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Paul Roos set to battle Boishaai while Paarl Gim hosts Grey College

By Avuyile Sawula , in Hockey | Featured Hockey | News , at 2024-04-18 Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Paarl Gimnasium on the charge in last weekend's 3-0 win over Affies in Pretoria. Gim will host Grey College in Paarl this coming Friday. Photo: Irma Ferreira SPORT & EVENT Photography
Paarl Gimnasium on the charge during their 3-0 win over Affies in Pretoria on the 12th of April 2024. Gim will host Grey College in Paarl this coming Friday (19/04/2024). Photo: Irma Ferreira SPORT & EVENT Photography

Stellenbosch and Paarl will play host to two massive schoolboy hockey matches this week as Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) and Paarl Gimnasium prepare to welcome Paarl Boys’ High and Grey College respectively on Friday night.

Paul Roos faces Boys’ High at the Maties AstroTurf, with that clash kicking off at 19:30. Meanwhile, Paarl Gim and Grey College play at 18:00.

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PRG and Boishaai both enter the clash on the back of disappointing results last time out. Paul Roos suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat at Rondebosch Boys’ High, in Cape Town, while Boishaai was handed a hefty 5-1 drubbing by Wynberg Boys’ High.

In their clash against ‘Bosch, coach Michael Baker’s boys were made to pay for their inaccuracies in front of goal.

Level at 0-0 at half-time, Paul Roos had several opportunities to break the deadlock through short corners and circle entries in the final two chukkas.

Their skipper, Ruben Sendzul, who was declared fit to play on the morning of the game after an injury scare on Thursday, misfired with his drag flicks and the side failed to score for the first time since the season began.

Baker commented to SuperSport Schools after the match: “It’s frustrating. We had about seven short corners, and a couple of circle entries, but couldn’t score one goal.

“I don’t think we played badly. We just have to find a way to score and convert short corners. If we can’t convert short corners, we can’t win games. Hopefully we will be okay next week.”

To get back to winning ways, Baker will need his captain Sendzul to fire on all cylinders.

He will also look to players like Barend Geldenhuys, SA u17 player, Josh Smith, Keith Siebrets, Seth Patterson, and vice-captain, Christo Swanepoel to take charge on the park.

At the back, Louan van Zyl and Hanno Basson will lead PRG’s staunch defence.

Boishaai, on the other hand, has had a rather difficult start to the season. That perception would change quickly if they managed to spring a surprise against their old foes.

Last weekend, coach Nic Neethling’s charges, playing at home, were blown away by a good Wynberg team.

Before that, Boys’ High was in action at the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament. There, they finished in 11th place out of 40 schools, defeating a SACS Invitational side 2-1 on penalties in their last playoff game.

To spring a surprise against Baker’s boys, Boishaai will need AJ Mostert and shot-stopper Luan Borman to be at their best. Both players recently received their 50th caps for the first team.

Getting good performances out of Tiaan Liebenberg, Liam Coetzee, Divan van der Westhuizen, and Gideon du Toit, will also be important for Boishaai’s chances of success.

Paul Roos skipper, Ruben Sedzul and Rondebosch Boys High captain, Hilton Lima during the sides meeting in Cape Town on 12/04/2024
Paul Roos skipper, Ruben Sedzul, and Rondebosch Boys High captain, Hilton Lima during the sides meeting in Cape Town on 12/04/2024. Photo: Janco Saunders

In Paarl, expect a massive tussle between Paarl Gimnasium, and Grey College.

Paarl Gim might be the slight favourites. They’ve played some excellent hockey this season and have looked deadly in front of goal.

In their season opener against Outeniqua, Jacques Grobler‘s charges cruised to a 5-1 win.

Last weekend, they visited Pretoria, where they defeated Affies 3-0 in their backyard.

Their skipper, LD Nel has been a key performer so far and led his side to gold at the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament.

Juan Swanepoel has also been a standout player for Gim and was named the Player of the Tournament at the Belgotex event.

Bloemfontein’s Grey College will not be pushovers. They’ve produced some very good hockey this season. They’re a well-balanced team, good at both ends of the field, and last week they thumped Outeniqua 6-0.

Before that, Grey thrived at the annual KES Easter Hockey Festival, winning four of their five matches. They also delivered some good results at the Nomads Festival, where they beat Jeppe, Pretoria Boys High and KES and pushed a strong Hilton College team all the way before succumbing 2-3.

Other matches

Apart from the two big matches happening in Paarl and Stellenbosch, there’s more action to look forward to in other parts of the Western Cape.

An interesting showdown between Parel Vallei and Worcester Gimnasium starts the action on Thursday night.

Vallei will be aiming to get back to winning ways after going down to a big 0-7 defeat to SACS last Friday. Meanwhile, staying consistent will be the primary message from Worcester’s head coach Edrich Janse Van Rensburg after they picked up a 5-2 win against Hoërskool Punt.

Worcester will be in action on Friday again, when they take on Hugenote.

Wynberg Boys’ High hosts Gqeberha’s Grey High School on Friday. Both took part in the Nomads Festival, where Grey was one of only two teams to turn in a perfect five out of five record.

SACS, meanwhile, will do double duty, tackling Rondebosch on Friday night, followed by Grey High on Saturday. Both should be cracking games.

Outeniqua will aim for a bounce-back performance against Durbanville, Stellenberg travels to Brackenfell, and DF Malan takes on The Settlers.

FIXTURES

Thursday, 18 April 2024

18:45 – Parel Vallei vs Worcester Gimnasium

Friday, 19 April 2024

16:00 – Worcester Gimnasium vs Hugenote
17:00 – DF Malan vs The Settlers
18:00 –Paarl Gimnasium vs Grey College
18:15 – Wynberg Boys High vs Grey High
18:30 – Bishops vs Reddam House Constantia
19:20 – Rondebosch Boys High vs SACS
19:30 – Paul Roos vs Paarl Boys High
20:00 – Outeniqua vs Durbanville

Saturday, 20 April 2024

09:00 – Pinelands vs Milnerton High School
11:00 – Stellenberg vs Brackenfell
12:00 – SACS vs Grey High

Some of the information used in this article is credited to Short Corner Hockey (shortcornerhockey@gmail.com)

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