Gauteng teams grab the spotlight as APBSA Festival ends
Following three days of tightly contested football at King Edward VII School (KES), the inaugural Association of Public Boys’ Schools of South Africa (APBSA) Football Festival wrapped up on Thursday.
The evented was dominated by the Gauteng schools, who excelled in the familiar high-altitude conditions.
Parktown Boys’ High, Pretoria Boys High, Jeppe High School for Boys, St David’s Marist Inanda, and the host, KES, were among the teams that excelled.
Prior to the festival, some of those sides might have been concerned about their match fitness, as most Gauteng schools hadn’t yet started their football season. They faced competition from schools that had been actively playing since the second term began, including Northwood, Grey College, and Dale College, but they arrived well-prepared and eager to compete, and they were up to the tasks awaiting them.
On Thursday, Parktown Boys’ High secured a 2-1 victory over Grey College, while Pretoria Boys High concluded the festival with a 3-0 win over Dale College. Both Gauteng teams went unbeaten.
Jeppe wrapped up the festival with a 1-1 draw against Rondebosch Boys’ High, and St David’s also ended the festival with a scoreless draw against Northwood. The host, KES, finished their fixtures with a 2-1 win over Queen’s College.
Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), who had struggled to find their best form in the early going, finished with a flourish, beating Springs Boys’ High 2-0.
St Andrew’s School, another side that hadn’t yet engaged top gear, found it on Thursday and overpowered Potchefstroom Boys’ High 4-0 with an outstanding performance.
Results
Paul Roos 2-0 Springs’ Boys’ High
Rondebosch Boys’ High 1-1 Jeppe
St Andrew’s School 4-0 Potchefstroom Boys’ High
Pretoria Boys High 3-0 Dale College
Parktown Boys’ High 2-1 Grey College
St David’s 0-0 Northwood
KES 2-1 Queen’s College
