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Die Noord-Vrystaat is die afgelope naweek bederf met ‘n paar aksiebelaaide skolerugby-kragmetings.

Hentie Cilliers het Saterdag met tye skouspelagtige spel gelewer op hul tuisveld in Virginia, maar Voortrekker het uiteindelik oor té veel skietgoed beskik om met 37-12 te seëvier.

Witteberg het agt drieë ingeryg vir ‘n wegholsege van 52-0 oor Goudveld in Bethlehem, terwyl Welkom Gimnasium en Hoërskool Trio met 17-17 gelykop gespeel het in Kroonstad.

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Hentie Cilliers het die tuisskare in Virginia vroeg op hulle voete gehad, toe Itumeleng Koqo die Trekkers in sy stof laat byt het vir die eerste drie van die wedstryd. Die Voortrekker-pak het egter kort daarna vir Arnold Ras oorgedryf om sake weer gelykop te laat trek.

Ondanks die seuns van Hentie Cilliers se dapper verdediging, het die besoekers nog twee keer deurgebreek voor rustyd om ‘n voorsprong van 15-5 op te bou. Hul tweede drie, deur Voortrekker se Cravenweek-agsteman, Dawie Fourie, was die resultaat van ‘n sterk rolmaalbeweging, terwyl binnesenter, Craig Mann, bo-oor ‘n paar verdedigers gehardloop het vir die derde.

Na die omdraaislag was die tuisspan weer eerste uit die blokke, met Kaneng Komane wat afgerond het met ‘n pragdrie om die agterstand na 12-15 te laat krimp. Dit was egter die laaste keer dat die manne van Bethlehem vir Henties deurgelaat het, en ál moes hulle steeds hard werk, het die besoekers die res van die kragmeting oorheers.

Voortrekker se massiewe pak, met hul Cravenweek-stut, Cecil Parsons, aan die spits, het die tuisspan saggemaak vir Tumi Khoza, Tristan Meyer en Kaneng Komane om die skroewe behoorlik vas te draai.

Witteberg het die lynstane teen Goudveld in só ‘n mate oorheers dat hul Akademieweek-haker, Jacques van der Merwe, drie dryfmaaldrieë tot sy naam kon voeg in hul reuse oorwinning van 52-0.

Dit is die tweede slag vanjaar dat Witteberg die 50-punt kerf kon verbysteek in die Wesgrow Sentrale-sportreeks. Hulle het vroeër vir Hoërskool Sentraal met 51-8 kafgedraf.

Welkom Gimnasium gee tot dusver hierdie seisoen die pas aan in die Noordweste, en spog derhalwe ook vanjaar met 10 spelers in die Cravenweek-oefengroep.

Hoërskool Trio het egter gewys dat selfs die bestes kan swaar trek in Kroonstad, deur vir die “swarttruie” tot ‘n gelykopuitslag van 17-17 te beperk.

Skrumskakel, Ethan Smit, en binnesenter, Tyron Adams, het uitgeblink vir die tuisspan om ‘n witwarm Welkom-aanslag in bedwang te hou, terwyl die Trio-flank, Pieter van Schalkwyk, voorlangs ook vir die besoekers kopsere besorg het.

Die Gimmies se ster-heelagter, Ronaldo Kiewiet, het 12 van sy span se punte aangeteken. Kiewiet was verlede jaar die voorste driedrukker op die Cravenweek, waar hy vir die Griffons op losskakel uitgedraf het. Vanjaar se Cravenweek-flank, Rylin Kirsten, het hul ander drie gedruk.

Puntemakers:

Voortrekker 37 (15) – Drieë: Tumi Khoza (2), Arnold Ras, Dawie Fourie, Craig Mann, Tristan Meyer, Kaneng Komane. Doelskop: Christiaan van der Sandt. Hentie Cilliers 12 (5) – Drieë: Itumeleng Koqo, Kelebogile Mothibi. Doelskop: Meguel Davids.

Witteberg 52 (28) – Drieë: Jacques van der Merwe (3), Sydwell Sethi, Janco Swart, Pieter Nel, Colin van der Merwe, Kenyon Morat. Doelskoppe: Llewellyn Beukes (6). Goudveld 0.

