All set for blast-off in the 2025 hockey season
The 2025 hockey season is about to take off, with many teams playing their first matches of the year this week.
While most are gearing up for their opening encounters, some sides have already got their seasons underway, and that includes St Benedict’s College and Jeppe High School for Boys, who met in Bedfordview on Saturday.
In an entertaining clash, Jeppe scored a 4-2 win. In other matches, Jeppe 2nds won 4-0, the u16A side scored a 6-0 win, and the u14A team powered its way to a 9-0 victory.
The early returns were good as the coaches guided their charges to a win after a hard-fought clash with Bennies.
In recent seasons, Jeppe has produced some outstanding hockey during which they’ve won the Aitken Cup and the Top 8 Trophy.
On Wednesday, they’ll take on St Stithians College, while St John’s College will begin their season against Cornwall Hill College.
The Johannesburg school has dominated their last three meetings with Cornwall, winning 1-0 last year, 3-0 in 2023, and 4-0 in 2022.
Parktown Boys’ High School after a strong season in 2024, which included finishing as the runner-up in the Aitken Cup, will be eager to build upon the optimism generated last year. Coach Kyle Reddy has declared himself “quite excited about the new season”, and he’ll see his side in full-on action for the first time on Friday, 14 March, against St Stithians.
There’ll be wholesale changes in the Parktown lineup with 12 players from last year’s side having matriculated.
King Edward VII School (KES) runs out for the first time on Saturday, 15 March against St John’s.
The neighbouring schools have produced some thrilling matches in recent seasons. Last year, the spoils were shared. In April, KES edged out St John’s 3-2, but St John’s won their most recent meeting 5-3, in May 2024.
St Alban’s College who finished last season with seven wins, three draws, and three defeats, travels from Pretoria to St Benedict’s College on Friday.
Coach Guy Elliott‘s side has played three preseason games, beating Parktown Boys’ High 1-0, drawing 0-0 with St John’s, and going down 0-2 against KES.
In Pretoria, on Saturday, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) takes on Helpmekaar.
Hoërskool Zwartkop visits the North West Province for a showdown with Klerkdorp High School.
