Big guns dominate day one of Reef Cup
Top seeds’ St David’s Marist Inanda, Michaelhouse, St Alban’s College, Affies and Kearsney College, drilled 193 goals and conceded only 34 as they established dominance on day one of the Reef Cup Water Polo Invitational Tournament. The four-day event, which runs from Thursday, 29 February, to Sunday, 3 February, is being hosted by St Stithians College.
First out of the blocks was Michaelhouse. The KwaZulu-Natal outfit had difficulty in gearing up for the 2024 season due to inclement weather in the midlands, but that did not show once they hit the water. The Graeme Lucas-Bull–coached outfit was as ruthless and clinical as their coach could have asked them to be in their first match. They overran a hapless Beaulieu College by 24 goals to one.
In the afternoon, the KZN side came up against an optimistic Grey College team that had overcome St Benedict’s College 10-6 earlier the day. Captain Luke Davidson and his teammates had no trouble overcoming the Bloemfontein-based team by 15 goals to three.
St Alban’s was next in line, trouncing Falcon College 19-3. Last year’s semi-finalists were in fine form. After their victory over Falcon, they also overran Reddam House Helderfontein 11-6.
Affies is on course for at least a quarterfinal slot or better, after a strong start to the tournament. The Juan-Claud Tribelhorn-coached side reached the quarters in 2023 and finished second at the Grey College ITEC Tournament earlier this month. Affies made light work of their opener against Crawford College (Lonehill), dismissing them 19-3. Then, the Pretoria school returned to register another double-digit win in the afternoon, thumping Rand Park 24-5.
Last year’s beaten finalists, St David’s Marist Inanda, began the tournament in a similar manner to their start in 2023, with a comprehensive win over Parktown, whom they dispatched 20-1. Dean Whyte’s charges stayed true to their coach’s promise that they were out to redeem themselves after narrowly losing to St Andrew’s in last year’s title-decider.
St David’s reaffirmed their intentions in the late afternoon with a 16-3 win over Woodridge College.
Last year, Kearsney duked it out with Affies for the fifth and sixth positions after a commendable run in the tournament. They lost that closely contested encounter 6-7. The KZN side has arrived, however, at this year’s edition rejuvenated by an injection of new blood into the side.
Coached by Cameron Miller, the boys from Botha’s Hill made their intentions crystal clear when they dismembered Crawford 29-3. To show that their form of the morning was no fluke, Kearsney defeated St Peter’s 16-6 in the afternoon round of matches.
The competition will heat up on day two when some of the tournament’s high-fliers will meet and battle for supremacy as each team charts its course to the title.
Pools
Pool A
Beaulieu College (Boys) (Johannesburg)
Grey College (Bloemfontein)
Michaelhouse (KwaZulu-Natal)
Reddam Bedfordview (Johannesburg)
St Benedict’s College (Johannesburg)
Pool B
Durban High School (Durban)
Falcon College (Zimbabwe)
St Alban’s College (Pretoria)
Reddam Helderfontein (Johannesburg)
Steyn City School (Johannesburg)
Pool C
Affies (Pretoria)
Crawford College Lonehill (Johannesburg)
Kearsney College (Botha’s Hill)
Rand Park High (Johannesburg)
St Peter’s College (Johannesburg)
Pool D
Glenwood High (Durban)
Parktown Boys High (Johannesburg)
Reddam House Umhlanga (Durban)
St David’s Marist Inanda (Johannesburg)
Woodridge College (Eastern Cape)
RESULTS
Michaelhouse 24-1 Beaulieu
St Alban’s 19-3 Falcon College
Affies 19-3 Crawford
Glenwood 21-5 Reddam Umhlanga
St Benedict’s 6-10 Grey College
DHS 10-7 Reddam Helderfontein
St Peter’s 23-5 Rand Park
St David’s 20-1 Parktown Boys
Beaulieu College 7-14 Reddam Bedfordview
Falcon College 4-8 Steyn City School
Crawford 3-29 Kearsney
Reddam Umhlanga 5-15 Woodridge
Michaelhouse 15-3 Grey College
St Alban’s 11-6 Reddam Helderfontein
Affies 24-5 Rand Park
Glenwood 12-8 Parktown Boys
St Benedict’s 6-2 Reddam Bedfordview
DHS 15-3 Steyn City School
St Peter’s 6-16 Kearsney
St David’s 16-3 Woodridge
FIXTURES
Friday
07:00 – (B#21) Grey College vs Reddam Bedfordview; 07:00 – (B#22) Reddam Helderfontein vs Steyn City School; 07:00 – (B#23) Rand Park vs Kearsney; 07:50 – (B#24) Parktown vs Woodridge; 08:40 – (B#25) St Benedict’s vs Beaulieu ; 09:30 – (B#26) DHS vs Falcon; 09:30 – (B#27) St Peter’s vs Crawford; 09:30 – (B#28) St David’s vs Reddam Umhlanga; 11:10 – (B#29) Michaelhouse vs Reddam Bedfordview; 11:10 – (B#30) St Alban’s vs Steyn City School; 12:00 – (B#31) Affies vs Kearsney; 12:00 – (B#32) Glenwood vs Woodridge; 13:40 (B#33) Grey College vs Beaulieu; 13:40 – (B#34) Reddam Helderfontein vs Falcon; 13:40 – (B#35) Rand Park vs Crawford; 14:30 – (B#36) Parktown vs Reddam Umhlanga; 15:20 – (B#37) Michaelhouse vs St Benedict’s; 16:10 – (B#38) St Alban’s vs DHS; 16:10 – (B#39) Affies vs St Peter’s; 16:10 – (B#40) St David’s vs Glenwood.
Saturday
07:00 – (B#41) Group A2 vs Group B3; 07:00 – (B#42) Group B2 vs Group A3; 07:00 – (B#43) Group C2 vs Group D3; 07:50 – (B#44) Group D2 vs Group C3; 08:40 – (B#45) Group A5 vs Group B4; 09:30 – (B#46) Group A4 vs Group B5; 09:30 – (B#47) Group C5 vs Group D4; 09:30 – (B#48) Group C4 vs Group D5; 11:10 – (B#49) Group A1 vs Winner Game 43; 11:10 – (B#50) Winner Game 44 vs Group B1; 12:00 – (B#51) Winner 41 vs Group C1; 12:00 – (B#52) Group D1 vs Winner 42; 13:40 – (B#53) Loser Game 45 vs Loser 47; 13:40 (B#54) Loser 46 vs Loser 48; 14:30 – (B#55) Loser 43 vs Loser 41; 14:30 – (B#56) Loser 44 vs Loser 42; 15:20 – (B#57) Winner 47 vs Winner 45; 16:10 – (B#58) Winner 50 vs Winner 49; 16:10 – (B#59) Winner 46 vs Winner 48; 17:00 – (B#60) Winner 52 vs Winner 51; 17:00 – (B#61) Loser 50 vs Loser 49; 18:40 – (B#62) Loser 52 vs Loser 51.
Sunday
07:00 – (B#63) Loser 53 vs Loser 54; 07:00 – (B#64) Winner 53 vs Winner 54; 07:00 – (B#65) Loser 57 vs Loser 59; 08:40 – (B#66) Winner 57 vs Winner 59; 08:40 – (B#67) Loser 55 vs Loser 56; 08:40 – (B#68) Winner 55 vs Winner 56; 10:20 – (B#69) Loser 62 vs Loser 61; 10:20 – (B#70) Winner 62 vs Winner 61; 10:20 – (B#71) Loser 60 vs Loser 58; 12:10 – (B#72 – Winner 60 vs Winner 58.
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