende kampioen is steeds onoorwonne in vanjaar se reeks, insluitende ‘n vroeëre gelykopuitslag teen Hoërskool Randburg. Boonop was drie van Gimmies se laaste vier wedstryde weg van die huis en sal hulle eerskomende Saterdag se tuiswedstryd teen Merensky verwelkom met die oog daarop om hul greep op die Bowl verder te versterk.

Nico Greyling, Hoërskool Dinamika se regtervleuel, het met slegs ‘n minuut oor oorgeduik om vir die span van Alberton met 26-22 die pyp te laat rook teen Hoërskool Ermelo. Al vier die tuisspan se drieë is deur agterspelers gedruk.

Ermelo se heelagter, WJ Pretorius, was nietemin ‘n doring in Dinamika se vlees met sy geoefende skopvoet wat die tuisspan dikwels laat omdraai het om die druk te verplaas.

Puntemakers: 

Merensky 28 (14) – Drieë: Marno Nel, Phuki Mphiti, Henru Venter. Doelskoppe: JD Boshoff (2). Strafdoele: Boshoff (3). Potchefstroom Volkskool 19 (14) – Drieë: River Samuel, Marlu du Preez, Lourenzo Louw. Doelskoppe: Juhan Geldenhuys (2).

Eldoraigne 34 (19) – Drieë: Hugo Theron, Darren Bruwer, Wian White, Juawan Pieterse, JG Engelbrecht. Doelskoppe: Damian Elferink (3). Strafdoel: Elferink. Hoërskool Randburg 19 (7) – Drieë: Curwin Hill, Michael Payne, Jayden Brown. Doelskoppe: Jayden Todd (2).

Potchefstroom Gimnasium 39 – Drieë: Kobus Grobelaar (2), Itumeleng Pheto, Matthew Redelinghuys, Zach de Jager, Rynel Rautenbach. Doelskoppe: Zandré Da Silva (3). Strafdoel: Da Silva. Jeugland 19. 

Dinamika 26 (14) – Drieë: Shane Serfontein, Caiden van der Merwe, Nathan Kearns, Nico Greyling. Doelskoppe: Caiden van der Merwe (3). Hoërskool Ermelo 22 (12) – TBC. 

Ander spanne: 

o.16: Merensky 27, Potchefstroom Volkskool 23; Eldoraigne 12, Randburg 6; Potchefstroom Gimnasium 24, Jeugland 0; Dinamika 22, Ermelo 15.

o.15: Potchefstroom Volkskool 18, Merensky 12; Eldoraigne 18, Randburg 12; Jeugland 16, Potchefstroom Gimnasium 14; Dinamika 15, Ermelo 12.

o.14: Merensky 19, Potchefstroom Volkskool 15; Randburg 38, Eldoraigne 5; Jeugland 39, Potchefstroom Gimnasium 17; Dinamika 22, Ermelo 15.

In ‘n stryd wat deurgaans gelyk het of dit met slegs ‘n paar punte beslis sou word, het Hoërskool Lichtenburg uiteindelik met 25-24 oor Heidelberg Volkskool triomfeer.

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

Met die omdraaislag was die Liggies reeds voor, maar die Volkies het aanhou blaas in hul nek in Saterdagmiddag se kragmeting in die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Skild-afdeling.

Lichtenburg se haker, Juan van Rhyn, het gewys waarom hy die Luiperds later vanjaar by die Cravenweek in Middelburg gaan verteenwoordig. Van Rhyn het oudergewoonte stem dik gemaak met sy fisieke teenwoordigheid op sowel die aanval as verdediging en is kragtig bygestaan in die vastelos deur slot, George Bingudzu, wat saam met van Rhyn op Middelburg in aksie sal wees.

Losskakel, Luan Snyman, se skopskoen was uiteindelik die verskil tussen die twee spanne. Hy het albei die Liggies se drieë verdoel en met twee strafdoele geslaag vir ‘n kritieke persoonlike bydrae van 10 punte.

Die Volkies se Dean Last was self woelig op vaskopstut en regoor die veld te sien, waarvoor hy met een van sy span se drie drieë beloon is.

