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There is no such thing as an end-of-first-term school holiday for many of South Africa’s school sports stars.

Instead, they’re gearing up for the Standard Bank Festival Season, which will fill rugby fields, hockey AstroTurfs, netball courts, and basketball courts around the country with all-out action.

When the school term ends on Friday, 28 March, many of the festivals will already be underway. The holiday lasts only 10 days, but it could hardly be more jam-packed with sporting entertainment.

Follow all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.co.za).

In Stellenbosch, at Paul Roos Gimnasium‘s Markötter Stadium, the annual NMI Toyota Noord/Suid tournament kicks off at 08:30 on Friday with Parel Vallei of Somerset West making their debut at the tournament against another debutant, the Mzwandiele Mali XV.

Many of the country’s top schoolboy rugby teams will contest the prestigious tournament, which started in 2014.

Paarl Gimnasium, Grey College, Paarl Boys’ High, Boland Landbou, Outeniqua, Paul Roos, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies), of Pretoria, King Edward VII, Hoërskool Garsfontein, Noordheuwel, Waterkloof, Monument, Helpmekaar Kollege and Stellenberg are among the elite group of participants, whose second-stringers will also be in action in Stellenbosch.

In Gqeberha, the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival returns to take centre stage once again. The Kolisi Field will, without a doubt, see exhilarating action as Queen’s College, Dale College, Kingswood College, Hudson Park, Durban High School, Hilton College, St Stithians College, Selborne College, St Charles College, Westville Boys’ High, and Northwood, among others, showcase their talent.

Up north, in Pretoria, the capital city will also be the capital of netball in South Africa during the school holidays. The annual Kloof Netbalfees starts on Friday morning with 43 schools from South Africa, as well as Namibia, participating in the event, which features teams from u14 to u19 putting their skills on display.

Among the top schools contesting the Kloof Netbalfees are Waterkloof, Framesby, of Gqeberha, La Rochelle, of Paarl, Kempton Park, Sentraal, of Bloemfontein, Transvalia, of Vanderbijlpark, Voortrekker, of Bethlehem, and Hoërskool Klerksdorp.

On Saturday, the annual Toyota Menlo Netball tournament, the biggest in the country, with a staggering 170 teams and approximately 1,700 players in action, takes over the courts of Die Hoërskool Menlopark.

Besides the hosts, a lineup of leading teams from across the country will go head-to-head, including Helpmekaar Kollege, Duineveld, Paarl Gimnasium, Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof, Oranje, Ben Vorster, Secunda, Outeniqua, Potchefstroom Gimnasium, Paarl Girls’ High, and Middelburg.

From Monday, 31 March, another 18 teams per age group will face off for the title of the champions of the Affies Prestige tournament hosted by Afrikaans Hoër Meisieskool, of Pretoria. Affies, who were last year’s top side, will face tough challenges from Garsfontein, Jim Fouché, Fichardtpark, Hoërskool Pietersburg, Stellenberg, and Hoërskool Nelspruit.

In the Western Cape, Paarl Gimnasium will host its annual netball festival from 2 to 5 April.

Just outside Riversdale, at Oakdale Landbou, their annual rugby week runs from 29 March to 2 April.

There are also numerous top junior rugby tournaments on the go, among them the Jean de Villiers u16 Festival, hosted by Paarl Gimnasium, the Frans Malherbe u15 Festival, hosted by Paarl Boys’ High, the Francois Swart Week (u15), hosted Affies, the Kwagga Week (for u14 players), hosted by Outeniqua, in George, the Willie le Roux u13 Festival, at Paul Roos, and the Skonk Nicholson Festival, hosted by Maritzburg College.

In Durban, the Glenwood Rugby Festival will be hosted at the home of the Grasshoppers from 31 March to 5 April. The festival includes sides from u14 level to 1st XVs.

South Africa’s future hockey stars will also shift into a higher gear as the annual Nomads Hockey Festival, to be played at Jeppe High School for Boys, in Johannesburg, from 29-31 March.

The festival features many of the country’s established hockey powers, including Maritzburg College, Grey College, Hilton College, King Edward VII, St John’s College, Selborne College, Pretoria Boys’ High, and Wynberg Boys’ High.

Gauteng also hosts the annual Founders Hockey Festival from 29-31 March. The u19 age group games will be hosted by Affies, Pretoria High School for Girls will welcome the u16 sides, and Parktown Boys’ High will be home to the u14 matches.

The festival features a strong line-up, which includes St Stithians College, Northwood, Kearsney College, Rondebosch Boys’ High, Affies, St David’s Marist Inanda, Paarl Gimnasium, Queen’s College, and Dale College.

The annual Belgotex Coastal Cup will be played at the Riverside Hockey Club, in Durban, from 28 to 31 March.

It boasts a diverse and stellar lineup of schools competing in the u14, u16, and u19 age groups, who have all made some noise early in the season. The participants include Paul Roos Gimnasium, Durban High School, Michaelhouse, Westville Boys’ High, Parel Vallei, Clifton College, Garsfontein, Menlopark, Glenwood High School, St Alban’s College, and Pearson.

