Reddam House Waterfall’s storybook season highlighted by Graetz League win
The past hockey season was a highly rewarding one for Reddam House Waterfall. In their first year of competing in the A-Section of the Graetz League, they went all the way to the title.
Led by coach Tetelo Maphaka and captain Thomas McMurdo, Reddam enjoyed a fairytale run in their first-ever season in the A Section, winning the majority of their matches and losing only once despite a demanding schedule.
In 2024, Reddam House Waterfall won the B-League. Incredibly, a year later, they hoisted the A-League trophy high after edging out Rand Park High in a tense final. It ended 1-1, but Reddam then triumphed 6-5 in a penalty shootout.
Coach Maphaka described the title-winning success as one of the school’s best achievements. “Winning the B-League last year and being promoted to the A-League was a great achievement for Reddam House Waterfall. But the cherry on top was winning the A League in our very first season,” he said.
“Beaulieu College had been champions for two consecutive years, so to dethrone them made this victory even more special.”
In total, Reddam played 20 matches, winning 15, drawing four, and losing only one. Those successes took them through to the league final, which featured a round-robin competition among the top four teams. There. they stayed focused and composed and came away with the title.
“The highlight of the season was definitely winning the league in our final game,” Maphaka stated. “To see the boys lift the trophy after a shootout was incredible and, beyond that, having one of our learners, Qhawe Fipaza, selected to represent the Southern Gauteng U18C team was another proud moment for the school.”
For the team’s captain, Thomas McMurdo, the season was a reward for his commitment and dedication to the sport, and his leadership played a key role in the side’s outstanding results.
Looking back on the year, Reddam House Waterfall’s Director of Sport, Reece Prinsloo, praised the commitment of the players and staff.
“We are extremely proud of what the boys achieved this season,” he said. “To step up to the A-Section and win it straight away is no small feat.
“I want to thank our coaching staff and students for their relentless effort and passion throughout the campaign. We are excited to build on this success and look forward to an even bigger 2026.”
The next challenge that awaits Reddam House Waterfall is that of sustaining success. The building blocks are in place. Their successes have built belief. They’ve given the 2026 team all the motivation they could ask for to make next season another one to remember.
