One step at a time for KZN Coastal
The KwaZulu-Natal Coastal u18A boys’ team has big ambitions for the 2025 edition of the SASHOC National Week, but they won’t get ahead of themselves. Their approach will be to focus on each game as it comes.
Last year, Coastals finished in third place. Although they didn’t lose any of their pool matches, they were held to four draws and one win. That was, however, good enough for second place in Pool B.
Their title challenge was ended by the eventual winners Western Province A, who won a tight semi-final 1-0. Then, in the third-place playoff, KZN Coastal beat Southern Gauteng A, a team with whom they had drawn 4-4 in group action, by a goal to nil.
“We will always look to win IPT, but I think it’s important to take it one step at a time,” Cameron Mackay, the Coastals’ head coach, told Supersport Schools Plus.
The inter-provincial tournament is drawing near rapidly. It takes place on Pape’s Astro, at Maritzburg College, from 29 June to 5 July. The u18 girls’ tournament will run concurrently with the boys’ event, with matches being played St Anne’s DSG, in Hilton.
The u16 IPTs will follow from 7-13 July, at Hilton College, for the boys, and St Anne’s, for the girls. .
Mackay will be assisted by Matthew Smith, with Pius Nkosi returning as the team manager. The team also has four players – Bhavesh Naicker, Sithsaba Siyoyo, Josh Mungherera, and Tyrique Cloete – who were part of last year’s contingent returning. All four are from Durban High School (DHS).
There is talent in the ranks, but Mackay wants his players to do their abilities justice, something which he feels didn’t quite happen last year.
“Most of the guys were part of the u16 group and the boys don’t do well, so they will be looking to improve on that sixth-place finish,” Mackay explained.
Georg Wolhuter will be the last line of defence for Coastals. In front of him, Ethan James, Misbah Nair, Nicolas Ackerman, Keagan de Jager, Kyle White, and Bhavesh Naicker will form the back line.
“They are a really good group of defenders with some exceptional distribution skills. We are really fortunate to have a massive overhead threat in the team,” Mackay reflected on the defensive group.
Sitshaba Siyoyo, Zac Williamson, Ben Loxton, and Chris Abrahams will deploy their skills in the midfield.
“We have some exciting midfielders that can take the game to the opposition and break the line – Sitshaba would be more holding, while Chris and Ben can take the game to the opposition,” the coach said.
Seth Simpson, Josh Mungherera, Luke Allen, Tyrique Cloete, and Bonga Maphanga will be charged with scoring the goals that were hard to come by in 2024, when KZN Coastal scored only 12 times in seven matches.
“Our forwards are doing a good job in creating connections as it’s a new group of players that hasn’t played together much in years gone by. I think they complement each other well,” Mackay told Supersport Schools Plus after a couple of training sessions with the side.
The coach is confident that his team will gel and be ready to challenge for the title when the tournament shifts into gear.
“We want to play a fast-paced game that means we can get the ball to our forwards as quickly as possible,” Mackay shared. “I think we will look to be more direct and less predictable than years gone by.”
KZN Coastal Team
Georg Wolhuter (Clifton), Ethan James (Westville), Misbah Nair (Westville), Nicolas Ackerman (UKZN), Keagan de Jager (Kearsney), Kyle White (Northwood), Bhavesh Naicker (DHS), Sitshaba Siyoyo (DHS), Zac Williamson (Clifton), Ben Loxton (Northwood), Chris Abrahams (DHS), Seth Simpson (Westville), Josh Mungherera (DHS), Luke Allen (Northwood), Tyrique Cloete (DHS), Bonga Maphanga (DHS).