Durban will also be home to the annual u16 Interprovincial Basketball tournament, which runs from 30 March to 4 April.

Bloemfontein, meanwhile, will host the South African High School Athletics Championship from 2-6 April.

Towards the end of the holiday’s sporting action, the spotlight turns back to hockey with one of the biggest highlights on the girls’ calendar, the Standard Bank St Mary’s Hockey Festival, being hosted in the City of Gold.

This year’s 23rd edition of the festival, which was launched in 2000 with 12 teams, now features 32 sides and runs from 3-6 April.

Last year’s champions, Durban Girls’ College, will be back to defend their title with the hosts, Rhenish, Oranje, Eunice, St Mary’s DSG (Kloof), and Waterkloof among the challengers seeking to dethrone them.

The very deep field features many other prominent hockey schools, including, among others,  The Wykeham Collegiate, Die Hoërskool Menlopark, Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof, Paarl Gimnasium, Affies, Roedean, Our Lady Fatima, Herschel Girls School, St Stithians College and Collegiate.

Those are some of, but not all of, the events that will be available LIVE on SuperSport Schools, no matter where viewers are in the world, via the SuperSport Schools app, DStv Channel 216, or SABC Plus during the Standard Bank Festival Season.

Parel Vallei High School, Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), and Paarl Boys’ High will represent the Western Cape at the Belgotex Coastal Cup, in Durban, this weekend.

Matches will be played at the Riverside Sports Club, from Friday to Monday,

The competition will be as stiff as it has ever been, with some of the country’s top teams in action.

It’s another opportunity for the trio to get their systems in place, test combinations, and finalise their squads before the new season gets into full gear.

SuperSport Schools Plus hockey writer, Avuyile Sawula caught up with the coaches of the Western Cape trio to get their insights, expectations, and thoughts ahead of the festival.

Parel Vallei – Michael van Rensburg

Parel Vallei, under the guidance of coach Michael van Rensburg, is an intriguing team.

They played their first matches at the Parel Vallei Hockey Festival earlier this month and scored three dominant victories, netting 13 times.

Before heading to Durban, they faced Diocesan College (Bishops) at the Woodlands AstroTurf and made a massive statement, thumping the southern suburbs team 7-2.

Coach Van Rensburg said he’s pleased with the preparations of his team, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

“The boys have worked hard in preparation for the season ahead; I am happy with the way preparation has gone,” he said.

“We are looking forward to travelling to Durban for the Coastal Cup, and we are expecting four tough games, with each team bringing its style of play, as well as its unique challenges.

“As always, we are quietly optimistic as we go about our work.”

Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) – Michael Baker

Coach Michael Baker will return to familiar surroundings this weekend with his young and exciting team.

Paul Roos has also made a promising start to the season while trying to find the right balance as young players are integrated into the team.

At the Parel Vallei Festival, they breezed past Somerset College, Outeniqua, and Reddam House Constantia.

The Coastal Cup, however, will provide a different level of competition for Baker and his boys, and that’s a challenge they’re relishing.

“We are super excited to get the season started with some competitive fixtures at the Coastal Cup,” he shared.

“We don’t have one easy game. The four schools we are up against have great programmes and heads of hockey, so they will all be well-prepared for us. So as a neutral, you will be in for a treat.

“Our preparation, for the most part, has been good. We have had numerous injuries and setbacks continuously, which has been disruptive. We are just excited to be tested properly and gain massive experience before the Cape season begins.”

Paarl Boys’ High (Boishaai) – Rowan McLachlan

Paarl Boys’ High will head into the Coastal Cup feeling optimistic and confident after being properly tested in the pre-season.

Coach Rowan McLachlan’s side participated in the Cape Co-Ed Festival this month and picked up three wins from four matches.

Last week, they were tested at an unofficial pre-season festival by PRG, Wynberg Boys’ High, and Paarl Gimnasium.

McLachlan said his side is excited to test itself against top teams in Durban.

“I’m expecting stiff competition, as some of the best coaches in the country will all be facing off against each other, so there’s honestly no poor teams attending,” he said.

“Every game will be fast-paced, with all teams looking to get the top result. I’m also excited to see what our u16 side can produce, given we have five u16s playing in the first team this year, so it’s going to be a good challenge for our youngsters as well.

“All I’m expecting from my side is a process-driven attitude, one that never gives up and does not get caught up in uncontrollable situations. If we can get that right with our young side, then we’re headed in the right direction.”

FIXTURES

Friday, 28 March

15:00 – Parel Vallei vs Michaelhouse
16:30 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Clifton College
18:00 – Paul Roos vs Westville Boys’ High

Saturday, 29 March

09:30 – Paul Roos vs St Alban’s College
14:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Glenwood
15:30 – Parel Vallei vs Menlopark
18:30 – Paul Roos vs Durban High School

Sunday, 30 March

14:00 – Parel Vallei vs Garsfontein
17:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Durban High School
18:30 – Paul Roos vs Michaelhouse

Monday, 31 March

09:30 – Parel Vallei vs Clifton College
11:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Westville Boys’ High

Dale College’s first-team hockey coach, Andrew Senekal, believes the gruelling and demanding schedule of the Founders Hockey Festival will leave his side in good stead ahead for the 2025 schoolboy hockey season.

