Gauteng schools prepare for epic derby clashes
Gauteng hockey lovers are in for a treat on the weekend with an epic six derby clashes taking place on Saturday. Those will be preceded by a Friday Night Lights meeting between St Charles and St Stithians in Pietermaritzburg.
The mouthwatering fixtures include the in-form Jeppe High School for Boys against their old rivals, St John’s College.
The Kensington side heads into the clash buoyed after a winning the Aitken Cup last weekend. They met Parktown Boys’ High School in the final at St Stithians and a last-gasp goal secured a 2-0 victory in a tight contest.
Jeppe will wrap up their second term schedule when they host St John’s on the Boden Astro in their last action before the boys turn their attention to their mid-year exams.
The schools have met 71 times previously. Jeppe has been dominant in the past, winning 42 games, with 11 draws, and 18 wins for St John’s.
Coach Siya Sityana‘s Jeppe troops will go into the clash full of confidence. Their recent form, apart from their Aitken Cup winning exploits, include a 3-2 win over Pretoria Boys High School and a 3-2 defeat of KES. Only Northwood, in Durban, stopped the Zebras, with the Knights claiming a 3-1 victory.
The Aitken Cup runners-up, Parktown Boys’ High are away at St Benedict’s College, in Bedfordview.
Parktown has shown good growth during the 2024 season. It began with a so-so showing at the Founders Festival, but they’ve been picking up momentum ever since. At the Aitken Cup, they won two of their three games on the first day of the tournament.
On the second day, they won both fixtures, 5-3 over St John’s and 2-1 over St David’s Marist Inanda. Their reward was an appearance in the final of the Aitken Cup for the first time since 2010.
Coach Kyle Reddy believes that the key to his team’s success has been great sportsmanship and selflessness among the players.
“I think the key thing, since I joined the team, is that they have been together since they were 16, playing for the 1st team, so most of the guys in the squad have 100 caps.
“I have started them young, but the most important key is they are good humans. They play for each other. They are brothers on and off the field. That’s what allows them to fight well for each other,” he said.
JEPPE V ST JOHN’S HEAD-TO-HEAD
2011 St John’s 3 Jeppe 0
2012 Jeppe 0 St John’s 0
2013 St John’s 3 Jeppe 2
2014 Jeppe 2 St John’s 0
2015 St John’s 3 Jeppe 0
2016 Jeppe 0 St John’s 0
2017 Jeppe 1 St John’s 0
2018 Jeppe 2 St John’s 2
2019 Jeppe 2 St John’s 2
2022 Jeppe 4 St John’s 3
2023 Jeppe 2 St John’s 1
FIXTURES
Friday
18:45 – St Charles College vs St Stithians College
Saturday
10:00 – St Benedict’s College vs Parktown Boys’ High; 10:40- King Edward VII vs Affies; 10:45 – Jeppe High School for Boys vs St John’s College; 10:45 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Waterkloof; High; 11:45 – Garsfontein vs Menlopark; 11:30 – Pretoria Boys’ High vs Michaelhouse
