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Midstream College het, teen alle verwagtinge in, daarin geslaag om Hoërskool Marais Viljoen se onoorwonne segetog te beëindig.

Die Pretorianers se indrukwekkende kolflys het weer sterk na vore getreë om almal waardevolle bydraes te lewer.

Janco van Heerden het met sy 46 lopies die toon aangegee, en is goed ondersteun deur Maarten Nortje (37) en Dian de Villiers (34). Dit het die span van Midrand se totaal op 222 te staan gebring.

Declan Botes was vir die soveelste keer Marais Viljoen span se voorste bouler en het aan die einde van sy tien beurte met syfers van drie paaltjies vir 49 lopies gespog.

Botes was ook sy span se top-lopiemaker, met ‘n pragbeurt van 89 lopies van 95 aflewerings. Aldre Huyzers (50, 58b), het ook met mening die kolf ingelê om nóg ‘n welverdiende vyftigtal te behaal.

Midstream se Janco van Heerden en Rikus Cilliers was egter die Marais Viljoen-kolwers oor. Van Heerden het nie mnder nie as vyf kolwers terug paviljoen toe gestuur, met Cilliers (4/44) kort op sy hakke. Met nege paaltjies tussen hulle, het die tweetal boulers vir Marais Viljoen tot 210 beperk, 12 lopies kort van ‘n oorwinning.

Hoërskool Pietersburg het op ‘n drafstap met tradisionele vyande, Hoërskool Ben Vorster, afgereken. Die Pieties se Cilliers van der Merwe was vernietigend met die bal om van vyf Vossie-kolwers terug ontslae te raak in ‘n skof wat slegs 16 lopies gekos het. Die ou staatmaker, Hanno van Zyl (2/13), het sy reeks ook op ‘n bevredigende  noot afgesluit.

Phillip Weterman het die voortou met die kolf geneem, en sy onoorwonne 34 lopies was genoeg om die teiken van 61 met gemak verby te steek.

Slegs die Vossies se kaptein, Njabulo Maseko, kon enigsins hond haar-af maak en het sy span se hoogste telling van 19 lopies aangeteken. Maseko was ook die Tzaneeners se suksesvolste bouler met een paaltjie vir 23 lopies.

Hoërskool Zwartkop het ‘n lae kolftotaal, te danke aan ‘n uitstekende vertoning deur Zandre van Staden, suksesvol teen Hoërskool Lichtenburg verdedig.

Van Staden was in ‘n verwoestende bui en het hy met vier paaltjies vir net 20 lopies verwoesting gesaai onder die opposisie-kolwers. Rowan Mclaren het hom bygestaan met twee paaltjies vir 25 lopies, om ‘n totaal van slegs 120 suksesvol te verdedig.

Vincent Matraiotti het in moeilike toestande uitgeblink, en 26 lopies van 52 aflewerings behaal. Wynand Frylinck (25) en Wihan Gelderblom (22) se latere bydraes was deurslaggewend in die Zwarries se sege.

Luan Snyman was die Liggies se uitblinker met syfers van vier paaltjies vir 31 lopies, en grotendeels verantwoordelik vir die Zwarries se lae totaal. Raiyaan Khan het ook met twee paaltjies van sy eie bestendig vertoon.

Snyman het daarna hard met die kolf geswoeg om welverdiend 33 lopies aan te teken. Ongelukkig kon slegs Nelius van Rensburg (22) nog enigiets waardevol bydra en het die laaste Liggie-paaltjie met die span se telling op slegs 104 gekantel.

Beknopte telkaarte: 

Midstream College: 222 (Janco van Heerden 46, Maarten Nortje 37, Dian de Villiers 34, Juan Holtzhauzen 27, Ryan Strauss 22; Declan Botes 3/49). Hoërskool Marais Viljoen: 210 (Declan Botes 89, Aldre Huyzers 50, Tiaan Kuhn 28; Janco van Heerden 5/26, Rikus Cilliers 4/44). Midstream College wen met 12 lopies.

Hoërskool Ben Vorster: 61 (Njabulo Maseko 19; Cilliers van der Merwe 5/16, Hanno van Zyl 2/13). Hoërskool Pietersburg: 65/2 (Phillip Weterman 34*; Njabulo Maseko 1/23). Pietersburg wen met agt paaltjies.