Hoërskool Trio 17 – Drieë: Tyron Adams, Jayden Windvogel. Doelskoppe: Byron Biennas, Byron Maggerman. Strafdoel: Biennas. Welkom Gimnasium 17 – Drieë: Ronaldo Kiewiet, Rylen Kirsten. Doelskoppe: Kiewiet (2). Strafdoel: Kiewiet.

 

Ander tellings

o.19 – Voortrekker II 59, Hentie Cilliers II 0; Voortrekker III 58, Hentie Cilliers III 0; Welkom Gimnasium II 32, Trio II 10; Welkom Gimnasium III 31, Trio III 0; Witteberg II 12, Goudveld II 12; Witteberg III 19, Goudveld III 5; Witteberg IV 26, Goudveld IV 12.

o.16 – Voortrekker A 21, Hentie Cilliers A 17; Welkom Gimnasium A 22, Trio A 10; Welkom Gimnasium B 33, Trio B 0; Witteberg A 34, Goudveld A 10; Witteberg B 47, Goudveld B 7.

o.15 – Voortrekker A 55, Hentie Cilliers A 0; Trio A 53, Welkom Gimnasium A 0; Trio B 17, Welkom Gimnasium B 14; Witteberg A 29, Goudveld A 7; Witteberg B 42, Goudveld B 5.

o.14 – Voortrekker A 55, Hentie Cilliers A 0; Trio A 29, Welkom Gimnasium A 7; Trio B 22, Welkom Gimnasium B 12; Witteberg A 54, Goudveld A 0; Witteberg B 17, Goudveld B 12.

Grey College showed real guts to tame a fiery Paarl Boys’ High attack in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Their little scrumhalf, Philip McLaren, was selected as the Man of the Match for his tireless work rate and immense contributions on defence as Grey kept its dominant record in the Sportsmans Warehouse Premier Interschools fixture intact with a 40-28 victory.

Relive all of the action on SuperSport Schools – Register now – Link to the game

The Bloemfontein giants wasted no time in getting the scoreboard rolling, with their big tighthead prop, Danie Kruger, barrelling over for their first try.

After that, however, the visitors caused Grey endless problems at the breakdown, with the loose-trio, Douw Wessels, Rubin Dames and Steph van der Merwe getting over the ball at every opportunity.

Grey’s second try came after a powerful break down the sideline by their exciting young flanker, Juliun Cosmo, which enabled his flyhalf, Alzeadon Felix, to dot down for a five-pointer.

Aiden Jacobs showed his hurdling abilities for a great finish to score Paarl Boys’ first try after Viaan Mentoor opened the scoring for Boishaai off the tee.

His try was cancelled out five minutes later though, when Grey’s other big prop, Dian Venter, strolled in for the home team’s third.

With his forwards doing the dirty work up front, Mentoor struck thrice with his kicking boot in the first half, including a huge effort from the halfway line just before the break, to reduce their deficit to 14-19.

They were forced to take the points on offer, though, because there were no gaps to be found in the Bloemfontein outfit’s defensive line, with McLaren putting in a couple of huge hits at vital moments in the match.

Three more tries in the second stanza, including a brace by their speedster on the wing, Ruben Cilliers, sealed the deal for the home team.

His first came after a brilliant pass by his school captain Pieter van der Merwe, and the second was the result of an equally impressive bit of skill by Felix.

Fullback Heinz Stockenström was rewarded for his hard work with a try to add to the five successful conversions next to his name.

Next weekend the Grey boys travel to Gauteng to take on an in-form Afrikaanse Hoër Seunsskool Pretoria.

Affies suffered a record 19-60 defeat in Bloemfontein last season, but they have a huge forward pack who will be looking to exact revenge in front of their home crowd.

Despite their loss, Boishaai will have many positives to take from their time in Bloemfontein and they will be keen to take to the Piley Rees Field next weekend against Bishops Diocesan College.

