Zwartkop and Jeppe dominate friendlies
As the build-up to the highly anticipated Noordvaal hockey tournament gains momentum, teams across the region are using friendly matches to sharpen their skills and their strategies.
On Wednesday, in friendlies, Hoërskool Zwartkop and Jeppe High School for Boys both registered dominant victories.
In Pretoria, Zwartkop faced off against Potchefstroom Gimnasium in a spirited clash.
Zwarries were intent on delivering a commanding performance and they achieved that, winning 3-0. From the first whistle, they controlled the match and were able to apply consistent pressure on their opponents.
Their goals, all clinically finished, came courtesy of Douw Nel, Ha’ris van der Merwe, and Roland Scheepers.
“It was a tough one to play first after the winter break, especially with limited preparation and with Potch Gim being the NWU-Sport Championship winners,” Zwartkop Director of Hockey Marthinus Gouws told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“Both sides were rusty, and it could be seen in the first half of the game. Even with the victory and a better second half performance, we need to step up a lot if we are going to perform at Noordvaal.”
Zwartkop will continue their preparations with three matches before the end of the month. Their first outing will be against Merensky Landbou Akademie, on Friday. Then, they face Sandbach School, from the UK, on Monday, 28 July. They’ll complete the month with a challenging showdown against Die Hoërskool Menlopark.
Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, Jeppe High School for Boys delivered another goal-fest for their fans when they took on Helpmekaar Kollege on Wednesday.
Jeppe, unbeaten in 2025, bossed the contest and ran out 6-0 winners, with Jayden da Silva, Juan Martin, captain Ethan Kapanda, Ezray Stadt, Adam Lacy, and Tshimo Mogale all finding the back of the net.
While most would consider SACS to again be the top team in the country, Jeppe is the only other team in that conversation and that speaks volumes about the exceptional season they have put together under coach Siya Sityana.