Hoërskool Zwartkop: 120 (Vincent Matraiotti 26, Wynand Frylinck 25, Wihan Gelderblom 22; Luan Snyman 4/31, Raiyaan Khan 2/18). Hoërskool Lichtenburg: 104 (Luan Snyman 33, Nelius van Rensburg 22; Zandre van Staden 4/20, Rowan McLaren 2/25). Zwartkop wen met 16 lopies.

Hoërskool Centurion het Saterdag in die finale ronde van die Finsbury-reeks se A Afdeling vir ‘n groot opskudding gesorg deur vir Hoërskool Menlopark met nét een paaltjie te klop.

Wouter Kielblock en Charl Prinsloo was die Woeries se vernaamste uitblinkers.

Kielblock het die aanslag met die bal gelei, en met puik boulsyfers van drie paaltjies vir 58 lopies die Menlo-kolwers op die agtervoet gehad. Morné Prinsloo (2/18) en Rehan Lues (2/46) het die verdere skade met die bal aangerig.

Charl Prinsloo het sy bestendige spelpeil met die kolf voortgesit, en ‘n deurslaggewende 67 lopies van 87 aflewerings aangeteken. Louniel Prins het ook die wilgerlat ingelê vir sy bydrae van 32 lopies, terwyl Stefan de Villiers (24) en Rehan Lues (23) hul staal getoon het onder taamlike druk.

Vir Menlopark het Pierre de Villiers se konstante lyn en lengte vir hom vier paaltjies in die sak besorg, en hy is effektief bygestaan deur die bybreekbouler, Gerhard Engelbrecht, wat self met twee paaltjies kon spog.

Morné Koekemoer en James Bronkhorst was Menlopark se uitblinkers met die kolf, en hul onderskeie bydraes van 41 en 40 lopies het hul totaal op ‘n aanvegbare 189 te staan gebring.

Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom het hul reeks met ‘n wegholsege van 103 lopies teen Hoërskool Rustenburg afgesluit. Volkies se sterkolwer Themba Sontjane het einde ten laaste sy ritme gevind en vernuftig gekolf aan sy 72 lopies vanaf slegs 65 aflewerings.

Kobus Pienaar se onoorwonne 51 en Ruan Smit se 36 lopies het die nodige ondersteuning gebied om Volkskool tot ‘n bevredigende telling van 231 te neem.

Die Rusties se Zander Diedricks het op die dag kop en skouers bo die res van die boulers uitgetroon, en het aan die einde van sy skof met ‘n vyftal paaltjies, vir slegs 33 lopies, gespog. Die alsydige speler het sy uitmuntende boulvertoning opgevolg met ‘n netjiese beurt in die middelorde en sy span se hoogste telling van 37 lopies aangeteken.

Die draaier, Wessel Oosthuizen, was ook lekker op dreef vir die Rusties, en het vir Diedricks mooi ondersteun met drie paaltjies vir 52 lopies.

Die Volkies se goed afgeronde boulaanval was egter eenvoudig té sterk vir die Rusties. Hul twee aanvangsboulers , Dian Liebenberg (3/18) en Berno de Klerk (3/29), het die aanvanklike skade berokken, en die baan geweg vir die draaier Diaan van der Merwe om met twee paaltjies van sy eie af te sluit.

Beknopte telkaarte: 

Hoërskool Menlopark: 189 (Morné Koekemoer 41, James Bronkhorst 40, Daniel Pienaar 29, Ekstas 25; Wouter Kielblock 3/58, Morné Prinsloo 2/18, Rehan Lues 2/46). Hoërskool Centurion: 190/9 (Charl Prinsloo 67, Louniel Prins 32, Stefan de Villiers 24, Rehan Lues 23; Pierre de Villiers 4/26, Gerhard Engelbrecht 2/41). Centurion wen met een paaltjie.

Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom: 231 (Themba Sontjane 72, Kobus Pienaar 51*, Ruan Smit 36, Diaan van der Merwe 22; Zander Diedricks 5/33, Wessel Oosthuizen 3/52). Hoërskool Rustenburg: 128 (Zander Diedricks 37; Dian Liebenberg 3/18, Berno de Klerk 3/29, Diaan van der Merwe 2/18). Volkskool wen met 103 lopies.