Scorers

Grey College 40 (19) – Tries: Ruben Cilliers (2), Danie Kruger, Alzeadon Felix, Dian Venter, Heinz Stockenström. Conversions: Stockenström (5). Paarl Boys’ High 28 (14) – Tries: Aiden Jacobs, Cruz Davey, Gersham Pieters. Conversions: Viaan Mentoor (2). Penalties: Mentoor (3).

Other results

u19 – Paarl Boys’ High II 29, Grey College II 25.

u16 – Grey College A 31, Paarl Boys’ High A 25.

u15 – Grey College A 29, Paarl Boys’ High A 7.

u14 – Grey College A 36, Paarl Boys’ High A 19.

Hilton College clinched a hard-fought 29-12 victory over Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS) on Brooks Field on Saturday, with wing Ricky Adonis dotting down twice for the KZN side.

Rewatch all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com)

In the opening quarter-of-an-hour, Hilton took the game to the home side and pressed hard, but they were met by resolute defence from Boys High.

When PBHS attacked, the visitors were successful at slowing down the ball. Sometimes, it seemed, by sealing it off illegally.

Hanu Pieterse and his side drew first blood, with Ricky Adonis and tight-head prop Ben le Roux going over for tries to put the visitors in the pound seats heading towards the break.

Boys High found a reply before half-time, however. They executed a well taken line-out, then drove Hilton backwards with a massive maul. When it was eventually stopped, the Candies sent the ball to flyhalf Seth Venter, who opened the hosts’ account. A former flank, Venter used his strength to add to his healthy try-scoring stats.

At halftime, there was little to separate the sides, with Hilton’s 12-5 advantage a fair reflection of how tight the match was.

Early in the second half, Jeffrey Singo scored a try for Boys High to narrow the lead, but that was as close as the home team got to Hilton. The visitors responded with two quick tries of their own, both of which were excellently converted by flyhalf Liyema Nela.

Then, when a Boys High player went in too high on a tackle in Hilton’s in-goal area, Brad Mcleod-Henderson‘s charges were able to exit from the resulting penalty. Nela was subsequently able to land a sweetly struck kick at posts from 50 metres out, benefitting from the high altitude of Pretoria.

Pretoria Boys High had an opportunity to work their way back into the contest when Hilton picked up two yellow cards, but they were 17 points down at that stage.

In the last two minutes of the match, though, Boys High scored a consolation try from an excellent run by winger Ompfuna Tsanwani, who made good use of the space his side’s numerical advantage created to hurtle over the line for five, after being put in the clear by inside centre Rickus Wessels.

After his fine run, Tsanwani clutched at a hamstring, which might be cause for concern for the Candies.

While both schools will be able to take positives out of the game, Boys High will surely rue several missed kicks at goal, which could have altered the course of the match.

St Alban’s College, meanwhile, clawed their way back from trailing 7-17 at halftime to win a humdinger of match against Northcliff High School in Johannesburg.

With the final whistle drawing near, and with three minutes left on the clock, Northcliff conceded a penalty, which the visitors’ Joshua Verster turned into three points.

Not done, Northcliff claimed a penalty of their own, but there was to be no fairytale ending and the kick at goal missed, leaving the home team agonisingly short of the Pretoria school.

The final score read 27-25 to St Alban’s. It was a third narrow loss for Northcliff this season. However, they showed they’re happy to tussle with the traditional boys’ schools under the guidance of coach Tinus Diedericks.

Results

Pretoria Boys High 17 (5) – Tries: Seth Venter, Jeffrey Singo, Ompfuna Tsanwani. Conversion: Seth Venter. Hilton 29 (12) – Tries: Ricky Adonis (2), Ben Le Roux, Dylan Neill. Conversions: Liyema Nela.

St Albans 27 (7) – Tries: Craig Milne, Daniel Bouwer, JJ Steenkamp Conversions: Joshua Verster (2). Penalties: Joshua Verster. Northcliff 25 (17) – Tries: Sivenathi Ngqungwana, Rhema Nwogwugwu , Matthew Verrydt. Conversions: Matthew Hunt (2). Penalities: Matthew Hunt (2).

