DAY 1 | BALLING | Oranje remains unbeaten while Saints shock Eunice
The opening day of the 2024 Balling Hockey Festival in Bethlehem delivered upsets and goals, with teams seeking to hit their stride quickly in preparation for the new season.
The tournament is hosted at three venues, the Marlé Claasen Astro at Voortrekker, New Horizon College, and Hoërskool Witteberg.
Bloemfontein’s Oranje was quickly into the swing of things on Friday and won both of their matches.
Gyster van Schalkwyk’s side made a positive start to their season, with a convincing 3-0 win over St John’s DSG in the third match of the day at the Marlé Claasen Astro.
That match was followed by a showdown between St Stithians College and Eunice High. The Bloemfontein lasses had ended 2023 ranked number one in the country, but Saints showed character and grit to get one over their highly regarded opponents.
Coach Lance Louw’s side entered the match as the underdogs, but they soon showed they were up for the challenge. At half-time, the teams were level at 1-1.
After the break, the Johannesburg side struck three times while conceding only once to claim a significant 4-2 victory. Later, though, they ran into an assured Oranje and were well beaten.
St Anne’s also got the ball rolling in the right direction with victories over Voortrekker and Beaulieu College respectively.
There was also a win for their fellow-KZN school, Epworth, who outplayed Graaff-Reinet’s Union High 3-0. Union also went down to Hoërskool Sasolberg, and they’ll be chasing their first goals of the season on Saturday after conceding five in their two games on Thursday.
At the New Horizon College Astro, Noordheuwel and St Dominic’s College were the teams on fire.
Norries claimed wins against the Epworth and Oranje second teams, while St Dominic’s made light work of Witteberg and Potchefstroom Volkskool.
Day two begins with a clash between Potchefstroom Volkskool, and Union High at 07:00, at Voortrekker, while the Oranje second stringers take on Wykeham at the New Horizon Astro.
Results: Day 1
Marle Claassen Astro | Voortrekker
St Anne’s 3-1 Voortrekker
Hoerskool Sasolburg 2-0 Union High School
Oranje 3-0 St John’s DSG
Potchefstroom Volkskool 1-1 Oranje II
St Stithians College 4-2 Eunice
Beaulieu 1-1 Wykeham
Voortrekker 1-1 St John’s DSG
Epworth 3-0 Union High
St Anne’s 3-2 Beaulieu
Oranje 10-0 St Stithians College
Eunice 4-2 Wykeham
New Horizon Astro:
Noordheuwel 4-0 Epworth
Noordheuwel 4-3 Oranje II
Hoerskool Sasolburg 3-1 Witteberg
Monument 4-0 Our Lady Fatima
St Dominic’s College 4-0 Witteberg
St Dominic’s College 3-0 Potchefstroom Volkskool
Day 2 | Saturday, 24 February 2024
Marle Claassen Astro | Voortrekker
07:00 – Potchefstroom Volkskool vs Union HS; 07:55 – Epworth vs St Dominic’s College; 08:50 – Voortrekker vs Oranje; 10:40 – St Anne’s vs Noordheuwel; 11:35 – Monument vs Witteberg; 12:30 – St John’s DSG vs Eunice; 13:25 – Oranje vs Noordheuwel; 14:20 – Voortrekker vs St Stithians College; 15:15 – Eunice vs St Anne’s; 16:10 – Beaulieu vs St John’s DSG
New Horizon Astro
07:00 – Oranje II vs Wykeham; 07:55 – Our Lady of Fatima vs Hoërskool Sasolburg; 10:40 – Beaulieu vs St Stithians College; 11:35 – Union HS vs Oranje II; 12:30 – Potchefstroom Volkskool vs Epworth; 13:25 – Hoërskool Sasolburg vs Wykeham; 15:15 – Witteberg vs Our Lady of Fatima; 16:10 – Monument vs St Dominic’s College