 

Namibia’s golden jumper, Alexandra Scheepers, already made history but she is without a doubt an exciting prospect for the future as well.

The 14-year-old from Curro Windhoek Gimnasium set the field alight during Saturday’s annual Curro Podium Grand Finale at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria. She set two new meeting records in the high jump and long jump for girls u15.

It was her performance in the high jump that saw her being awarded as the Junior Girl Field Athlete of the meeting. She cleared the bar at 1.75m to not only secure gold but also set a new meeting record.

To make her performance even more spectacular is the fact that her winning height was also better than the heights achieved by the u19 and u17 champions at the meeting. Mia Janse van Rensburg (Garsfontein) won the u19 item with a jump of 1.70m, while Anjé Bezuidenhout won gold in the u17 age group by clearing 1.73m.

Janse van Rensburg represented South Africa at the African Championships of 2022 in Mauritius. Her personal best is 1.76m which she achieved in 2022 during the Pretoria A Bond.

“I started doing high jump four years ago and I enjoy it so much that I would like to do it till I physically can’t do it anymore,” said Scheepers.

The long jump record for girls u15 at the Curro Podium Grand Finale also belongs to Scheepers after she won gold with a jump of 5.87m.

The Windhoek-born Scheepers became the first Namibian to win a gold medal in high jump during the World School Sports Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her winning jump of 1.67m was her personal best at that stage.

She believes that she got her exceptional talent from her parents, Gideon and Karin Scheepers, who both also excelled in athletics. “My father was a pole vaulter, while my mother also showed a lot of promise during her athletics career,” said Scheepers.

Scheepers was also given the apt nickname, Springs, by former Namibian sprinter Jolene Jacobs.

As a backup, she is planning to study Sports Science or become biokineticist. But for now, her next big meeting is the Namibian National Schools Championships where she is aiming to go even higher and jump a 1.80m.

It is scary to think that Curro Hazeldean’s prodigious hurdler Matodzi Ndou is still finding his form.

Even though he had only recently returned to the track, he was responsible for the standout performance of the second annual Curro Podium Grand Finale at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria on Saturday.

Ndou not only broke the prestigious meeting’s 110m hurdles for boys u17 record with his impressive time of 13.21, but that mark was also a South African Youth record.

“I only started training last week. I don’t feel that my fitness level is where it should be, so I wasn’t expecting to break the record,” said Ndou.

The previous record holder for the meeting, as well as the SA Youth record holder, was Naheem Jack (Paarl Boys’ High). Jack’s meeting record stood at 13.37 seconds, while his national record, which he set when he won the SA Youth Championship title last year, was 13.25 seconds.

Earlier this year, Jack posted a time of 13.72 seconds, which was the world’s best thus far for the age group until Ndou improved on that performance by over half-a-second. If Ndou can build on his performance during the Curro Podium Grand Finale, he will be a serious contender for a medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, later this year.

“I started running in grade 1, but I didn’t take the sport seriously until grade four, when I realised that I’m good at it and started training,” he said.

Ndou is coached by Thabo Matebedi at Curro Hazeldean. Coach T, as he is affectionately known, is one of the top sprint coaches in the country.

While he won the 110m hurdles, Ndou was unable to defend his 400m hurdles title, and had to settle for a bronze medal, with a time of 52.03 seconds. In 2023, he established the meeting record of 51.01, but his Curro Hazeldean teammate Lesibe Dikgale lowered that mark to 50.59 on the weekend.

“My goal for this year is to dip under 50 seconds in the longer hurdles, or even 49 seconds, if everything goes to plan,” Ndou revealed.

After three days of exciting back-and-forth action, the Jenny Orchard Invitational Basketball Tournament stakes ramped up on Sunday with teams playing off for the final positions. The most entertaining game of them all proved to be the final between the hosts, Maritzburg College, and Northwood, with overtime finally deciding the outcome.

When Northwood beat College 79-67 on Thursday, it was suggested that their Pool D showdown could be a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s title-decider. That turned out to be true. It was also suggested that there was next to nothing between the teams and that the final was up for grabs. That turned out to be true, too.

