“Baker Ball” in motion as Paul Roos runs rampant against Paarl Gim
The term “Baker Ball” is one that hockey enthusiasts, parents, and Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) supporters have become accustomed to in Stellenbosch over the past year or so.
It describes the type of hockey PRG head coach and Director of Hockey, Michael Baker, wants his side to play.
It might sound complicated, but Baker himself would argue otherwise and tell you that his style of play is based around good defence, moving the ball quickly, having players who can run fast, pressing teams, and capitalising when opportunities are created.
That style of play was in motion on Friday night when they rolled to a dominant 6-2 victory over Paarl Gimnasium at the Maties AstroTurf.
It was a masterclass by the boys from Stellenbosch, who entered the game after claiming bronze at the Hibbert Shield, in Gqeberha, the week before.
Paarl Gim also has a strong side this year and they took home silver at the Hibbert Shield, so it was a showdown between two of the top sides in the country.
The occasion held extra significance for the home side, who made a guard of honour for their skipper, Christo Swanepoel, to celebrate his 100-plus games for the school.
He achieved the milestone at the Hibbert Shield against Maritzburg College, but, back at home, a special jersey handover was shared in front of his schoolmates, parents, and spectators.
Then, it was on to the game and Paarl Gim made a good start, with Ryan van der Merwe opening the scoring in the first chukka.
While it gave the visitors the lead, that goal also sparked Paul Roos to life and they quickly replied with two goals of their own, through Ruan Strauss and Caleb Cilliers, to take a 2-1 lead into the half-time break.
PRG kicked into gear in the third chukka, and when Seth Paterson and Callum van Oudtshoorn linked up to put Cilliers on goal, the home team looked well in control of the contest.
Gim has a never-say-die attitude, though, and they pulled one back through Stefan Wiehahn, who struck from the top of the D.
With a slim one-goal lead, Paul Roos lifted their intensity in the fourth chukka and that brought about rich rewards.
Van Oudtshoorn, who was a key conduit between the backs and forwards throughout the game, finally got his name onto the score sheet, and Charlie Boucher followed suit to make it 5-2.
That goal was especially meaningful. It was Boucher’s first in two-and-a-half years after he was ruled out of action because of a serious injury when he was playing u14 hockey.
Appropriately, Paul Roos skipper Christo Swanepoel completed the goal-scoring to seal an emphatic 6-2 win for the home side.
“It was a weird week in the build-up because I felt we didn’t do much wrong at Hibbert. I thought my boys played well,” coach Baker told SuperSport Schools Plus after the game.
“We just played against a really good team in the semis and lost to them in shootouts. But with the energy and chats going around, we were all of a sudden underdogs against Gim, so it wasn’t hard to find motivation.”
While PRG might’ve lent more on individual brilliance in the past, the 2025 side’s calling card is their teamwork, and that’s something that had pleased Baker.
“I’m proud of my boys because that performance represents how hard they work and how good they can be on their day,” he said.
“Again, we are getting some good results, and no one can pinpoint which individuals stand out for us because we truly are playing well as a unit. Just super proud of my boys.”
PRG will next shift their focus to Paarl Boys’ High, a much-improved team, who suffered a close 2-3 loss against Grey College on the weekend.
Paarl Gim, meanwhile, has a bye before returning to face Parel Vallei later this month.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW OTHER BOYS’ RESULTS FROM THE WESTERN CAPE.