The boys from Qonce will make the trip to Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) in Pretoria, for the event, which runs from Saturday, 29 March, to Monday, 31 March.

Dale heads into the festival after playing four matches at the Synsport Tony Godding Festival in East London over the past weekend.

There, coach Senekal’s troops recorded three wins against Alexander Road High (3-1), Westering High (5-0), and Curro Waterstone (10-0).

Their sole defeat came in a 3-6 loss against Middelburg Hoërskool.

“We had clear goals and expectations going into the Tony Godding Festival,” Senekal told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“In our first game against Middelburg, the guys weren’t switched on, but we worked on a few things, discussed our problems, and cracked on from there on.

“I thought our set piece was good throughout the weekend. Defensively, we made a few bad tackles here and there, giving away unnecessary short corners, but I’m happy with the progress so far.”

Dale has an exciting group of players for the 2025 season, with a healthy mix of experience and youth. They’re captained by Sibongile Nzima for another season, with Soso Dyani serving as his vice-captain.

Senekal said he’s pleased with what he’s seen from the young players so far.

“Some u16s have joined the team and the guys have stepped up,” he reckoned.

“It’s been good to see the guys perform at this level. We’ve found a very good rhythm with the crop of players we have. There are a couple of selection headaches, but that’s a good headache to have.”

At Founders, Dale will play five tough matches against St David’s Marist Inanda, Parktown Boys’ High, St Stithians College, and the KwaZulu-Natal duo of Northwood School and Kearsney College.

Senekal, a former Dale pupil himself, understands the stiff competition that awaits his team. “Founders is always going to be tough,” he said. “We are playing against some top schools, so we are just encouraging the boys to stay positive and play their game.

“It’s festival hockey, so it’s demanding. The guys need to just give it their all, no matter who we play.

“We’ll just have to take it game by game and reassess after each game. With that said, it’s a festival that will help us prepare for the season,” he concluded.

Dale College Founders Festival Fixtures

Saturday, 29 March

08:35 – Dale College vs St David’s Marist Inanda
13:00 – Dale College vs Northwood School

Sunday, 30 March

11:50 – Dale College vs Kearsney College
16:15 – Dale College vs Parktown Boys’ High

Monday, 31 March

08:35 – Dale College vs St Stithians College

The Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup, one of the biggest annual showcases of talent on the schoolboy hockey calendar, is almost upon us.

This year’s event, which starts on Friday, will feature 12 of the country’s top hockey-playing schools, up from 10 teams last year.

Included in the line-up are KZN’s Clifton College, Durban High School (DHS), Westville Boys’ High, Michaelhouse, and Glenwood High. Gauteng is represented by Die Hoërskool Menlopark, St Alban’s College and Hoërskool Garsfontein. Paarl Boys’ High and Paul Roos Gimnasium fly the flag for the Western Cape, and Pearson represents the Eastern Cape’s interests.

It is from them that we have identified some of the players to keep an eye on:

Josh Mungherera – Durban High School (DHS)

The DHS centre-forward was identified as someone with high potential at a young age and has lived up to that hype. He hails from Amanzimtoti and now, in his third season in the DHS 1st XI, he captains the side and leads from the front.

“Josh posts up as a forward exceptionally well and has a great eye for goal,” Keegan Hezlett, the DHS coach, shared.

Mungherera had an exceptional season in 2024, but he didn’t shine his brightest at the SASHOC National Week, thus missing out on the national squad after being selected for the SA u16 squad in 2023. His response was to put in more hours honing his craft in the off-season. The results are showing. Mungherera has started the season well, netting three times in DHS’s first two fixtures of the year.

Thandanani Zuma – Michaelhouse

The Michaelhouse midfielder, who is in grade 11, has a firm handle on the engine room. Zuma is lightning-quick and has exceptional control. He also has a penchant for getting into good positions, which makes him outstanding in one-on-one situations when defending. His tall and imposing figure lends him an excellent physical presence, which adds to his defensive game.

Zuma is also lethal up front. He was one of the top three goal-scorers at the u16 SASHOC National Week last year, with seven goals to his name. His exploits earned him a spot in the SA u16 team, and he was also included in the SA u17 side.

While he is yet to open his account this season, his first goal is, no doubt, just around the corner, and he has been in fine form for Michaelhouse in their opening two matches.

Luken Brunnette – Garsfontein

Luken Brunnette is a magician with long passes. With excellent judgement and deft touch, the Garsfontein defender is able to pick out any player on the turf. This makes him an invaluable team member when the Gauteng side goes on the counterattack, and he often catches the opposition flatfooted with his insightful passes. He is also one of the best drag flickers in schoolboy hockey in South Africa.