College came out of the blocks quickly and opened up a 12-point advantage, leading 22-10 in the second quarter. Northwood came powering back, however, to open up a 29-24 lead before the end of quarter. At the break, though, College had edged ahead 35-33.

Northwood responded in the third quarter, as both teams poured in the points. With one to go, the Knights led 63-58. They added another four points before College found a reply, and it looked as if Northwood might be on course for the title. One thing that always can be counted on, however, is Maritburg College’s never-say-die spirit and they kept taking the game to their KZN counterparts.

Still, with less than a minute-and-a-half to go, Northwood were six points clear at 77-71. With six seconds to play, though, College edged in front, 79-78 as the noise in the Alan Paton Hall reached a crescendo.

Northwood had a chance to run one more play. They fed the ball to the outstanding Lusanda Hlongwane, who drove at the basket. He was stopped, but he was fouled. With only three seconds left on the clock, he sank his first free throw. His second shot was a touch heavy, but possession remained with the Knights after ball was batted away.

Chadley Hargreaves managed a late three-point attempt, but it didn’t fall, and so it was on to overtime.

There, given a new lease on life, College grabbed the intitiative, got their noses in front, and held on for an 87-84 victory to secure the Jenny Orchard title – named after the school’s former Director of Basketball – for the first time in its second year of existence.

St Charles College proved too much for St David’s Marist Inanda in the playoff for third and fourth, roaring their way to a 69-40 victory, while the Soweto Basketball Academy sealed fifth place with a hard-fought 59-54 win over Kearsney College. Last year’s winners, Michaelhouse, were well beaten by St John’s College in the seventh place playoff, with the Johannesburg boys winning 68-45.

ESCA Wanderers beat Durban High School 73-63 to finish ninth, while Westville Boys’ High saw off SACS, the highest placed of the Western Cape schools, 55-49, to grab 11th spot.

Clifton College wrapped up 13th place with a second successive win over Hilton College, running out 56-51 winners after a 49-38 victory a week earlier, while Rondebosch Boys’ High outplayed Bishops 72-40 to finish 15th.

The B Division final also went down to the wire, with Wynberg Boys’ High sneaking a one-point win over Maritzburg College B, 67-66.

It was Eswatini vs Botswana for third place, with Botswana’s Maru-a-Pula recording a 54-38 victory over Enjabulweni. UFS International finished fifth, with a 20-point win over the Jenny Orchard Invitational side, 59-39.

Queen’s College were seventh after a 40-31 win over St Benedict’s School, and Treverton College beat Alexandra High 34-24 to claim ninth place.

RESULTS

A Division

1st/2nd: Maritzburg College 87-84 (OT) Northwood School
3rd/4th: St Charles College 69-40 St David’s Marist Inanda
5th/6th: Soweto Basketball Academy 59-54 Kearsney College
7th/8th: St John’s College 68-45 Michaelhouse
9th/10th: ESCA Wanderers 77-63 Durban High School
11th/12th: Westville Boys’ High 55-49 SACS
13th/14th: Clifton College 56-51 Hilton College
15th/16th: Rondebosch Boys’ High 72-40 Bishops Diocesan College

B Division

1st/2nd: Wynberg Boys’ High 67-66 Maritzburg College B
3rd/4th: Maru-a-Pula 54-38 Enjabulweni
5th/6th: UFS International 59-39 Jenny Orchard Invitatonal
7th/8th: Queen’s College 40-31 St Benedict’s School
9th/10th: Treverton College 34-23 Alexandra High

The hosts were the in-form team during the first two rounds of the Old Mutual Roedean School Water Polo Prestige Cup, hosted in Johannesburg over the weekend.

The competition, which is into its 12^th year, returned with 10 schools locking horns over two days. There’ll be a long break until the final round, which takes place later this year, in October.

Apart from its competitive nature, the tournament is also used to encourage the participating schools to support under-resourced schools through the Learn-To-Swim-Programme.

Schools are urged to partner with and make their swimming facilities available to neighbouring schools to roll out the vital programme.

Last year’s winners, St Stithians College, were seeded in a pool of death alongside Roedean, St Mary’s Waverley, who had recently beaten them in the National Aquatics Festival, Rand Park and Beaulieu College.

Etienne Le Roux’s charges got off to a shaky start, going down 4-7 against the hosts in their opener on Saturday.