RESULTS

Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton College

u14A: Pretoria Boys High 8-10 Hilton College
u15A: Pretoria Boys High 14-12 Hilton College
u16A: Pretoria Boys 10-11 High Hilton College
u19A: Pretoria Boys High 17-29 Hilton College

Northcliff High vs St Alban’s College

u14A: Northcliff 3-34 St Albans College
u15A:  Northcliff 54-3 St Albans College
u16A: Northcliff 7-27 St Albans College
u19A: Northcliff 25-27 St Albans College

Diamantveld het Saterdag die bordjies op dramatiese wyse verhang teen Hoërskool Noord-Kaap, deur met ‘n rekordtelling van 71-7 die spogregte in Kimberley te herwin.

Dié reuse oorwinning het weereens benadruk hóéveel vordering Diamantveld reeds hierdie seisoen gemaak het. Hulle het verlede jaar die Kimberley-derby op Pirates met 17-18 verloor.

Die Diamonds het 11 drieë teen hul buurskool ingeryg, tot die absolute genot van hul ondersteuners, om hul grootste sege nóg in die FNB Classic Clashes-kragmeting te behaal.

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Die besoekers het nietemin goed gevaar om Diamantveld se verdediging vroeg in die wedstryd onder druk te plaas, maar die tuisspan se haastige buitesenter, Clinton Brits, het kort voor lank sy ore platgetrek om die eerste bres in die verdediging te slaan, en daarna het die damwal gebars.

Ethan Manus, Jonathan Harding, Jayden de Klerk, Daniël Kühn en Simon Liversage het ook agter die doellyn gaan draai om die telling teen halftyd reeds op 45-0 te staan te bring. Kühn, verál, sal sy drie  nog lank onthou, want dit is nie elke dag dat ‘n slot die kans kry om te nael vir die hoekie nie, terwyl Harding twee keer gaan druk het.

Na die omdraaislag het Carel Viljoen, Kyle Taute, Charl Swanepoel en De Wet du Plooy verdere spykers in die Northerns se kis gemoker.

Hoewel dit moeilik is in só ‘n vertoning om individue uit te sonder, het Liversage en losskakel, Marno Greeff, nietemin uitgetroon in die ligbloutrui met die kundige wyse waarop hulle die totale aanslag gedirigeer het.

Die Northerns het steeds karakter getoon en nooit gaan lê nie. Hul lewendige klein skrumskakel, Lwandle Maseko, het in die 66ste minuut oorgeduik vir sy span se enigste drie, maar teen daardie tyd was die kanonkoeël lankal reeds deur die kerk.

Volgende naweek sit die Diamantveld-span hul onoorwonne veldtog in die Wesgrow Sentrale-sportreeks voort in Bloemfontein, waar hulle vir Hoërskool Sentraal die stryd aansê. Die Tralies ervaar ‘n strawwe seisoen tot dusver, maar die Kimberley-manne kan nie bekostig om nou op hul louere rus nie en sal hul droomseisoen met mening wil afrond.

Puntemakers

Diamantveld 71 (45) – Drieë: Jonathan Harding (2), De Wet du Plooy, Daniël Kühn, Jayden de Klerk, Ethan Manus, Simon Liversage, Clinton Brits, Carel Viljoen, Kyle Taute, Charl Swanepoel. Doelskoppe: Liversage (5), Marno Greeff (3). Hoërskool Noord-Kaap 7 (0) – Drie: Lwandle Maseko. Doelskop: Themba Koopman.

Al die tellings: 

o.19 – Diamantveld II 27, Noord-Kaap II 12; Diamantveld III 19, Noord-Kaap III 7.

o.16 – Diamantveld A 33, Noord-Kaap A 10.

o.15 – Diamantveld A 15, Noord-Kaap A 14.

o.14 – Diamantveld A 78, Noord-Kaap A 7.

Hoërskool Duineveld, Hoërskool Diamantveld en Hoërskool Jim Fouché het weer as oorwinnaars uit die stryd getree tydens die jaarlikse FNB Classic Clashes-kragmetings.