However, those are not his biggest strengths. Brunnette, who represented the SA u17 team in 2024, is in his third year with the Garsfontein first team because of his unparalleled defensive work. He is a rock-solid wall on defence, a presence that other teams have to circumvent rather than try to go through.

Zach Williamson – Clifton

Williamson has been part of the first team since grade nine and has over 70 caps for the first team. The Clifton captain was also a member of the KZN Coastal u18B team at the SASHOC National Week last year.

A midfielder, he displays outstanding leadership qualities on the field, rallying his teammates to lift their levels of performance by the example he sets each time they take to the field.

Williamson is a workhorse in or out of possession. His vision is an asset for Clifton when going forward, but he is equally as effective on defence. He is also a dangerman man as one of Clifton’s primary drag flickers.

Christo Swanepoel – Paul Roos

Swanepoel is into his third year with the Paul Roos first team. He’s an established midfield maestro, which earned him a place in the Boland u18A team that reached the final at the SASHOC National Week last year.

Towards the end of the year, he represented the SA u17 side in the Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia. He also led Paul Roos to an unbeaten and dominating run at the Parel Vallei Festival earlier this month

Swanepoel is a calm, composed and experienced player. With those attributes, the Paul Roos skipper controls the midfield well, and links with the forwards excellently.

The consensus with all the above players is that they can lift the level of their teams with the examples that they set. They’re players to watch, both during the festival and further into the future.

Pearson High School‘s first boys’ hockey team will aim to continue their positive start to the 2025 season at the Coastal Cup in Durban this coming weekend.

The boys from Gqeberha will journey up to KwaZulu-Natal for the four-day event, which starts on Friday, 28 March, and ends on Monday, 31 March.

The action takes place at the Riverside Sports Club, with Pearson’s first match being a Friday meeting with Die Hoërskool Menlopark at 16:30.

They will have played a match on Friday morning against Durban High School (DHS), but it is not part of the tournament schedule.

Pearson is coached by the experienced Karl Lavender this year, and they’ll head into the tournament feeling optimistic after a good run at the Synsport Tony Godding Festival in East London, where they claimed two wins, a draw, and one loss.

They thumped Stirling High 6-1 and beat St Andrew’s School 3-0. Their sole defeat came in a thrilling encounter against Grey College, which ended 4-2 in favour of the Bloemfontein side. In their last outing, they shared a 1-1 draw with Queen’s College.

“It’s been a very constructive start to the season; I’m happy,” coach Lavender told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“Our pre-season programme has worked well. Chad Durrheim (biokineticist) and Winray Christoffels (Strength and Conditioning) have worked hard to get the boys into good shape.

“We need to tweak our shape a bit, along with a few other things, but I was happy with what I saw, as a whole.”

Lavender took over the first team responsibilities this year after Dallan Phillips left the school to join Bloemfontein’s Grey College.

He said he’s happy with the crop of players he has at his disposal, as they look to play an unorthodox brand of hockey and test themselves against the best.

“The team cohesion is brilliant, and we hope to turn a few heads with the pace up front,” he revealed.

“We’re building for our centenary next year, so we hope to play an attractive, expansive brand of hockey.

“We can’t wait to test ourselves against some stiff opposition. We know the level is high, and we hope to take that level of intensity back to the Eastern Cape for the rest of the season.”

Pearson, this year, is captained by Keagan Moore, who is assisted by vice-captains, Ali Vece and Jonno Holmes.

They have a quality lineup, which includes goalkeeper Chulumanco Mkontwana, who represented the South African u17 side at the Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia last year.

One of the promising youngsters in the team, Callum Peltenburg, described by Lavender as “cool and composed” is one to watch for the future.

Standout individual performances will be key, but teamwork will be at the forefront for Pearson as they hunt big scalps away from home in a festival filled with strong teams.

FIXTURES

Friday, 28 March

16:30 – Pearson High vs Die Hoërskool Menlopark

Saturday, 29 March

11:00 – Pearson High vs Clifton College

Sunday, 30 March

12:30 – Pearson High vs Westville Boys’ High

Monday, 31 March

08:00 – Pearson High vs Glenwood

Hockey fans in Johannesburg will be treated to some high-quality and entertaining action this coming weekend when Jeppe High School for Boys hosts the Nomads Hockey Festival.

The highly anticipated event takes place from Saturday, 29 March, to Monday, 31 March.

In action on the picturesque Boden AstroTurf will be 10 top hockey-playing schools from around the country.

Jeppe will be joined at the festival by their Gauteng counterparts St Benedict’s College, King Edward VII (KES), Pretoria Boys High (PBHS), and St John’s College.

The hosts have made a promising start to the season under head coach Siya Sityana, and the Nomads Festival gives them a chance to build further momentum.

They opened the season with a 4-2 victory over coach Owen Mvimbi’s St Benedict’s side before beating PBHS 1-0 and KES 4-2.

Jeppe had their struggles in 2024, during Sityana’s first year at the helm, but they seem to have turned the corner early on this season.

PBHS, despite losing to Jeppe, will enter Nomads high in confidence after beating Parktown Boys’ High 2-0 last weekend.

