Gauteng and Western Province storm into u16 quarterfinals
Central Gauteng A and Western Province A were among the sides that booked quarterfinal slots in the boys’ u16 section of the Schools Water Polo South Africa Inter-Provincial Tournament in Buffalo City on Monday.
Coach Siya Guzana’s Central Gauteng side did not drop a point in the group stages, winning three out of three with relative ease.
They didn’t blow their opposition away. They didn’t score many either, but they conceded far less than their opponents, finishing with a positive goal difference of 12, after scoring 20 and conceding eight.
They scored 12 of those 20 goals in their first two matches, against Western Province B and KwaZulu Natal, who put six past them. Gauteng was in better form in their final Pool B match. Cooper Haworth scored a hat-trick and Luke Shipway a brace, while Craig Toet and Roan Wessels contributed a goal each as they handed their highveld neighbours, Northerns A, an 8-2 defeat.
They have a date with high-flying Zimbabwe in the quarterfinals. Bradley Crause’s side dominated Pool C, scoring 48 goals on their way to a clean record of three wins from three games. They were also sturdy in defence, conceding only six goals. Zimbabwe registered their biggest margin of victory when they thumped Northerns B 23-1 to book their place in the last eight.
Blaise Scheepers scored five, Troy Reed and Patrick Duff registered hat-tricks, while Matthew Chiwota, Liam Chicksen, Bongani Dube, and Tristan Harris all bagged braces. Luca Savo, Daniel Oxden-Willows, Tapfuma Taundi, and Teak Watson chipped in with one each in the goal-fest.
However, Buffalo City showed the rest of the teams that the visitors were not invincible when they pushed them to the limit. Coach Khanyisa Mpumlwana’s side refused to cede an inch during regulation time, with their contest against the Zimbabweans finishing 7-7. The winner was decided through a penalty shootout, in which the visitors inched past Buffalo City 3-2. Central Gauteng A will look to exploit the same mistakes Buffalo City found when they take on Zimbabwe in the quarterfinals.
Western Province A faced a tough examination in their final group match. Ross van Schoor‘s charges scored 30 goals and conceded only six in their first two matches against Central Gauteng B and Buffalo City. Nelson Mandela Bay proved to be a different kettle of fish, however. Cole Edworthy‘s boys gave Western Province a good run for their money, with Province eventually claiming a 9-7 win.
Matt Fenn led the scoring for Western Province with a hat-trick, while Ben Bigara and James Malan scored a brace each, with Alex Barrett and Connor Mortlock completing their side’s scoring. Christian Chandler starred for Nelson Mandela Bay with a brace, while Adam Ball, Stefan Polderman, Tiago Williams, Dane Paterson, and Carter Rosser netted one each.
Western Province A will lock horns with their practice partners, Western Province B, in the quarterfinals. The Province B team has not enjoyed the best of tournaments, but they will be eager to pull off an upset in the knockout stage of the tournament. Nelson Mandela Bay will face Northerns A, and KwaZulu Natal will go up against Central Gauteng B in the other quarterfinal matches.
SCORES
Northerns B 1: Jean Engelbrecht. Eden Districts 15: Luca Whitehead (6), Rorke Bubanj (4), Jacob Hersch (1), Matthew Eickhaus (1), Connor Keys (1), Joshua Arbuzova (1).
Buffalo City 5: Daniel Woodin (1), Cambell Dickinson (1). Central Gauteng B 5: Matthew Peacock (2), Travis Kempen (1), Tyler Mwekassa (1), Adam Stoutjesdyk (1).
Northerns A 2: Oliver Oberholzer (1), Ettiene van der Merwe (1). Central Gauteng A 8: , Cooper Haworth (3), , Luke Shipway (2), Craig Toet (1), Roan Wessels (1), Connor McJannet (1).
Eden Districts 8: Rorke Bubanj (3), Luca Whitehead (3), Matthew Tindall (1), Matthew Eickhaus (1). Eastern Gauteng 4: Connor Cockcroft (3), Luke Laporte (1).
Nelson Mandela Bay 7: Christian Chandler (2), Adam Ball (1), Stefan Polderman (1), Tiago Williams (1), Dane Paterson (1), Carter Rosser (1). Western Province A 9: Matthew Fenn (3), Benjamin Bigara (2), James Malan (2), Alex Barrett (1), Connor Mortlock (1).
Western Province B 5: Colin Douglass (2), Christopher McLagan (1), Noah Viuff (1), Rupert Robinson (1). KwaZulu Natal 17: Thomas Francke (6), John Watkins (3), Levi Thom (3), Musawenkosi Mponda (2), Taylor Seiler (1), Garrick Phillips (1), Keegan Vogt (1).
Zimbabwe 23: Blaise Scheepers (5), Troy Reed (3), Patrick Duff (3), Liam Chicksen (2), Bongani Dube (2), Tristan Harris (2), Luca Savo (1), Daniel Oxden-Willows (1), Tapfuma Taundi (1), Teak Watson (1), Matthew Chiwota (1). Northerns B 1: Alejandro De Freitas (1).
Buffalo City 7 (2): Michael Russell (3), Daniel Woodin (2), Nicholas du Toit (1), Daniel van Biljon (1). Zimbabwe 7 (3): Daniel Oxden-Willows (4), Patrick Duff (2), Blaise Scheepers (1).
Western Province B 7: Rupert Robinson (3), Cole Abrahams (1), Ross Prinsloo (1), Noah Viuff (1), Noah Coleman (1). Eden Districts 5: Luca Whitehead (4), Rorke Bubanj (1).
Eastern Gauteng 13: Connor Cockcroft (5), Campbell Hustler (4), Luke Laporte (3), Daniel Rheeder (1). Northerns B 3: Reghard Bosman (1), Alejandro de Freitas (1), Jordan Davids (1).
