Upsets catch the spotlight in East London and Free State football leagues
Some surprising results caught the eye in schools’ football action in the Free State and the Eastern Cape during the past week, with Virginia High School and Dale College among the losers, but Grey College continued its strong season.
Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League (Friday fixtures)
On Friday, in a Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League, Virginia High was unexpectedly defeated 1-0 by St Anne’s Technical School, with Makume Molemela netting the decisive goal for St Anne’s.
Virginia High’s Soccer Manager, Lekhoba Ngakane, told SuperSport Schools Plus that the fixture between the two schools is always highly anticipated. St Anne’s, he said, is always a tough challenge.
St Anne’s is, also, often underestimated, but they possess one of the best football programmes in the Free State. In 2024, their u13 team finishing as the runner-up in the u13 National Kay Motsepe Schools Championship after a closely contested final against Laerskool Queenswood, from Gauteng, which ended in a 1-2 defeat for St Anne’s.
After four matches in the Magnficicent Wednesday Schools Football League in the circuit nine region, St Anne’s tops the table with 10 points, closely followed by the team they beat in the past week, Virginia High, which has nine points.
In other Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League matches, Harmony High defeated Marematlou Secondary School 4-1. Mamello Mokoena scored twice for Harmony High, with Buta Makutu and Kananelo Selake also contributing a goal each.
Following a challenging start to the season, it was Harmony High’s first victory following three defeats in succession.
B-Block BWFLA High School Soccer League (East London)
Dale College, whose football fortunes have ebbed and flowed in recent seasons, experienced a setback in their latest outing, going down 1-2 to Cathcart High School.
Stutterheim High School has risen to prominence over the past two years, and it is only a matter of time before the nation recognises their efforts, especially if they sustain their current level of performance.
On Wednesday, they won once more, defeating the Centre of Excellence 1-0, which extended their unbeaten streak in the league to six games, and earned them three points.
Selborne College secured a 2-1 win against Hudson Park High on Wednesday. On Friday, Hudson Park was back in action, taking on Merrifield College. This time, Hudson finished on the winning side, triumphing 3-1.
Merrfield had been in action the day before, playing to a goalless draw with George Randell High School.
Mangaung Schools Football League
Hindered by adverse weather conditions, the Mangaung Schools Football season has got off to a sluggish start.
On Friday, regrettably, another incident, not the weather this time, impacted the beautiful game, with most of the schools being unable to participate due to a South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (SADTU) mass meeting affecting fixtures. However, a few matches were played, with Grey College continuing their winning streak.
They handed Bloemfontein South High Secondary School a 3-1 defeat. That win was part of a gratifying week for Grey College, as they also advanced to the last 16 of the Curro Halala Cup after securing a 1-0 victory against Kyrios Independent School.
That victories places Grey among the final 16 teams that will compete in the Curro Halala Cup in August at HeronBridge, in Gauteng, alongside schools such as Clapham High, Glenwood High, Hillcrest High, and Navalsig.
In another Mangaung Schools Football League clash, Heatherdale Secondary A defeated Bloemfontein High School 2-0.
Kyrios Independent School, after their narrow loss to Grey, restored their confidence with a tight 1-0 victory over Sehunelo Secondary School.
Petunia Secondary School played to a 1-1 stalemate against Vulamasango High, while Grassland Secondary clinched a 3-2 victory over Kagisho Comprehensive Secondary.
Legae Commercial Secondary emerged victorious in their match against Dr. Block Secondary, winning 2-0, while Hodisa Secondary School clinched a close 2-1 win over Lereko Secondary.
RESULTS
Magnificent Wednesday Schools Football League (Free State)
Meloding 1-0 Mamello
Harmony High 4-1 Marematlou
St Anne’s 1-0 Virginia High
B-Block BWFLA High Schools Soccer League (East London)
Merrifield 0-0 George Randell High
Selborne College 2-1 Hudson
Cathcart High 2-1 Dale College
Stutterheim 1-0 Centre of Excellence
Hudson Park 3-1 Merrifield
Mangaung Schools Football league (Free State)
Heatherdale A Team 2-0 Bloemfontein High
Grey College 3-1 Bloemfontein South
Kyrios 1-0 Sehunelo
Petunia 1-1 Vulamasango
Grassland 3-2 Kagisho
Legae 2-0 Dr Blok
Hodisa 2-1 Lereko