In Bloemfontein het JF naelskraaps vir Hoërskool Sentraal met 21-18 geklop, nadat hulle verlede jaar met 35-28 kon seëvier.

Jim Fouché het van meet af die pas aangegee in vanjaar se stryd om teen rustyd met 19-12 voor te loop. Ten spyte van Sentraal se vasberade verdediging, kon JF volhou om punte op die bord te plaas danksy ‘n dinamiese vertoning deur doel, Jana Rossouw.

Dimpho Totola het haar verdedigingsvaardighede tentoongestel deur kritieke balle van die opposisie te onderskep. Marli van der Merwe van Sentraal se spel op die verdediging was nietemin ewe uitstekend.

Intussen het Hoërskool Diamantveld, in ‘n verhaal van voortdurende triomf, hul oorheersing oor Noord-Kaap voortgesit om vir die sesde agtereenvolgende jaar met die louere weg te stap. Diamonds het verbeter op hul vorige sege van 33-28, deur vanjaar met 38-21 die pyp te rook.

Dié kragmeting was op ‘n mespunt gebalanseer in die eerste kwart, met slegs twee doele wat die spanne geskei het. Diamonds het egter in die tweede kwart 11 doele teenoor Noord-Kaap se drie aangeteken en ‘n taamlike voorsprong van 19-9 met rustyd bewerkstellig.

Die derde kwart was deurslaggewend met Diamantveld wat hul voorsprong met 13 doele gerek het, om uiteindelik met ‘n eindtelling van 38-21 te wen. Klarissa Taljaard se spogvertoning het aan haar die titel as Speler van die Wedstryd besorg.

Hoërskool Duineveld was weer té goed vir Hoërskool Upington, maar moes nietemin hard swoeg vir hul sege van 36-32. Duineveld het hul buurskool in 2022 met 42-25 verslaan.

Die wedstryd het as ‘n naelbyt-affêre ontvou, met die spanne wat regdeur die vier kwarte kop aan kop getrek het.

Teen halftyd het Uppies met 19-17 voorgeloop, maar Duineveld het nie gaan lê nie en in die derde kwart die voortou geneem met 27-25. Die vierde kwart was bepalend met Duineveld wat met ‘n geringe marge van vier doele kon triomfeer.

Clarise Barnard se uitmuntende vertoning as hulpdoel het vir Duineveld deurslaggewende punte verseker, terwyl Yolanda de Kock se voorbeeldige verdedigingsvernuf hul veerkragtigheid versterk het.

Diamantveld t. Noord-Kaap uitslae:

o.14A 35-5

o.15A 26-13

o.16A 36-10

o.17A  36-9

o.19A  38-21

Jim Fouché t. Sentraal uitslae:

o.19A 38-21

o.19B 25-12

o.19C 27-15

o.19D 19-15

o.17A 11-28

o.16A 21-14

o.16B 22-18

o.16C 18-12

o.15A 13-25

o.15B 12-12

o.15C 17-16

o.15D 14-20

o.15E 7-11

o.14A 20-18

o.14B 17-19

o.14C 6-14

o.14D 7-19

Duineveld t. Upington uitslae:

o.19A 32-36

o.19B 17-22

o.16A 15-22

o.16B 8-17

o.15A 20-1

o.15B 18-13

o.15C 7-7

o.14A 17-26

o.14B 4-34

o.14C 6-29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Anderson was in fine form as she bagged a brace to lead St Mary’s DSG (Kloof) to an emphatic 5-1 win over Danville on Saturday morning.

Durban Girls’ College and St John’s DSG also recorded big wins. DGC walloped Epworth 5-1 and St John’s cruised to a 4-1 victory over St Anne’s.

In the Free State, Amy Kotzè and Sumari Eksteen bagged doubles and Arnè Maritz also scored for Witteberg as they rolled over Goudveld 5-0.

St Mary’s didn’t look like a team that had won four on the trot at the start of their game on Founders Field against the visitors from Durban. They appeared nervy and did not retain possession well.

That shaky start provided Danville with an opportunity, which the Sian Davis-captained team grabbed with both hands, with Megan Hulett netting to give the visitors a shock early lead.