They did, however, bounce back with an emphatic 24-4 triumph over Beaulieu to end the opening day on a high note.

It was Reddam House Bedfordview who bossed pool B, claiming victories in both of their opening encounters, over Kingsmead and St Peter’s College respectively.

Each team played two matches on day two, and it was Roedean who started matters off with a 21-5 win over Beaulieu, before thumping Rand Park 25-0 in the fourth game of the day.

St Mary’s Waverley missed out on second place, despite also defeating Beaulieu. They were beaten 12-6 by Saints, who which secured second spot in Pool A for the winners.

The final three matches of the day produced 39 goals with Reddam House Bedfordview scoring 17 of those against a disjointed Crawford Lonehill side.

Bad weather, unfortunately, led to the last match, between Kingsmead College and Crawford, being called off.

The final round of action takes place on 12 October.

Results

Day 1: Round 1

Pool A

Roedean 14-7 St Mary’s Waverley
St Mary’s Waverley 20-2 Rand Park
Roedean 7-4 St Stithians College
Beaulieu 12-3 Rand Park
St Stithians College 24-4 Beaulieu

Pool B

Reddam House Bedfordview 4-2 Kingsmead College
St Dominic’s 17-7 Crawford Lonehill
Reddam House Bedfordview 16-1 St Peter’s College
St Dominic’s 7-2 Kingsmead
Crawford Lonehill 9-3 St Peter’s College

Day 2: Round 2

Pool A

Roedean 21-5 Beaulieu
St Stithians College 23-3 Rand Park
St Mary’s Waverley 11-3 Beaulieu
Roedean 25-0 Rand Park
St Stithians College 12-6 St Mary’s Waverley

Pool B

St Peter’s College 2-16 St Dominic’s
Reddam House Bedfordview 17-5 Crawford Lonehill
Kingsmead 5-1 St Peter’s College
St Dominic’s 6-5 Reddam House Bedfordview
Kingsmead vs Crawford- CALLED OFF

Round 3- Final/Playoffs

08:00 – Roedean School vs St Dominic’s; 09:00 – Reddam House Bedfordview vs St Stithians College; 10:00 – St Mary’s Waverley vs Crawford Lonehill; 11:00 – Kingsmead vs Beaulieu; 12:00 – St Peter’s College vs Rand Park; 13:00 – Loser Game 3 vs Loser Game 4; 14:00 – Winner Game 3 vs Winner Game 4; 15:00 – Loser Game 1 vs Loser Game 2; 16:00 – FINAL; 17:00- PRESENTATION.

The 48^th edition of the Vides Water Polo Tournament, hosted by Selborne College in East London over the weekend, concluded with Clifton College downing Paul Roos Gymnasium in a tense penalty shootout to claim their first piece of silverware in 2024.

Both entered the title-decider unbeaten after dominating runs through their pools. Together, they scored a combined 86 goals in pool games, while conceding less than 30, heading into the playoffs.

There was also very little to separate the sides in the final with the game ending at 7-7 after four chukkas. Oliver Ditz’s penalty goal then proved to be the difference during the penalty shoot-out after Paul Roos missed two shots from the spot.

The excellent showing of both sides was reflected in the Team of the Tournament, which was announced after the final.

Both had four players named in the side, with Clifton’s skipper, Oliver Ditz headlining the team after also being named the Player of the Tournament.

He was joined in the squad by his goalkeeper, Ross Strauss, Nathan Burger, and Luc O’Brien, who matched Ditz by scoring a hattrick in the final.

Paul Roos goalkeeper Nicholas Ward was included in the 15-player lineup, alongside his teammates, Adam October, and the prolific goal scorers, Migael Terblanche, and Arkin Marias.

Selborne College had three of their standouts named in the team. They finished third and Liam Hansen, Sam van de Venter, and Dominic Stegman all cracked the nod.

Fourth place finishers, Reddam House Constantia had Jethro Montague-Fryer and one of the Brown brothers, Adam, included. Meanwhile, Jack Brady, from St David’s Marist Inanda, and Benjamin Melville, from St Alban’s College, were also recognised.

In the special awards category, Nicholas Ward scooped up the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament. Meanwhile, the Best Attacker Award was given to Liam Hansen, and the Best Defender went to Migael Terblanche, with Oliver Ditz claiming the Player of the Tournament.

