Central Gauteng A edges out Western Province A to clinch u16 girls’ IPT crown
The Central Gauteng girls’ u16 A team walked away the winners of the 2024 Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament after a successful defence of their title against Western Province A in East London on Wednesday.
Province’s Holly Binneman got the scoreboard ticking five minutes into the game.
But Cadha Mosehla responded with a great finish for the Gauteng side to make it 1-1. It stayed that way for a couple of minutes before Jenna Blaauw struck twice for Central Gauteng to move her side into a 3-1 lead.
Soon though, their advantage had been reduced to a single goal. After a Gauteng attack was repelled, Charlotte Wiltshire quickly netted to make it 3-2. It was a tight clash as finals should be.
Mosehla, who was selected to represent South Africa at the World Aquatics Women’s u16 Water Polo Championships earlier in the year, then picked out Isabella Duffy with a smart pass and she made it count, putting coach Masibonge Namba’s team two goals clear again.
In the second half, Western Province, who trailed 2-6, pulled a goal back before Blaauw, again, netted for Central Gauteng. Their goalie, Kuhlesibonge Buthelezi, pulled off some big saves, which helped Central Gauteng take a 7-3 lead into the fourth chukka.
Western Province was far from done, however, and Charlotte Wiltshire rattled Buthelezi’s cage to drag her side back into the contest. Mosehla replied to make it 8-4 to Central Gauteng.
Then, Summer-Lee Wain won and scored a penalty, and Emma Stevens added another for Province with a minute to play. Central Gauteng, though, stood firm until the final whistle to run out 8-6 winners.
Coach Masibonge Namba declared herself ecstatic with the win. “It’s a sense of relief and excitement. It is beautiful to see our hard work pay off,” she said.
“I am very proud of the girls. I told them, we defend first and attack second. The plan was to take it game by game and it just happens that we were unbeaten game by game,” she told SuperSport Schools Plus.
In last year’s final, Central Gauteng also beat KZN 8-4. Namba admitted that she had felt challenged to follow up that success with another title.
“I felt a lot of pressure because I was not their previous coach, so I already felt like there is a standard to keep and I am so proud that I was able to maintain that standard,” she said.
It was the perfect farewell gift for the Central Gauteng girls, all of whom will be graduating to the u19 ranks next year. Namba believes her players will fit in well in the older age group.
“This was the last time they got to play together like this,” she shared. “Before, I told them not to make this a sad moment and let us make it a beautiful moment.
“It was a privilege to still be unbeaten and that was amazing, I think they will fit in so beautifully in the u19 programme. I believe they are ready for it,” she concluded.
In other matches, KwaZulu Natal A beat Buffalo City 7-3 to claim the bronze medals, while Nelson Mandela Bay finished fifth after sneaking past Zimbabwe in a shootout which went 3-1 in favour of the Eastern Cape side after the teams had shared 14 goals in regulation time.
Seventh went to Central Gauteng B, who got the better of Western Province B, also in a penalty shootout. The rivals played to a 6-6 draw before the inland team won 2-1 from the spot.
Ninth place went to KwaZulu Natal B after they comfortably beat Eastern Gauteng 13-3.
SCORES
Final – Central Gauteng A 8: Jenna Blaauw (3), Cadha Mosehla (3), Isabella Duffy (2). Western Province A 6: Charlotte Wiltshire (2), Holli Binneman (2), Emma Stevens (1). Summer-Lee Wain (1).
3rd/4th – KwaZulu Natal A 7: Kiera Sim (1), Gabriella Snyman (1), Bailey Bartlett (1), Hannah Savage (1), Inez Letschert (1), Lindelwa Mkhwanazi (1), Farrann Elliot (1). Buffalo City 3: Jenna Botha (3), Megan Phillips (1).
5th/6th – Zimbabwe 8 (1): Katie Gripper (5), Rayne Nichole (2), Cameron Bunnett (1). Nelson Mandela Bay 8 (3): Olivia Attwell (3), Jamie Brown (2), Casey Williamson (1), Megan Sheard (1), Alexandra Ovendale (1).
7th/8th – Western Province B 6: Olivia Nejthardt (2), Samantha Miller (1), Aimee Johnson (1), Genevieve Ward (1). Central Gauteng B 6: Katie Townley (3), Clea Ellens (2), Brynlee van den Berg (1).
9th/10th – Eastern Gauteng 3: Leyla Langner (1), Chiara Kriel (1), Camryn Thornton 91. KwaZulu Natal B 13: Danya Thompson (3), Lara Rowe (3), Tayla Prato (2), Petz Mazery (2), Raquel Cairns (1), Kate Truter (1), Grace Holloway-Mulder (1).