The goal, however, seemed to be the wake-up call Carla Ann Mackay’s charges needed. They immediately asserted themselves on the visitors in search of an equaliser.

Georgia Pollock, the St Mary’s captain, returned to the game last week after an extended lay-off due to an injury she suffered on their Netherlands preseason tour and Saints marked her return with a 4-1 win over Our Lady of Fatima earlier in the week.

However, Pollock had to wait for her second outing before she found the back of the net for St Mary’s. But she did so in style by scoring the equaliser against Danville. From that point on, the Kloof girls were dominant, setting up shop in the Danville half.

Anderson, who was KZN Raiders’ leading goal scorer at the recent u21 IPT, was on the score sheet, as usual. Prior to Saturday’s match, she had netted eight times in St Mary’s last four outings. Another two on Saturday took her haul to 10 in their last five.

Jamie da Silva added two more to complete the home team’s comfortable victory.

“I think we were outletting and moving the ball around better than we have played before, but I think that [execution in the] final third is evading us at the moment,” coach Mackay said after the game.

“We need to be more clinical with finishes and tap-ins at that final post. I think we need someone finishing there every single time. We just have to find someone that dominates in that position,” Mackay told Supersport Schools Plus.

While the St Mary’s gaffer was impressed by her side’s performance, she admitted to being a little concerned about their penalty corner conversion rate. “Our PC conversion rate is not great,” Mackay said candidly. “It’s really not great unless it’s coming off the top. Our variations tend to not really give us any sort of outcome. And they work really hard to win the PCs.

“It’s really disappointing. It should be easy points on the board,” Mackay reckoned. Apart from that, though, she had good reason to be pleased with her side’s showing, which was highlighted by good ball movement, which stretched Danville and brought Saints success down both flanks.

When St Mary’s takes on Thomas More next week, before doing duty in the St Anne’s Cup on the weekend, Mackay said she would like to see a little more patience and more clinical finishing.

Chardinay Penniston’s Durban Girls’ College is enjoying a good run. They are still unbeaten since a loss to St Mary’s Waverley at the St Mary’s Festival, which they went on to win.

This week, DGC showed why they have been on such an impressive winning streak by scoring 12 goals against Thomas More, Maris Stella, and Epworth.

Neither Thomas More nor Maris Stella was able to breach the well-oiled DGC defence as they fell 0-2 and 0-5 on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. Epworth managed a consolation goal on Saturday.

RESULTS

St Mary’s DSG 5-1 Danville
Durban Girls’ College 5-1 Epworth
St John’s DSG 4-1 St Anne’s
Witteberg 5-0 Goudveld.

George Lea Park, in Sandton, is set to host a highly anticipated Gauteng Development League showdown between TS Galaxy and SuperSport United on Sunday.

Playing away from home, SuperSport United heads into the fixture on the back foot. However, they’re well capable of walking away from the contest with maximum points.

SuperSport Schools’ Ongama Gcwabe looks at three players who could play a decisive role for the visitors.

Michael Alagiozoglou (Forward)
When shortlisting the league’s most impressive forwards, particularly in the under-19 division, it is hard to look past Michael Alagiozoglou.

He has a knack for taking up positions where his midfielders can locate him in attack, which goes a long way towards making him a successful striker.

The 17-year-old has all the traits a regular goal scorer needs in his repertoire, including ball control, composure, big match temperament and deadly finishing abilities.

This season, he has three goals to his name thus far, which has helped SuperSport United to sixth position on the log, with two games in hand.

TS Galaxy has been a force to be reckoned with this season but, if there’s a player who could halt their momentum, it is United’s Alagiozoglou.

Tumelo Machete (Forward)
Alongside Alagiozoglou, SuperSport features the young and dazzling Tumelo Machete. Last season, he was already a regular in the under-19 division, and that experience has been on show in his 2024 performances, which have demonstrated his acute reading of the game.

He combines well in attack with Alagiozoglou while keeping in sync with the midfield and the back four, a trait that is rare to find in forwards.