Team of the Tournament

Liam Hansen (Selborne College), Arkin Marias (Paul Roos), Benjamin Melville (St Alban’s College), Migael Terblanche (Paul Roos), Jethro Montague-Fryer (Reddam House Constantia), Ross Strauss (Clifton College), Luc O’Brein (Clifton College), Dominic Stegman (Selborne College), Oliver Ditz (Clifton College), Nathan Burger (Clifton College), Nicholas Ward (Paul Roos), Jack Brady (St David’s Marist Inanda), Adam Brown (Reddam House Constantia), Sam van de Venter (Selborne College).

The second edition of the annual Curro Podium Grand Finale athletics meeting was for the fast and the furious.

More than half of the meeting records were bettered during Saturday’s spectacle at the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria. In total, 48 of the 82 individual records were improved.

Eight of the nine sprint records for girls were broken, while three of the nine records for boys were also rewritten.

Menlopark, of Pretoria, retained their champions’ crown, with 43 025 points. Curro Hazeldean (41 281) and Noordheuwel (39 519) occupied the next two spots in the standings.

In a long list of impressive performances on the day, the most memorable was produced by Curro Hazeldean’s Matodzi Ndou, who won the 110m hurdles for boys u17 in an incredible time of 13.21 seconds.

He not only removed Naheem Jack‘s (Paarl Boys’ High) meeting record (13.37) from the books, but his time also bettered Jack’s SA Youth record (13.25), which the Booishaai blitz set last year at the SA Championships. Ndou’s mark also destroyed Jack’s 2024 world best, which had stood at 13.72.

Ndou didn’t start the day off as well as he finished it, as he was dethroned by his Curro Hazeldean teammate Lesibe Dikgale in the 400m hurdles for boys u17. Dikgale established a new record of 50.59 seconds in taking the win, which also improved on the previous mark of 51.01, which Ndou set in 2023.

Ndou had to settle for third on this occasion, in a time of 52.03, just behind Njabulo Mbatha (Tuks Sports School), who snatched the silver medal in 52 seconds flat. Dikgale’s performance is also the best for the age group so far in 2024.

Another two classy hurdle performances were produced by Prestige College’s Tumi Ramokgopa. She won the 100m (13.38) and 400m (59.42) and bettered the meeting records, both of which already stood next to her name. Her time in the one-lap event was also the best in the world in 2024.

Her 13.38 in the 100m hurdles was not far off this year’s world’s best, either, which belongs to Jamaica’s Bryana Davidson, at 13.32.

Alexandra Scheepers, from Curro Windhoek Gymnasium, showcased her class by setting a new record in the high jump for girls u15. She cleared the crossbar at 1.75m to equal her personal best.

Her winning height was also better than the heights achieved by the u19 and u17 champions at the meeting. Mia Janse van Rensburg (Garsfontein) won the u19 item with a jump of 1.70m, while Anjé Bezuidenhout won gold in the u17 age group by clearing 1.73m.

Last year, Scheepers won Namibia’s first-ever gold medal at an international meeting, as a 14-year-old, when she took the title at the World School Sports Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Displaying her all-round excellence, Scheepers also set a meeting record in the long jump with a best distance of 5.87 meters.

Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool’s Timeke Coetzee (u19) was also in a class of her own as she set new records in the long jump (6.16m) and triple jump (12.73m).

The only girls’ sprint record that survived was the 400m girls u17 record of 54.30 that was set by Colene Scheepers in 2023. Scheepers won the u19 race in a new record time of 55.12 during Saturday’s meeting.

Chané Vermeulen (Randburg, u19), Rumé Burger (Oranje, u17), and Oluchi Ndubueze (Northcliff, u15) made the respective 100m and 200m records in their age groups their own.

Vermeulen won her two races in 11.79 and 23.60 seconds respectively. Astonishingly, five athletes dipped under the previous record in the 100m, with her Randburg teammate Kaili Botje (11.81) pushing her all the way to the line.

Burger, the daughter of former Blitzbok and Cheetahs rugby player, Phillip Burger, won her two races in 11.95 and 23.86 seconds.

