Gauteng and Western Province stamp their authority at Water Polo IPT
Central Gauteng A and Western Province A shot to the top of Pool A and Pool B respectively on Sunday, the first day of the u19 Girls’ Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) at St Stithians College.
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The host province, Central Gauteng A, is hunting for a fourth consecutive IPT title, and they made their intentions clear with dominant wins over Buffalo City and Western Province B.
“The girls are locked in and are dedicated to the tournament. We have the drive to do it again, but winning a fourth title in a row is not our focus at the moment. We have it at the back of our heads, but you have to take the right steps to get there, so we are taking it chukka by chukka,” Kelsey Thomson, the Central Gauteng A head coach, told SuperSport Schools Plus.
True to Thomson’s words, Gauteng A dominated each of the eight chukkas they contested.
The defending champions opened their account with a rampaging 20-4 win over Buffalo City in which Emma Pelicot and Anastasia Hambakis ran riot with four goals apiece, while Julia Joseph added three more.
Thomson’s charges were even more ruthless in their second match, thumping Western Province B 20-2. Amy Stubbs led the way with four goals, while Carle and Blaauw recorded hat-tricks, and Pelicot, Joseph, Mosehla, and Scrimgeour chipped in two goals each. Hambakis and Isabella Imbriolo rounded off the scorers with a goal each.
Samantha Miller and Jemma Pearse replied for Western Province B.
Western Province A began with fixtures that their coach, Connor Whiting, cited as two of their toughest. They went up against Central Gauteng B and KwaZulu-Natal and won both to take the lead in Pool B with the maximum six points.
Bella Murray spearheaded the charge for Province with a hat-trick in their 12-6 win over Gauteng B, while Kirsten Böttger and Julia Luckhoff added a brace each.
“Playing at altitude, especially the first game, is always difficult. So, I am happy with the way the girls played in the first two games,” Whiting said.
Their match against KZN was much closer. Coach Cameron Wiid‘s ladies gave Province a good run for their money before eventually falling to a 10-13 defeat.
Bella Murray continued with her hot hand, this time scoring four times, while Luckhoff chipped in with a hat-trick and Böttger added a brace.
Inge Southey, Erin Mayoss, and Inez Letschert scored a brace each in reply for KZN.
“KZN is always a tough side to play against. I am happy with how we were controlling the game, controlling the momentum, and how we stayed composed,” Whiting reckoned.
Like all teams competing at the IPT, Province has one eye on the trophy. However, Whiting is impressing upon his charges the importance of sticking to their structures and focusing on playing great water polo, while having as much fun as possible.
Gauteng A will be aiming to make it three wins in three outings when they face Nelson Mandela Bay in the first match on Monday morning. Western Province tackles Northerns immediately afterwards.
RESULTS
Central Gauteng A 20: Emma Pelicot (4), Anastasia Hambakis (4), Julia Joseph (3), Tori Tanner-Ellis (2), Caitlin Scrimgeour (1), Amy Stubbs (1), Gabriella Morell (1), Taylor Billet (1), Cadha Mosehla (1), Jenna Blaauw (1), Emily Carle (1). Buffalo City 4: Kara Batting (1), Janey-Heather Wood (1), Quinn Carr (1), Erin Batting (1).
Western Province A 12: Bella Murray (3), Kirsten Böttger (2), Julia Luckhoff (2), Summer-Lee Wain (1), Sophie Vickers (1), Holly Strydom (1), Sofia Walker (1), Jade Jarvis (1). Central Gauteng B 6: Esmé du Plessis (2), Rylee Rogers (2), Kathryn Thorburn (1), Isabella Duffy (1).
KwaZulu-Natal 17: Hannah Savage (5), Inge Southey (3), Inez Letschert (3), Farram Eliot (2), Josie Houston (2), Erin Mayoss (1), Isabella Stephenson (1). Zimbabwe 5: Taya Gray (4), Natasha Chaniwa (1).
Nelson Mandela Bay 9: Olivia Attwell (4), Alexandra Ovendale (2), Jessi Whitebooi (1), Elizabeth Horn (1), Lucy Rutherfoord (1). Buffalo City 8: Kara Batting 4, Meka Loots 2, Caroline Kretzmann, Jenna Botha).
Central Gauteng B 28: Esmé du Plessis (5), Mia Duffy (4), Iminathi Njokwana (4), Danielle Sassenberg (4), Isabella Duffy (4), Emily Townshend (3), Anna Springer (1), Annabelle Morton (1), Ambrin McEwan (1), Kathryn Thorburn (1). Northerns 3: Danél Schoeman (2), Gabrielle Hobson (1).
Central Gauteng A 20: Amy Stubbs (4), Emily Carle (3), Jenna Blaauw (3), Emma Pelicot (2), Julia Joseph (2), Cadha Mosehla (2), Caitlin Scrimgeour (2), Anastasia Hambakis (1), Isabella Imbriolo (1). Western Province B 2: Samantha Miller (1), Jenna Pearse (1).
Western Province A 13: Bella Murray (4), Julia Luckhoff (3), Kirsten Böttger (2), Sofia Walker (1), Holly Strydom (1), Emma Stevens (1), Kelly Cadiz (1). KwaZulu-Natal 10: Inge Southey (2), Erin Mayoss (2), Inez Letschert (2), Isabella Stephenson (1), Farrann Elliot (1), Hannah Savage (1), Lara Mervis (1).
Zimbabwe 14: Taya Gray (3), Natasha Chaniwa (3), Kelly Samuels (2), Tori Dawe (2), Loyiso Mahobele (1), Rayne Nichole (1), Katie Gripper (1), Jodi Bowden (1). Northerns 1: (Jani Potgieter (1).
