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DHS and Westville set for a showdown at The Coliseum

By Keith Fairweather , in Hockey | Featured Hockey | News , at 2024-04-05

The highlight of this weekend’s schoolboys’ hockey fixtures in KwaZulu-Natal will be a showdown between Durban High School (DHS) and Westville Boys’ High School. A good crowd is expected at The Coliseum, the DHS floodlit astroturf, at 18:30 on Friday evening.

Cam Mackay, the experienced and astute Westville coach is looking forward to Friday night’s classic clash: “Our Coastal Cup Festival went well; we had good results across the board and certainly feel ready to take on the season,” he said.

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“DHS will be a really tough game, especially at DHS. They are a great team this year and they have so many game-changers that can influence the game.

“We are definitely up for the challenge and will go in as underdogs which, I think, is a good tag for the boys. Hopefully the game lives up to the hype.”

Keegan Hezlett, the new DHS first team coach, has enjoyed a good start to the season. His side was unbeaten at the Coastal Cup, and they also recorded a hard-fought 1-0 win over a very good Kearsney College side, at Kearsney, at the end of the first term, which few teams manage.

Hezlett feels his team is well prepared and he is expecting a wonderful game between two talented, well structured, and skilful teams.

Kyle Emerson, the wise Maritzburg College first team coach, is full of praise for his young squad, which has grown in confidence and cohesion. At the recent Nomads and KES Festivals, his charges started to assert themselves. However, he has lamented a few unfortunate injuries which have affected the selection of his team for their game against Glenwood.

Nonetheless, he is confident his team’s good ball retention, well-structured and high pressing game, will reap rewards against the Durban school.

Ipeleng Mosupye, the courageous College captain, received his 50th cap at the KES Festival. Coach Emerson was complimentary about Mosupye’s leadership and that of the other experienced leaders in the team, who have shown their versatility in playing different positions, and who have also helped College’s younger players adjust to first team hockey.

Glenwood’s coaches, Braydon Naidoo and Michael Labuschagne, are quietly confident going into the fixture, after a successful time at the Saints Sports Festival.

“I am excited for the fixture and look forward to a really good afternoon of some quality hockey,” Naidoo said.

The home side’s coaches will, no doubt, be urging their Glenwood first team to be bold and courageous on their home turf.

If they can start well and defend collectively, maintain good discipline and communication when they don’t have the ball, Glenwood could then use their explosive counter attacks to put College under pressure.

If the visitors score early, they could face an uphill battle against a College team that has shown that stringing together five or six passes in a phase will bring them opportunities to score and dominate.

TEAMS

DHS

1 Dilan Ebrahim, 2 Bhavesh Naicker, 3 Ruben Peters, 4 Lethabo Bogacwi, 5 Mahlatse Sebake, 6 Sithsaba Siyoyo, 7 Lumi Matwele, 8 Nathi Jona, 9 Tyrique Cloete, 10 Josh Mungherera, 11 Lethabo Matobela

Semal Pillay, Sihle Sogoni, Lubanzi Zulu, Josh van Biljon, Christopher Abrahams

Westville

1 Ameron Moses, 2 Max Robertson, 3 Kaeden McAllister, 4 Nicolas Ackerman, 5 Owen Slack, 6 Curt Rogers, 7 Josh Beck, 8 Sibusiso Cele, 11 Seth Simpson, 13 Thabo Dlamini, 14 Roxton Payne

20 Bryce Powell-Rees, 12 Misbah Nair, 18 Tyhil Naidoo, 9 Heath Stott, 19 Bo Mokoena

Maritzburg College

1 Nick Holmes, 2 Ethan Fabre, 3 Awanda Mthalane, 4 Siwa Sithembu, 5 Rory Schirge, 6 Ipeleng Mosupye, 7 Julian Konigkramer, 8 Kadin Jenkins, 9 Greg Askew, 10 Banele Dlamini, 11 Ethan Maynard, 12 Matthew Smith, 13 Tai Fulton, 14 Noah Jackson, 15 Brett Hosking, 16 Andile Lembethe

Glenwood

1 Caleb Hendrikse, 2 Braigen Yunnie, 3 Sibani Mtolo, 4 Qhama Dyakopou, 5 Siya Malatjie (c), 6 Mlondi Nyawose, 7 Ntando Soni, 8 Krian Jugoo, 9 Sibonelo Phewa, 10 Ryder Chislett, 11 Jared Gallagher, 12 Murray Wicks, 13 Ezile Makhatini, 14 Kaden Henderson, 15 Xaydon Kariko

error: Sorry ol' chap, those shenanigans are not permissible.