Hoërskool Pietersburg het in nog ‘n naelbytstryd met twee punte oor Hoërskool Secunda geseëvier. Die Pieties se staatmaker vanaf die skopkegel, heelagter Ryno Mienie, het weer ‘n sleutelrol vervul met drie strafdoele en twee doelskoppe om ‘n belangrike sege van 23-21 te help beklink.

Vaskopstut, Stephan Janse van Rensburg, het die grondslag vir die Pieties voorlangs help lê, terwyl Cravenweek-flank, Sifiso Hlungwane, skouer aan die wiel gesit het vir Secunda, vernaam by die afbreekpunte.

Hoërskool Montana moes verbete terugveg om vir Hoërskool Hugenote van Springs uiteindelik met 33-27 te troef. Die Hugies was uitmuntend in die eerste helfte en het teen rustyd reeds 24 punte aangeteken. Hul groot slot, Tristan de Beer, het dikwels met bal op loop gesit en was, ná ‘n verbroude lynstaan van die Monties, verantwoordelik vir die besoekers se eerste drie.

Montana se heelagter, Marq de Villiers, het daarop egter geantwoord met twee drieë van sy eie, wat die deurbraak bewerkstellig het vir Monties om van agter te kom en ‘n naelskraapse oorwinning te behaal.

In Piet Retief moes Hoërskool Ben Vorster óók ‘n reuse terugvegpoging loods om vir Hoërskool Piet Retief onder te kry. Die Buffels het nie minder nie as 19 punte in die laaste 15 minute aangeteken om uiteindelik met 31-27 as oorwinnaars uit die stryd te tree. Slot, Chifu Banda, se skuif vanaf senter het duidelik ‘n verskil gemaak, soveel so dat hy twee keer agter die doellyn gaan draai het.

Die tuisspan se skrumskakel, Kyle Stock, se uitsonderlike diens het die gevaarlike agterlyn van Piet Retief geleenthede gebied om dikwels aan te val en dit het aan Vuyani Tshabalala ‘n drie besorg waarmee hulle die voorsprong in die tweede skof na 27-12 laat rek het.

Puntemakers: 

Hoërskool Lichtenburg 25 (15) – Drieë: Juan van Rhyn, Xander Blom, Geogre Bingudzu. Doelskoppe: Luan Snyman (2). Strafdoele: Snyman (2). Heidelberg Volkskool 24 (14) – Drieë: Dean Last, Theuns van der Merwe, Henru Coetzer. Doelskoppe: Marco Botha (3). Strafdoel: Botha.

Hoërskool Pietersburg 23 (17) – Drieë: Dewan Windell, Stefan Janse van Rensburg. Doelskoppe: Ryno Mienie (2). Strafdoele: Mienie (3). Hoërskool Secunda 21 (13) – Drieë: Sifiso Hlungwane, Alonzo Blackenberg. Doelskop: Blackenberg. Strafdoele: Blackenberg (3).

Montana 33 (19) – Drieë: Marq de Villiers (2), Aiden Vorster, Luan Barnard, Sam Schoeman. Doelskoppe: Rubel Bester (4). Hugenote (Springs) 27 (24) – Drieë: Tristan de Beer, Kyle de Klerk, Luan Pretorius. Doelksoppe: George Loucas (3). Strafdoele: Loucas (2).

Ben Vorster 31 (12) – Drieë: Chifu Banda (2), Barend Harmse, Kobus de Beer, Miguel Makhupetsi. Doelskoppe: Shelton-Ray Primo. Hoërskool Piet Retief 27 (10) – Drieë: Kyle Stock, Fiso Methula, Vuyani Tshabalala. Doelskoppe: Owethu Shabalala (3). Strafdoele: Shabalala.

Ander spanne: 

o.16: Heidelberg Volkskool 47, Lichtenburg 7; Pietersburg 57, Secunda 7; Montana 27, Hugenote (Springs) 17; Piet Retief 35, Ben Vorster 15.

o.15: Lichtenburg 38, Heidelberg Volkskool 5; Pietersburg 32, Secunda 8; Hugenote (Springs) 14, Montana 12; Ben Vorster 15, Piet Retief 12.

o.14: Lichtenburg 19, Heidelberg Volkskool 12; Secunda 91, Pietersburg 12; Montana 57, Hugenote (Springs) 5; Ben Vorster 15, Piet Retief 11.