Rhenish and Bloemhof to cross swords in St Mary’s Waverley semis
There will be at least one Stellenbosch side in the final at the 2024 Standard Bank St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival. Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof and their local rivals, Rhenish Girls’ High School will clash on Sunday morning with a place in the title game on Sunday afternoon on the line.
Rhenish reached the final after eliminating the defending champion, Durban Girls’ College (DGC) in the quarterfinals. The teams finished their match level at 0-0, but the Western Cape girls then won it 2-1 in a penalty shootout.
“I am proud of the girls. They did not let the big moment overwhelm them,” their proud coach Chris Gerber said after the match.
The Rhenish coach emphasised that his charges showed a lot of determination against a talented and skillful DGC team.
Rhenish’s defence has been outstanding all tournament. They didn’t concede a goal in their pool play and then conceded only one in the second stage. In all of those matches, Rhenish hardly needed their goalkeeper to step up. However, when they needed Jasmine Aitken, who has played over 150 matches for the 1st XI, to be a shot-stopper in the quarterfinals, she passed with flying colours.
“She is the embodiment of the spirit in the team. These girls love a big moment. She stepped up and saved the day,” Gerber commented.
Rhenish lifted the Fairtree Super 12 title in 2024 and will be looking to add the St Mary’s Waverley title to their cabinet. Unlike the other semi-finalists, Eunice and St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, neither Rhenish nor Bloemhof has previously won the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, so history beckons.
Bloemhof punched their ticket to the final four after beating Menlopark in the quarterfinals. Coach Jenny King‘s charges maintained an enviable and unbeaten record on their path to the semi-finals, winning seven of their 10 matches and drawing the other three. Like Rhenish, their defence has been stiff and their offence effective, They’ve surrendered only two goals and scored 17.
Two of those 17 came in their 2-0 win over Menlopark. The first one came seven minutes into the quarterfinal tie from Zani Boezaart, who found herself on the end of a Bloemhof move into the Menlopark D. She fired off a snapshot on goal, but her effort was blocked by the Menlopark goalkeeper. The rebound fell to her again, however, and Boezaart grabbed the chance with both hands, firing a reverse stick shot into the top of the net.
“The team played at an intensity that caught Menlopark out. We were very effective on the press, and [there was] excellent ball speed and transferring of the ball,” King said.
Nina Louw has enjoyed a good festival in front of goal. She has been on the scoresheet for Rhenish numerous times and she was on it in the quarterfinals, too. Around the halfway line, she forced a turnover and rolled the ball into Menlopark’s circle. Her first instinct was to look for a pass, but her attempt to lay off to another player was intercepted.
She fought for possession and regained it, played the ball into the circle, and executed an outstanding back-stick to slot the ball past the goalkeeper’s left foot. Menlopark tried to fight their way back but without success.
The mouthwatering semifinal tie between Bloemhof and Rhenish starts at 10:20 on Sunday morning.