Ndubueze, who participated as part of one of the Curro Invitation teams, blitzed the 100m and 200m in 12.05 and 24.90 seconds for her two gold medals.

King Edward VII School‘s in-form Callum Ritchie led the side from Johannesburg to yet another victory on Saturday in an historic match against Helpmekaar Kollege.

It was the first time in 25 years that the two sides had met in a 50-over fixture. Before that, they had played only twice previously in the Johnny Waite T20 competition.

Ritchie was, once again, the spearhead for KES with both bat and ball. With Helpmekaar batting first, he claimed KES’s best bowling figures of the day, sending two Helpie batsmen back to the pavilion at a cost of only 23 runs.

The impressive Fayaaz Ahmed (2/42) provided good support, with two wickets of his own.

Kyle Swanepoel was the pick of the Helpmekaar batsmen. The opener knuckled down and handled the pressure of the KES bowlers well to contribute a mature 65 runs. Juan Minnaar (35) and Anthony Stone (30) also chipped in with valuable contributions to help their side past the 200-run mark.

Defending 213, the Helpie bowlers started well, led by Henno Steyn (2/21), who manufactured two much-needed breakthroughs in the first eight overs. Troy Gordon (35) led a recovery for KES as he and Callum Ritchie combined well for a 54-run partnership before Gordon was dismissed by Anrich Liebenberg (1/44).

Ritchie, however, continued on his merry way, adding another excellent innings to his long list of them this season. His 76 runs from 94 deliveries broke the backbone of the chase and, with Zieg Roos weighing in with 34 runs, KES secured a five-wicket win.

Hoerskool Waterkloof’s batsmen enjoyed their outing against St Alban’s College. Marcus Bakker, finally managed to kick on from a good start as he smashed 110 runs from just 89 deliveries, which included 11 fours and two sixes.

Divan Behrens, continued his astonishing form, accumulating another 74 runs, while, at the other end, Wian Ruthven put on an exhibition of clean hitting, scoring 52 runs, as the pair combined for a 120-run opening stand.

Christiaan Visage was the pick of the St Alban’s bowlers on a day that belonged to the batsmen, bowling well to return figures of three wickets for 65 runs. Liam Basch provided good support, claiming 2/67.

Unfortunately for the St Alban’s batsmen, they couldn’t replicate the fiery performance of their Waterkloof counterparts. It wasn’t for a lack of trying.

Zack Richardson batted extremely well for his 69 runs from 73 deliveries, while Kyle Block contributed a well-played 47, as he and Richardson shared a big 135-run stand for the second wicket.

Wian Ruthven, though, spun a web around the St Alban’s batsmen, backing up his strong batting performance with a miserly 3/12 from 10 overs.

Matthew Ward added 32 for St Alban’s, but it wasn’t enough in pursuit of a mammoth victory target of 363. Though they managed a respectable 250/6 in their 50 overs, it was still 112 runs short of Waterkloof’s intimidating total.

St John’s College made light work of St Benedict’s College in their 50-over clash, and it began with the player of the match, David Ireland.

Opening the bowling for St John’s, he put the St Benedict’s batsmen under tremendous pressure, sending down seven overs, five of which were maidens, and capturing 3/7. Alec Loveland (2/26) backed him up well.

Carl Goosen led the way for St Benedict’s, with a fighting knock of 52 runs from 59 deliveries. A further contribution of 27 runs from Declan le Roux gave his side a needed boost, but 139 all out didn’t appear to be enough. It wasn’t.

Joe MacRobert’s amazing form with the bat continued as he top-scored for St John’s for the second time in a week. The St John’s skipper wasted no time getting to his 62 runs, smashing seven fours and four sixes, in a fiery 27-ball stay, before he was run out by Cruz Pillay.

Thomas Ievers, kept the scoreboard ticking along, with an unbeaten 47 runs from 44 deliveries, and shared in a 77-run stand with Macrobert, to see St John’s to a comfortable six-wicket victory after only 18.2 overs.

Summarised scorecards

Helpmekaar 213/7 (Kyle Swanepoel 65, Juan Minnaar 35, Anthony Stone 30, Anrich Liebenberg 24; Callum Ritchie 2/23, Fayaaz Vawda 2/42); King Edward VII School 215/5 (Callum Ritchie 76, Troy Gordon 35, Zieg Roos 34, Tiaan Goosen 20; Henno Steyn 2/21). King Edward VII School won by five wickets.

