Waterpolo feast at St Andrew’s College
SACS, in a thrilling and exciting water polo final, defeated Bishops 10-9 in the St Andrew’s College Shield contested from Thursday January 25 to Sunday January 28.
Some 13 participating water poloplaying high schools from across the country converged on Makhanda for the tournament.
The following schools flew the flag high for their respective regions: Gauteng (St Johns and St Stithians), KZN (Hilton, Westville, Michaelhouse, and Clifton), Eastern Cape (St Andrew’s College, Grey High, Selborne), and Western Cape (SACS, Bishops, Paul Roos, and Rondebosch).
The cream of the crop from the country’s high schools did not disappoint, ensuring the battle for the shield silverware was a formidable challenge.
The schools were divided into two pools and games were evenly contested.
Bishops, St Johns, and Paul Roos remained unbeaten on day one, while Paul Roos demonstrated their resilience in two games that were decided by penalty shootouts.
St Johns maintained their dominance on day two, securing top spot in Pool B alongside Rondebosch, with Paul Roos and Westville filling the other quarterfinal spots.
On the final day, tensions and the excitement was palpable in Pool A, as competing teams waited for the conclusion of St Stithians’ fixture against Selborne to determine the final pool standings.
Bishops were first in Pool A, with SACS, Clifton, and Selborne securing the remaining quarterfinal spots.
Quarterfinal match-ups:
Bishops v Westville
SACS v Paul Roos
Selborne v Rondebosch
Clifton v St Johns
The Cape sides dominated the quarters, with Bishops, SACS, and Rondebosch progressing to the semifinals, alongside St Johns.
In the plate semifinals, St Stithians defeated Michaelhouse, and Hilton beat St Andrew’s College. Bishops triumphed over Rondebosch, and SACS defeated St Johns, setting up a rematch in the finals.
St Johns and Rondebosch battled it out for the bronze medal, with St Johns staging a dramatic comeback in the last quarter to secure victory.
In an exciting final, SACS turned the tables on Bishops, overcoming a deficit to win 10-9.
Final standings: 1st – SACS; 2nd – Bishops; 3rd – St Johns, 4th –
Rondebosch
Basketball (Makana League)
Makhanda witnessed a thrilling start to the Makana Basketball League on Friday.
Ten schools from the community converged on three campuses, DSG, Kingswood College, and St Andrew’s College to kick off the season.
Despite the scorching temperatures, the determination and drive exhibited by the young athletes was commendable.
Skilful dribbling, precise shooting, and strategic teamwork were on full display.
The Makana League aims to improve the level of play and cultivate a strong basketball culture that will continue to thrive within the community.
St Andrew’s v Kingswood College
In an electrifying display, St Andrew’s College clashed with Kingswood College in their basketball season opener, setting the stage for a day packed with thrilling competition.
As the teams faced off at Kingswood, the roaring crowd was treated to a day of intense rivalry. St Andrew’s managed to secure victories across all their fixtures, showcasing their team cohesion. The 1st team battled it out in an intense overtime period to secure the win.