St John’s College, KES, and Bennies, will also want to make their mark against some top opposition.

KwaZulu-Natal will be represented at Nomads by Hilton College and last year’s hosts, Maritzburg College.

Coach Damian Kimfley’s Hilton boys have proved to be a handful in the early going. Their first two matches of the season yielded positive results: a 2-0 win over Kearsney College and a 4-0 drubbing of Westville Boys’ High.

They lost their captain Xavier Enslin to an injury in the win over Kearsney, and coach Kimfley will have his fingers crossed that he’ll have Enslin back on the field for the festival.

College, on the other hand, is yet to register a win. Coach Mark Sanders’ young side showed their fighting quality in a 2-2 draw against Durban High School earlier this month but, most recently, suffered a 3-4 loss to Northwood School in Pietermaritzburg, on Saturday.

It was only their second loss against Northwood on Pape’s Astro; the first came in 2023.

Other teams that will be in attendance are Grey College, Selborne College, and Cape Town’s Wynberg Boys’ High.

Grey College, under the guidance of coach Dallan Phillips, has played an impressive brand of hockey early in the season, which brought them four victories at last week’s Synsport Tony Godding Festival, in East London.

There, the boys from Bloemfontein defeated Hudson Park 5-0, Queen’s College 4-0, St Andrew’s College 3-2, and Pearson High 4-2.

Coach Phillips will, however, be aware that the competition at Nomads will be another step up in quality, and his team will need to bring their A-game to meet the challenge.

Selborne College is the only Eastern Cape side heading to Nomads this year, with Grey High currently on an international tour of The Netherlands.

Coach KJ Friend‘s side has had a challenging start to the season, with a bunch of young players still finding their feet at first-team level.

At the Tony Godding Festival, they recorded three victories but were stunned 3-2 by St Andrew’s School on day two.

Wynberg Boys’ High, meanwhile, heads into Nomads with a few surprises up their sleeves.

Coach Ben Wiley’s troops participated in a pre-season festival in the Western Cape last week, but not many people have seen them in action.

That could play to their advantage, and they’ll be eager to cause a couple of upsets away from home.

The opening day will kick off with a clash between Jeppe and Selborne College at 07:30.

Sunday will be filled with mouthwatering fixtures before a tasty-looking clash between the hosts and Hilton College on the final day completes the schedule.

FIXTURES

Saturday, 29 March

07:30 – Jeppe vs Selborne College; 08:45 – Grey College vs Pretoria Boys;  10:00 – St John’s College vs Hilton College; 11:15 – Maritzburg College vs St Benedict’s; 12:30 – Jeppe vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 13:45 – King Edward VII vs Selborne College; 15:00 – St Benedict’s vs Hilton College; 16:15 – St John’s College vs Grey College; 17:30 – Wynberg Boys’ High vs Pretoria Boys; 18:45 – King Edward VII vs Maritzburg College.

Sunday, 30 March

07:30 –  Jeppe vs Grey College; 08:45 – St John’s College vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 10:00 – Selborne College vs St Benedict’s; 11:15 – Hilton College vs Pretoria Boys; 12:30 – King Edward VII vs Grey College; 13:45 – Maritzburg College vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 15:00 – St John’s College vs Selborne College; 16:15 – St Benedict’s vs Pretoria Boys; 17:30 – King Edward VII vs Hilton College; 18:45 – Jeppe vs Maritzburg College.

Monday, 31 March

07:30 – King Edward VII vs Wynberg Boys’ High; 08:45 – St Benedict’s vs Grey College; 10:00 – Selborne College vs Pretoria Boys; 11:15 – St John’s College vs Maritzburg College; 12:30 – Jeppe vs Hilton College.

At the start of the 2025 Gauteng Development League season, Kaizer Chiefs experienced a few bumps in the road, beginning with a 2-2 draw against Supersport United in the season opener.

Coach David Mathebula‘s side, then, crashed out of the Top Eight competition, losing in the semi-finals, before hitting yet another brick wall at Randburg AFC, on Friday.

They were handed a humbling 1-2 defeat, a loss that suggested they’re perhaps not as powerful a unit as they appeared to be last season.

However, teams tend to reveal their true character in periods of struggle and Mathebula’s team did just that when they hosted East Rand Athletic Club at Naturena, on Sunday, following their loss to Randburg.

In a morale-boosting performance, Chiefs registered a convincing 5-1 victory.

While Chiefs have had their struggles, coach Sifiso Mnguni‘s Highlands Park, the defending two-time league champions, continue to quietly chip away in defence of their crown.

They completed a clean sweep on the weekend, beating Panorama FC 4-1 away from home before going on to outlast a stubborn Kathorus Hyper Academy outfit 2-1 at Balfour Park on Sunday.

After beating Chiefs on Friday, Randburg AFC wrapped up a good weekend for the club with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Wits Junior at Marks Park, which meant Wits exited the long weekend without a point after their fixture against Mamelodi Sundowns was postponed.

