Unbeatens, Western Province A and Central Gauteng A, in girls’ u16 final
Following a successful run in the group stages, Western Province A and the 2023 champions, Central Gauteng A, have booked a date in the final of the girls’ u16 section of the 2024 Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament.
Central Gauteng A lived up to expectations. The reigning champions scored four comfortable victories on their way to reaching the title game.
In their opener, they thumped Eastern Gauteng 25-0, and they followed that up by cruising to a 17-5 victory over KwaZulu-Natal B. Next, they beat Nelson Mandela Bay 10-4. Then, they completed their group assignments by rolling to a 14-2 win over Western Province B.
On Tuesday, in the quarterfinals, they brushed aside Zimbabwe, winning 13-2. Cadha Mosehla led the way, scoring three times for Gauteng.
Matters were a whole lot tougher in the semifinals, where Masibonge Namba‘s side survived a scare from a gritty KwaZulu-Natal A side. Both sides had to dig deep, but Central Gauteng, eventually, escaped with an 8-7 win. In 2023, they beat KZN in the final, winning 8-4.
Meanwhile, Western Province A who finished in third place last year, downed KwaZulu-Natal A 9-5 in a Pool B clash, and handily dealt with Zimbabwe, winning 11-3 to to reach the quarterfinals.
The Western Cape girls were nothing short of amazing in the last eight, where they subjected KwaZulu-Natal B to a 25-7 hammering. That put them into the semi-finals where they outplayed Buffalo City 18-7.
KwaZulu-Natal A will take on the hosts for the bronze medal on Wednesday after scoring a 15-8 win over Western Province B. Zimbabwe and Nelson Mandela Bay will do battle for fifth place.
There’ll be a rivalry showdown for seventh place between Western Province B and Central Gauteng B, while ninth place will be decided between Eastern Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal B.
SCORES
Zimbabwe 2: Rebecca Winsor (1), Natasha Chaniwa. Central Gauteng 13: Cadha Mosehla (3), Jenna Blaauw (2), Gabriella Morell (2), Annna Springer (2), Annabelle Morton (1), Rylee Rogers (1), Danielle Sassenberg (1), Isabella Duffy (1).
Western Province B 8: Samantha Miller (2), Lauren Helm (2), Sophie Maurel (1), Skyla Hvidsten (1), Aimee Johnson (1), Olivia Nejthardt (1). KwaZulu-Natal A 15: Erin Mayoss (3), Hanna Savage (3), Isabella Stephenson (2), Kate Sardi (1), Kiera Browning (1), Kiera Sim (1), Bailey Bartlett (1), Gabriella Synman (1), Inex Letschert (1), Farrann Elliot (1).
KwaZulu-Natal B 7: Danya Thompsom (4), Riley Coetzee (3). Western Province A 25: Holly Stydom (6), Jemma Pearse (5), Tess Anderson (4) Charlotte Wiltshire (4), Olivia Figaji (2), Holly Binneman (2), Jade Jarvis (1) Summer-Lee Wain (1).
Buffalo City 11: Kara Batting (5), Jenna Botha (2), Quinn Carr (2), Janey-Heather Wood (1), Megan Phillips (1). Nelson Mandela Bay 8: Olivia Attwell (4), Lucy Nagel (2), Jamie Brown (1), Alexandra Ovendale (1).
Zimbabwe 23: Katie Gripper (4), Asante Ali (4), Rebbeca Winsor (3), Taya Gray (3), Rayne Nichole (2), Tori Dawe (2), Amelie Mtongwiza (1), Peyton Wishart (1), Ava Isselbacher (1), Cameron Bunnett (1), Natasha Chaniwa (1). Eastern Gauteng 4: Emma Davies (2), Bontle Semma (1), Sophie Martell (1).
KwaZulu-Natal B 5: Riley Coetzee (3), Lwanda Mabandla (1), Megan Whitfield (1). Central Gauteng B 7: Bryblee Van De Berg (5), Clea Ellenes (1), Emely Townley (1).
Central Gauteng A 8: Gabrielle Morrell (2), Cadha Mosehla (2), Jenna Blaauw (2),Danielle Sassenberg (1), Isabella Duffy (1). KwaZulu-Natal A 7: Hannah Savage (4), Farranann Elliot (2), Isabella Stephenson (1).
Western Province 18: Holly Strydom (6), Jemma Pearse (4), Jade Jarvis (2), Nina Wides (1), Abigail Weatherall (1). Buffalo City 7: Kara Batting (7), Jenna Botha (2).
Western Province B: 5: Oliva Nejthardt (1), Sammantha Miller (1), Cara Brink (1), Lauren Helm (1). Zimbabwe 9: Katie Gripper (3), Natasha Chaniwa (2), Taya Gray (2), Ava Isselbacher (2).
Nelson Mandela Bay 14: Olvia Attwell (5), Alexandra Ovendale (5), Megan Sheard (4). Central Gauteng B 3: Clea Ellens (1), Brynlee Van De Berg (1), Emily Townley (1).
Playoff Fixtures, Wednesday, 11 December
07:00: Eastern Gauteng vs KwaZulu-Natal B, 9th/10th, Selborne Primary
09:00: KwaZulu-Natal A v Buffalo City, 3rd/4th, Selborne Primary
09:30: Central Gauteng A vs Western Province A, Final, Joan Harrison East Pool
11:00: Zimbabwe vs Nelson Mandela Bay, 5th/6th, Selborne Primary
12:00: Western Province B vs Central Gauteng B, 7th/8th, Joan Harrison West Pool