In front of goal, Machete is a good finisher, and he has struck twice for SuperSport in the league. He delivers a massive work rate and is often the one behind the creation of goal-scoring opportunities for the likes of Alagiozoglou.

On average, TS Galaxy concede only one goal per game, but that number could be nudged up a touch with the likes of Machete challenging their defence.

Kgoleng Ratisani
 (Goalkeeper)
Kgoleng Ratisani‘s performances between the sticks have stood out this season, and they’ve already brought him two clean sheets from six appearances.

His excellence has played a key role in SuperSport United’s successful start to the season.

TS Galaxy lies third on the league table, with over 20 goals to their name, but they will have to work hard and finish well to get past the reliable Ratisani.

Maritzburg College and Clifton treated their old boys to a wonderful morning with victories over Michaelhouse and St Charles respectively on Saturday. College won 2-0, while Clifton defeated St Charles 5-2 in a very entertaining clash.

It was a fitting manner to mark College’s Reunion Day and Clifton’s Old Boys’ Day.

St Charles arrived at the Riverside Sports Club bearing the underdog tag, having lost 1-3 to the same opposition when they hosted them for their Old Boys’ celebration day on 20 April.

Calvin Price‘s boys put Saints under the pump from the start. Within two minutes, the home team was 1-0 to the good, thanks to a length-of-the-field counterattack. However, Matthew Coombes’ charges were not about to allow the hosts to roll them, and they responded with a goal from a short corner, scored by Marcell Wellman, not too long afterwards.

The hosts reestablished their lead when they scored a ripper through Zach Williamson from a penalty corner but, again, their lead was short-lived as they were made to pay for an error in defence, with Cian Fortmann turning over possession and then slotting the opportunity.

“I am not happy with the goals against us. We definitely let ourselves down in the first two chukkas,” Price said after the match.

The third chukka saw the arrival of a different Clifton team. They played with good speed, and they let the ball do the work. This allowed them to create space around a well-structured unit.

From level-pegging at 2-2, Clifton broke open the contest with three goals in quick succession, with two of them, from short corners, going to the impressive Ryde Brisset.

Jason Adams and Daniel Rea were also on the score sheet for the home side, who delivered a performance to warm the hearts of their old boys.

With a comfortable lead heading into the final chukka, Clifton kept the ball moving and pushed and probed, but Saints closed them down.

“You always want to show your old boys a good game and we managed that with a 5-2 win,” Price said.

In the KZN capital, Maritzburg College did as they have done so often this season. They controlled possession and the tempo of their game against Michaelhouse, and they also managed to manipulate their visitors’ shifting press.

They created a number of opportunities and two of those were buried. “We scored two brilliant team goals from counterattacks,” College’s happy coach Kyle Emerson reckoned.

The first one came off Siwa Sithembu’s stick. It was a cool finish, over the goalkeeper, on the back post.

College’s second was netted by Banele Dlamini, who was unmarked and picked out on the back post by Tai Fulton after a searing counter, which began with Michaelhouse injecting the ball for a penalty corner.

The Kearsney College versus Westville Boys’ High matchup promised fireworks and it lived up to the expectations, even without goals, as the teams played out a thrilling 0-0 draw under lights on Friday night.

Unlike last week, there was no Botha’s Hill mist limiting the visibility as the neighbours went head-to-head. Kearsney and Westville are roughly 25km apart, a distance many consider to be down the road, and the schools’ proximity makes for a rivalry that has been in existence for as long as the institutions have competed against each other.

Cam Mackay’s charges, after a stiff examination at the Hibbert Shield, came into the tie intent on handing Kearsney a defeat on their hallowed Mason Astro.

They seized the initiative and sought to impose themselves on the contest from the initial pass-back. However, Kearsney has always been a very tough out on their home turf.

Westville had a clear plan. Their outside backs pushed up quite high, which opened up spaces for attacking passes. Those worked until the final third, but the killer blow was missing, thanks, in part, to Kearsney’s energetic defensive work.

Westville just couldn’t find a finish against their rivals. And even when they won a penalty stroke, with six minutes of the first half remaining, the opportunity was sent rocketing into the crossbar and Kearsney survived the danger.