Sundowns ran rampant against Panorama FC on Sunday, handing out a 9-0 thrashing, while Tuks, TS Galaxy, and Supersport United ran over their opponents, winning all their fixtures over the long weekend.

RESULTS

Friday, 21 March

Panorama 1-4 Highlands Park
Randburg AFC 2-1 Kaizer Chiefs
Wits Junior vs Mamelodi Sundowns (Postponed)
Kathorus Hyper Academy 1-0 Elspark United Academy
East Rand Athletic Club 0-4 SuperSport United
TS Galaxy 3-2 Seven’s Academy
Remember Elite Sport Academy 4-2 Joburg City
Jomo Cosmos 1-4 School of Excellence
Tuks 3-0 Rockefvs

Sunday, 23 March

Wits Junior 0-3 Randburg AFC
Mamelodi Sundowns 9-0 Panorama
Highlands Park 2-1 Kathorus Hyper Academy
SuperSport United 3-2 Remember Elite Sport Academy
Kaizer Chiefs 5-1 East Rand Athletic Club
Seven’s Academy 1-1 Jomo Cosmos
Elspark United Academy 0-1 TS Galaxy
Joburg City 0-1 Tuks
School of Excellence 2-0 Rockefvs

After a convincing win over Maritzburg College at home, Durban High School (DHS) travelled up to Balgowan on Saturday to tackle Michaelhouse, who had suffered successive a narrow 13-15 defeat to Northwood in their last match, played in Durban.

DHS enjoyed a superb season in 2024, but they’ve lost most of the members of that outstanding side. Still, they look like they’ll be in the mix to be KwaZulu-Natal’s best in 2025.

It has been a frustrating start to the season for Michaelhouse, meanwhile, who also came out on the wrong end of a tight opener against Helpmekaar Kollege, and the frustration didn’t end on Saturday as, after a strong start, which brought them an 11-0 lead, they succumbed to a 22-28 loss to the Horseflies.

Playing on Meadows, the visitors were far from their best in the early going. They lacked intensity and their handling was iffy. That lack of intensity cost them a penalty when a good kick chase from ‘House forced School to hang onto the ball at a ruck, and Stefan Moolman made good use of the chance, knocking a penalty between the upright from 32 metres out, just right of the posts, to give his side an early lead.

A good scrum, superb hands down the backline and dummy running, then, sucked in the DHS defence, which created space for Laird Hamilton-Brown, on the left wing, to go over for a fantastic try in the corner. It was an extraordinarily well-executed move.

Moolman missed the touchline kick, but he soon had another kick at goal after DHS knocked on just inside the Michaelhouse half and the home side launched an effective counterattack, which was stopped inside the visitors’ 22. DHS had, though, strayed offsides earlier, giving Moolman a shot from 26 metres out, which he nailed with ease. After only 13 minutes, Michaelhouse led 11-0.

DHS is a hard-nosed, abrasive and hard-working outfit, however, and they began to claw their way back into the contest.

Flyhalf Jordan van Wyk pulled three points back, with a sound penalty kick from 42 metres out, which sailed over the crossbar with plenty to spare.

Michaelhouse number 10, Stefan Moolman, returned the favour a couple of minutes later, comfortably banging over a penalty from halfway to restore the home team’s 11-point lead.

Stung at falling behind, DHS had begun to find their feet and they began to play the game in ‘House’s half while also exerting great pressure with their physical tackling.

An overthrow at a lineout worked out well for School, with Daniel Ikotela reacting quickly to claim the loose ball. He made some ground and made the ball available quickly. DHS moved it to the right and swiftly manufactured an overlap, but they were, once again, let down by their hands when the ball was dropped with the try line only five metres away. Still, it was a warning to the home side.

From the resulting scrum, Michaelhouse tried to bash the ball up to create some space before clearing their lines. DHS, though, forced a turnover, which left the hosts scrambling. They weren’t back quickly enough, however, and DHS powered their way over next to the right upright through Zingce Simka. Van Wyk added the extras and it was suddenly a close game with only four points separating the sides.

DHS had been on the back foot for much of the opening stanza, but as it drew to a close they forced their way down towards the Michaelhouse try line again. They thought they had crossed for a second try when a huge gap opened up, but the final pass to put them in for a try had been slightly forward.

The referee, however, pinged ‘House for going offside and School continued to attack. Soon, Damian Swart dived over for five, and Van Wyk kicked the conversion to put the Durban school in front for the first time.

Right before the half-time whistle, the visitors were blown up for a ruck infringement and Moolman, for the second time on the day, drilled a kick from the halfway line between the uprights to level the scores at 17-17.

Within three minutes of the restart, DHS seized the lead again. After setting up a lineout five metres from the Michaelhouse try line, they executed the rolling maul perfectly, which enabled Daniel Ikotela to crash over for another try and a five-point advantage.

Michaelhouse handed DHS similar treatment after forcing their way into the DHS 22. A rolling maul from a lineout gained 10 metres and took them close to the posts. When the Horseflies conceded a penalty, right in front of the uprights, William Ridl and company could have opted for an easy three points, but scrumhalf Dan Aissing read the situation perfectly and took a quick tap. As quickly as possible, he flung the ball out to Oliver Guy, who was between two defenders and he dived over for a try.

