Pearson u16 girls’ teams crowned Investec champs on home turf
While some of South Africa’s top girls’ hockey teams gathered in East London for the Synsport Greg Beling Festival over the weekend, Pearson High School hosted the u16 Investec Hockey Tournament, in Gqeberha.
The event, in its third edition, began on Friday and, after over 90 matches had been played across three days, concluded with the A- and B-section finals on Sunday.
Pearson’s u16A and u16B sides did just enough to claim the respective titles in front of their supporters.
The u16A team, led by coach Ignatius Malgraf, defeated Clarendon High School for Girls 2-1 in a penalty shootout after the title game had ended in a goalless draw.
Pearson’s journey to the final was impressive. During the pool stages, they defeated Victoria Girls’ High, Alexander Road, and Woodridge College, winning all three matches 4-0, before beating Hudson Park 2-1.
Reacting to his team’s performances, Malgraf said he was pleased with how they dug deep, particularly in the final against Clarendon.
“I’m absolutely proud of the team. It was a tough game, and we knew it would come down to fine margins,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“The composure and resilience the players showed, especially in those final moments, was outstanding. They dug deep, stuck to the game plan, and showed real character to get over the line, despite not scoring any goals during regular time.”
While tactics played a major role in helping the team get over the line, coach Malgraf believes the team culture and the players’ desire to fight for each other helped them secure the win.
“Our team culture played a massive role,” he opined. “The bond these girls share is something special. It allows them to work seamlessly together, both on and off the field.
“That trust and unity showed in how they supported each other, lifted each other during tough moments, and ultimately found a way to get over the line. This group thrives on playing for one another, and that was the difference in those tight games.”
It was, indeed, a collective effort from the side, but there were some standout players. Emma Potgieter, Hannah Du Plooy, Jemma Esterhuysen, Caitlyn George, and goalkeeper Megan Measures made telling contributions to Pearon’s title-winning efforts, and they showed composure during the shootout, delivering when it mattered the most.
While there was joy for the A-team, the Pearson u16B side also etched their names into the history books by capturing the B-Section honours for the first time.
Coach Abby Fouché’s team was dominant and ruthless during the pool stages, scoring a healthy 14 goals in four matches.
They suffered a defeat against Clarendon, but that mattered little as they had already secured a play-off spot. They then thumped Kingswood College 4-0 in the last eight before avenging their earlier loss against Clarendon, scoring a 1-0 victory in the semifinals.
That win set up a final against their town rivals, Collegiate Girls’ High. In the title decider, Pearson won 2-0.
“I am so proud of what my girls achieved this weekend,” Fouché told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“We went into the weekend to get a medal placement, and every girl in the team fought for every game and showed me their dedication and determination to come out on top.”
Fouché’s side was free-flowing and free-scoring. They were also rock-solid at the back, conceding just one goal all tournament long.
The coach praised some of her standout players. “My player of the tournament was Alexi Du Plessis,” she shared. “Alexi used her skill to tuck and run the baseline, as well as Ruby Andrews, who was our most skilled link, and she scored nine goals in the tournament, including a penalty flick in the final.
“Our skipper, Madison Louw, was able to control the game and keep the girls’ spirits up while scoring an amazing goal in the final against Collegiate, she concluded.
RESULTS
u16A
Pearson High 4-0 Victoria Girls’ High
Pearson High 2-1 Hudson Park
Pearson High 4-0 Alexander Road
Pearson High 4-0 Woodridge College (Quarterfinal)
Pearson High 3-2 Hudson Park (Semi-final)
Pearson High (2) 0-0 (1) Clarendon
u16B
Pearson High 6-0 vs Westering
Pearson High 6-0 to Victoria Girls’ High
Pearson High 0-1 Clarendon
Pearson High 4-0 Nico Malan
Pearson High 4-0 Kingswood (Quarterfinals)
Pearson High 1-0 Clarendon (Semi-finals)
Pearson High 2-0 Collegiate (Final)