“I think we didn’t do enough to make good clearcut chances,” Cam Mackay said afterwards. “When we did have our chances, we just threw them away a little bit. We almost looked nervy in the final third. We didn’t test the ‘keeper enough.

“We had PCs and we were flicking them in the air. I think if we flicked low and hard, you get a score more often than not. I think we probably say that every week,” Mackay ruefully told Supersport Schools Plus after the match.

Kearsney took a while to settle down as they adjusted to the challenges set by Westville. Some tweaks at half-time made a noticeable difference. and the home side enjoyed a strong third chukka.

“At the start of the second half, we changed one or two positions, where people were standing to give the ball when we were going forward, and we enjoyed a couple of shots at their ‘keeper, and a couple of short corners. I think defensively we weren’t as tight as we could be,” Kemp explained.

The fourth chukka resembled a role reversal of the first quarter. Spurred on by loud support from a sizeable home crowd, which lent the contest a thrilling vibe, Kearsney finished strongly, stretching the visitors, who were made to scramble to keep Matt De Oliveira and company at bay.

However, true to the script from the first part of the game, the attacking side couldn’t find a way to pry open the defence.

“I think it was probably a good spectacle for a nil-nil draw. It was better quality of game than I’ve seen from our guys for a little while,” Mackay said.

Result

Kearsney 0-0 Westville

Al die uitslae van die reeks soos wat ons dit ontvang sal hier opgedateer word.

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Al die uitslae:

GROEP 1 

BEKER-AFDELING

[ninja_tables id=”44577″]

Ander spanne:

o.16: Garsfontein 37, Waterkloof 28; Noordheuwel 17, Rustenburg 10; Monument 38, Menlopark 19; Helpmekaar 48, Nelspruit 6; EG Jansen 34, Marais Viljoen 12.
o.15: Garsfontein 40, Waterkloof 17; Noordheuwel 34, Rustenburg 0; Monument 22, Menlopark 17; Nelspruit 23, Helpmekaar 22; EG Jansen 19, Marais Viljoen 14.
o.14: Garsfontein 43, Waterkloof 10; Rustenburg 18, Noordheuwel 13; Monument 25, Menlopark 0; Nelspruit 21, Helpmekaar 17; EG Jansen 5, Marais Viljoen 5.

PLAAT-AFDELING

[ninja_tables id=”44579″]

Ander spanne:

o.16: Oos-Moot 22, Montana 19; Kempton Park 17, Zwartkop 15; Transvalia 25, Ligbron 21; HTS Middelburg 23, Middelburg 20.
o.15: Oos-Moot 29, Montana 17; Kempton Park 41, Zwartkop 10; Transvalia 13, Ligbron 7; Middelburg 36, HTS Middelburg 6.
o.14: Oos-Moot 31, Montana 5; Kempton Park 35, Zwartkop 10; Transvalia 28, Ligbron 6; Middelburg 40, HTS Middelburg 0.

SKILD-AFDELING 

[ninja_tables id=”44580″]

Ander spanne:

o.16: Pietersburg 30, Wesvalia 25; Heidelberg Volkies 14, Jeugland 13; Hugenote 29, Secunda 13.
o.15: Pietersburg 27, Wesvalia 12; Heidelberg Volkies 24, Jeugland 8; Hugenote 27, Secunda 20.
o.14: Wesvalia 18, Pietersburg 14; Heidelberg Volkies 8, Jeugland 7; Secunda 17, Hugenote 7.

BOWL-AFDELING 

[ninja_tables id=”44578″]

Ander spanne:

o.16: Merensky 27, Alberton 22; Eldoraigne 47, Dr. Malan 10; Wagpos 14, Piet Retief 12; Randburg 25, Potch Gimmies 10.
o.15: Merensky 64, Alberton 5; Eldoraigne 28, Dr. Malan 24; Piet Retief 26, Wagpos 3; Potch Gimmies 24, Randburg 10.
o.14: Merensky 64, Alberton 0; Eldoraigne 22, Dr. Malan 3; Piet Retief 50, Wagpos 3; Potch Gimmies 16, Randburg 7.