With 25 minutes to play, it was 22-22.

From the kickoff, Laird Hamilton-Brown, from wide on the left, cut inside to create some space. His positive play created an overlap on the right for Lwandle Nzama, who received a pass just inside the ‘House 22. With a marvellous turn of pace, he gassed it and flew down the right-hand touchline.

At the DHS 10-metre line, when confronted by cover defenders, he cut inside, attempting to round them in the left-hand corner after a lung-busting sprint. Just six metres shy of the try line, he was, at last, corralled. 8th-man Dom Sesink-Clee was on his shoulder to take a short pass. The DHS defence had got back just in time, though, and the ‘House vice-captain was dragged over the touchline within touching distance of the whitewash.

On the hour-mark, the boys in dark blue received a penalty about 32 metres out for a no-arms tackle, and Van Wyk landed the kick at goal to edge coach Peter Engeldow‘s team in front once more.

With less than 10 minutes to play, the weather turned, with rain starting to fall. DHS drove their way into the Michaelhouse 22 and kept it tight, turning to the pick-and-go to inch their way towards the try line. When the home team was trapped offsides, Van Wyk was called upon again and he had no problem with the simple kick to extend the visitors’ advantage to six points.

The game was almost done, but it came to a slightly premature end when the lightning alarm sounded and the players and supporters were forced to clear the field. The result, nonetheless, stood, with DHS claiming a battling 28-22 win.

POINTS SCORERS

Michaelhouse 22 (17) – Tries: Laird Hamilton-Brown, Oliver Guy. Penalties: Stefan Moolman (4). Durban High School 28 (17) – Tries: Zingce Simka, Damian Swart, Daniel Ikotela. Conversions: Jordan van Wyk (2). Penalties: Jordan van Wyk (3).

RESULTS

u19 – Michaelhouse I 22 DHS I 28; Michaelhouse II 20 DHS II 35; Michaelhouse III 24 DHS III 26; Michaelhouse IV 26 DHS IV 28; Michaelhouse V 43 DHS V 3; Michaelhouse VI 48 DHS VI 19

u16 – Michaelhouse A 21 DHS A 21; Michaelhouse B 12 DHS B 33; Michaelhouse C 29 DHS C 0; Michaelhouse D 14 DHS D 12; Michaelhouse E 50 DHS E 0

u15 – Michaelhouse A 21 DHS A 32; Michaelhouse B 13 DHS B 12; Michaelhouse C 33 DHS C 8; Michaelhouse D 53 DHS D 0; Michaelhouse E 53 DHS E 5

u14 – Michaelhouse A 0 DHS A 14; Michaelhouse B 7 DHS B 54; Michaelhouse C 0 DHS C 60; Michaelhouse D 5 DHS D 29

While some of South Africa’s top girls’ hockey teams gathered in East London for the Synsport Greg Beling Festival over the weekend, Pearson High School hosted the u16 Investec Hockey Tournament, in Gqeberha.

The event, in its third edition, began on Friday and, after over 90 matches had been played across three days, concluded with the A- and B-section finals on Sunday.

Pearson’s u16A and u16B sides did just enough to claim the respective titles in front of their supporters.

The u16A team, led by coach Ignatius Malgraf, defeated Clarendon High School for Girls 2-1 in a penalty shootout after the title game had ended in a goalless draw.

Pearson’s journey to the final was impressive. During the pool stages, they defeated Victoria Girls’ High, Alexander Road, and Woodridge College, winning all three matches 4-0, before beating Hudson Park 2-1.

Reacting to his team’s performances, Malgraf said he was pleased with how they dug deep, particularly in the final against Clarendon.

“I’m absolutely proud of the team. It was a tough game, and we knew it would come down to fine margins,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“The composure and resilience the players showed, especially in those final moments, was outstanding. They dug deep, stuck to the game plan, and showed real character to get over the line, despite not scoring any goals during regular time.”

While tactics played a major role in helping the team get over the line, coach Malgraf believes the team culture and the players’ desire to fight for each other helped them secure the win.

“Our team culture played a massive role,” he opined. “The bond these girls share is something special. It allows them to work seamlessly together, both on and off the field.

“That trust and unity showed in how they supported each other, lifted each other during tough moments, and ultimately found a way to get over the line. This group thrives on playing for one another, and that was the difference in those tight games.”

It was, indeed, a collective effort from the side, but there were some standout players. Emma Potgieter, Hannah Du Plooy, Jemma Esterhuysen, Caitlyn George, and goalkeeper Megan Measures made telling contributions to Pearon’s title-winning efforts, and they showed composure during the shootout, delivering when it mattered the most.

While there was joy for the A-team, the Pearson u16B side also etched their names into the history books by capturing the B-Section honours for the first time.

Coach Abby Fouché’s team was dominant and ruthless during the pool stages, scoring a healthy 14 goals in four matches.