Waterkloof 362/8 (Marcus Bakker 110, Divan Behrens 74, Wian Ruthven 51, Riley Miller 47; Christiaan Visage 3/65, Liam Basch 2/67); St Alban’s College 250/6 (Zack Richardson 69, Kyle Block 47, Matthew Ward 32, Patrick Weir 25, Liam Basch 23; Wian Ruthven 3/11). Waterkloof won by 112 runs.

St Benedict’s College 139 (Carl Goosen 52, Declan le Roux 27; David Ireland 3/7, Alec Loveland 2/26); St John’s College 141/4 (Joe MacRobert 62, Thomas Ievers 47*; Declan le Roux 2/21). St John’s College won by six wickets.

The highly anticipated Gauteng Development League Top 8 competition grabbed the weekend’s spotlight as Gauteng’s most successful football franchises, coaches, and fans assembled at the Marks Park Sports Complex in Randburg on Saturday.

The hottest items on the day’s menu were the mouth-watering u19 division clashes between Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United, and Highlands Park and Prestige Football Development Academy (PFDA), which promised to provide the entertainment the fans had been craving.

Coach David Mathebula‘s Kaizer Chiefs, the Soweto Giants, went into their game deservedly carrying the favourites’ tag, as they had played the most attractive football last season, scoring over 100 goals in the GDL, the most by any team.

However, it was one of those rather forgettable days for Mathebula and his young troops as they crumbled under SuperSport United’s pressure.

Malatji Mohone‘s yellow card during the encounter highlighted Chiefs’ struggles on the day as the encounter ended goalless. Then, in the penalty shootout, the Pretoria-based SuperSport United dominated to run out 3-0 winners as they registered the first upset of the day.

It was not the last as last season’s league winners, Highlands Park, were handed a humbling defeat by PFDA.

Last season, PFDA finished eighth on the log, but they showed that they had put the matters of the past where they belong, in the past.

The clash ended in a 1-1 draw as Prestige’s Shahabodien Salmaan and Highlands Park’s Moeletsi Ofentse found the back of the net. PFDA then held their nerve in the penalty shootout and edged past “The Lions of the North” 5-4 from the spot.

In other u19 division matches, Mamelodi Sundowns beat TS Galaxy 2-0 at Clapham on Sunday, while School of Excellence got the better of Randburg AFC with a 2-0 victory at Marks Park.

GDL Top 8 Full Results

u13

RESA v Siluma 7 – Penalties

• RESA won 4-2 in penalties and progressed to the semi-finals.

Panorama vs Jomo Cosmos 10-0

• Panorama progressed to the semi-finals.

Kaizer Chiefs vs Kathorus Hyper 4-0

• Kaizer Chiefs progressed to the semi-finals.

Mamelodi Sundowns vs SuperSport United 3-1

• Sundowns progressed to the semi-finals.

u15

School of Excellence vs SuperSport United 2-1

• SOE progressed to the semi-finals

Siluma 7 vs TUKS 0-3

• TUKS progressed to the semi-finals

Kaizer Chiefs vs Highlands Park

• Chiefs won5-4 in Penalty shootouts and progressed to the semi-finals

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Wits Junior 3-0

• Sundowns progressed to the semi-finals

u17

SS United vs TUKS 8-2

• SS United progressed to the semi-finals

Randburg AFC vs Kathorus Hyper Academy 1-1

• Randburg won 5-4 in penalty shootouts and progressed to the semi-finals

Kaizer Chiefs vs RESA 2-0

• Chiefs progressed to the semi-finals

Mamelodi Sundowns vs Highlands Park 1-2

• Highlands Park progressed to the semi-finals

u19

School of Excellence (SOE) vs Randburg AFC 2-0

• SOE progress to the semi-finals

Kaizer Chiefs vs SS United 0-0

• SS United progressed to the semi-finals on Penalties (0-3)

Highlands Park vs Prestige Football Development Academy (PFDA)1-1

• PFDA won 4-3 in penalty shootouts and progressed to the semi-finals

Mamelodi Sundowns vs TS Galaxy 2-0

• Sundowns progressed to the semi-finals