There was no shortage of suspense and drama on a beautiful day in Johannesburg as the eight competitors for the title as best team in South Africa were halved through some great action and Drama.
Women’s A Section
Northern Blues 9-0 SG Witsies
The Northern Blues were the clear favourites and not only lived up to that billing but delivered brilliantly in that regard. SA Hockey5s star Marguerite van Wyk bagged a hat-trick while Hanrie Louw continued her fine goal scoring form with a brace. On her birthday Izelle Cilliers also score while the Fourie sisters shared the final three goals with Cerian getting two and Tegan the one. This team are in fine form and it will take a brilliant performance from Southern Gauteng in the Semi-Final to stop them.
North West 0-1 Southern Gauteng
Which is exactly what they produced in their Quarter Final against North West. They came into the game as they underdogs having finished third in their pool. But another brilliant defensive performance set the platform from which they could pinch the game. Kiara Meyer scored for the hosts in the 18th minute and they answered every question asked after that in their march to the Semi-Finals.
South Africa U21 6-1 Free State
They continue to impress in the tournament as the SA Youngsters have secured a semi-final. Six different goal scorers including Taheera Augousti, Amber Fairon, Tara Pakendorf, Ntsopa Mokoena, Caylin Maree and Rea Phume. Izaiah April scored for Free State but they were no match for the exciting attacking flair on display from the junior national team.
KZN Raiders (2) 1-1 (3) Western Province
The defending champions were made to work incredibly hard in an absolute juggernaut of a game. Correen Matthee gave Province an early lead but Cailynn den Bakker levelled matters. 1-1 at half time incredibly became 1-1 at Full time as neither side could break the barrier of the opposition and it would be a shootout to decide the winner. With Raiders having missed one in the third round of the shootout Rebecca Kaps was given the opportunity to win it for Province and she made no mistake securing a place in the semi-final.
Women’s A Section – Fixtures – 13 September
09:45 – 5-8 – KZN Raiders vs. Free State
13:15 – SF – Western Province vs. South Africa U21
16:45 – SF – Southern Gauteng vs. Northern Blues
17:15 – 5-8 – North West vs. SG Witsies
Men’s A Section
South Africa U21 4-2 WP Peninsula
The SA Under 21 men knew they would be in for a test against the talented Peninsula team. Jaydon Brooker was the star of the show netting twice in the opening quarter. James Flint, his Junior World Cup team mate, pulled one back for Pens before Brooker made it 3 for him and the National side. Ross Montgomery brough the game to life in the final ten minutes when he made it 3-2 but Jamie Seale finally put the game to bed with a 57th minute strike to seal a 4-2 win.
Western Province 2-0 Eastern Province
Few would have predicted this game to be as tight as it was. Especially after Western Province cantered into a two-goal lead inside the first seven minutes through SA indoor pair Idrees Abdulla and Hans Neethling. But their attack didn’t really click again after that. Eastern Province did have a couple of chances but were unable to find the back of the net and it was the Western Province that advanced.
KZN Raiders 2-3 Northern Blues
A bad day for KZN Raiders as the men followed the women out of the tournament. They were the fancied team here having finished second in their pool but they were caught napping early on by a Brad Sherwood double strike for the Blues. Tyler Tomsett pulled one back before Sherwood completed his hat-trick and re-established the two-goal lead. Ethan Biggar made it 3-2 with ten minutes remaining but the Raiders couldn’t find the goal to level matters and will now play for 5-8.
Southern Gauteng 4-1 SG Witsies
The most straight forward result of the four games as the power and might of the hosts was too much for their “B” side. A scintillating second quarter saw Liam Hermanus open the scoring for Southerns before Witsies restored parity when Dechlan Bennett scored. That equal footing lasted just two minutes as first Marvin Simons and then Ross Breytenbach found the back of the net to make it 3-1 at the break. There was one final goal for Sanele Mchunu in the final quarter of a game that lost a bit of its sting in the second half.
Men’s A Section – Fixtures – 13 September
08:00 – 5-8 – Eastern Province vs. WP Peninsula
11:30 – SF – Western Province vs. South Africa U21
15:00 – SF – Southern Gauteng vs. Northern Blues
15:30 – 5-8 – KZN Raiders vs. SG Witsies
by South Africa