They suffered a defeat against Clarendon, but that mattered little as they had already secured a play-off spot. They then thumped Kingswood College 4-0 in the last eight before avenging their earlier loss against Clarendon, scoring a 1-0 victory in the semifinals.

That win set up a final against their town rivals, Collegiate Girls’ High. In the title decider, Pearson won 2-0.

“I am so proud of what my girls achieved this weekend,” Fouché told SuperSport Schools Plus.

“We went into the weekend to get a medal placement, and every girl in the team fought for every game and showed me their dedication and determination to come out on top.”

Fouché’s side was free-flowing and free-scoring. They were also rock-solid at the back, conceding just one goal all tournament long.

The coach praised some of her standout players. “My player of the tournament was Alexi Du Plessis,” she shared. “Alexi used her skill to tuck and run the baseline, as well as Ruby Andrews, who was our most skilled link, and she scored nine goals in the tournament, including a penalty flick in the final.

“Our skipper, Madison Louw, was able to control the game and keep the girls’ spirits up while scoring an amazing goal in the final against Collegiate, she concluded.

RESULTS

u16A

Pearson High 4-0 Victoria Girls’ High
Pearson High 2-1 Hudson Park
Pearson High 4-0 Alexander Road
Pearson High 4-0 Woodridge College (Quarterfinal)
Pearson High 3-2 Hudson Park (Semi-final)
Pearson High (2) 0-0 (1) Clarendon

u16B

Pearson High 6-0 vs Westering
Pearson High 6-0 to Victoria Girls’ High
Pearson High 0-1 Clarendon
Pearson High 4-0 Nico Malan
Pearson High 4-0 Kingswood (Quarterfinals)
Pearson High 1-0 Clarendon (Semi-finals)
Pearson High 2-0 Collegiate (Final)

Die kwarteindronde van die NWU Prestige-reeks  het ‘n indrukwekkende skouspel van skolenetbal opgelewer, met die beste spanne van die streek wat kragte gemeet het om ‘n plek in die halfeindronde te bespreek. Slim strategie en dinamiese spel het behoorlik die koring van die kaf geskei.

In die vroeë wedstryde, waar die o.14-spanne kragte gemeet het, het Wesvalia met 19-13 vir Zwartkop geklop, wat hulle as gunstelinge vir die volgende ronde na vore laat tree het. Potch Gimnasium het ‘n taai stryd teen Klerksdorp met 20-17 gewen, met elke doel wat deurslaggewend was. Hugenote het hul stempel afgedruk met ‘n indrukwekkende oorwinning van 21-13 oor Wagpos, met akkurate afronding en puik spanwerk wat dié sege gekenmerk het.

In die daaropvolgende wedstryde tussen die o.15-spanne, was Zwartkop beslis die sterre van die dag met ‘n spogsege van 29-16 oor Wesvalia, met vernaam hul blitsige spel en dodelike verdediging wat die deurslag gegee het. Potch Gimnasium het ‘n gemaklike sege van 27-14 oor KHS behaal, en Hugenote het met ‘n telling van 19-15 teen Wagpos aangedui dat hulle vasberade is om die eindstryd te haal.

Die o.16-wedstryde het hope opwinding en spanning opgelewer, met Wesvalia wat ‘n naelbytstryd teen Zwartkop met 21-19 deurgetrek het. Potch Gimnasium het die wenkbroue gelig met ‘n reuse oorwinning van 38-11 oor KHS, terwyl Hugenote hul strategie bykans perfek uitgevoer het om Die Anker met 20-11 ore aan te sit.

In die o.17-afdeling het Zwartkop geen genade betoon nie om Wesvalia met 25-8 te oorweldig, terwyl KHS hul aanspraak op die titel bevestig het deur Potch Gimnasium met 30-11 af te stof. Hugenote het vir Die Anker met 24-8 oorrompel.

Die hoofwedstryde tussen die o.19-spanne het nie teleurgestel nie en ‘n ware eindronde-atmosfeer geskep. KHS het vir Wesvalia met 27-15 verslaan danksy vlymskerp afronding en uitstekende spanverdediging. Potch Gimnasium het met ‘n indrukwekkende sege van 34-15 oor Zwartkop gewys dat hulle nie sommer gestuit sal word nie, en Hugenote het die dag op ‘n hoë noot afgesluit deur vir Wagpos met 27-20 te troef.

Uitslae:

o.14 Zwartkop 13, Wesvalia 19; Potch Gimnasium 20, KHS 17; Hugenote 21, Wagpos 13.

o.15 Zwartkop 29, Wesvalia 16; Potch Gimnasium 27, KHS 14; Hugenote 19, Wagpos 15.

o.16 Zwartkop  19, Wesvalia 21; Potch Gimnasium 38, KHS 11; Hugenote 20, Anker 11.

o.17 Zwartkop 25, Wesvalia 8; Potch Gimnasium 11, KHS 30; Hugenote 24, Anker 8.

o.19 KHS 27, Wesvalia 15; Potch Gimnasium 34, Zwartkop 15; Hugenote 27, Wagpos 20.