St Alban’s welcomes stacked line-up for Independent Schools Hockey Festival
The last weekend of March produced some thrilling schoolboy hockey action as spectators were treated to the Nomads Hockey Festival, Founders Festival, and Belgotex Coastal Cup.
Those events kicked off an exciting season, and this weekend’s action at the Independent Schools Hockey Festival is set to match that high standard of entertaining hockey.
The annual festival takes place at St Alban’s College, in Pretoria, and runs from 5-7 April.
In action will be some of Gauteng’s top teams, who will be challenged by sides from across the country.
Gauteng’s interests are represented by St Alban’s, Trinity House Centurion, Helpmekaar Kollege, St David’s Marist Inanda, and St Benedict’s College.
St Alban’s, led by coaches Robin Jones and Guy Elliot, will look to build on the momentum they built up against top opposition at the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup last week.
Down in KwaZulu-Natal, the Checks, as they’re affectionately known, posted mixed results, which included an upset 2-1 win over Durban High School (DHS) before they went down to Paul Roos Gimnasium, and Michaelhouse, two of the Coastal Cup’s top performers.
They played out a 2-2 draw against Westville Boys’ High, and they’ll take confidence from that result into their home event.
St Benedict’s College is another side that was in action, contesting the Nomads Hockey Festival, which was hosted by Jeppe High School for Boys last week. There, coach Owen Mvimbi‘s troops found the going tough, but they pulled off an impressive win against Selborne College.
They also took unbeaten Grey College to the trenches on the final day but succumbed to a 0-2 defeat. Those hard outings will surely stand them in good stead in Pretoria.
The remainder of the field includes teams from KZN, the Western Cape, and the Free State.
Michaelhouse and St Charles College will fly the flag for KZN, and they’ll head to the festival looking to make a big statement.
‘House has impressed early on. They were superb in a 4-3 comeback win over Parel Vallei at the Coastal Cup, scoring three times in a dramatic last chukka to overcome a 1-3 deficit. The kind of firepower and that top performance against one of the Western Cape’s top sides will make teams wary of coach Nick Bérichon’s charges.
Somerset College and Bishops [Diocesan College] are the Western Cape schools heading upcountry for the festival.
It has been a challenging start to the season for both sides, with coaches Kyran Fortuin and Ryan Julius taking on rebuilding missions.
The Cape is known for its strong competition, though, and both sides will be focused on finding their mojo.
Another interesting team that will be in action is St Andrew’s School, from Bloemfontein.
The Free State boys made a big statement at the Synsport Tony Godding Festival when they defeated Selborne College 3-2.
It’s all about consistency, though, and building from that hard-fought win will be the aim for coach Trevor Raubenheimer and his charges.
York High School, from George, opted out of the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament to attend the event in Pretoria.
Led by coach Jason Slater, they’re a school that has produced some strong teams in past seasons, but they head into the festival as a bit of an unknown. They would like to leave it with their game better known and respected.
Day one’s action kicks off at 07:30 between Trinity House and St Andrew’s School.
FIXTURES
Day 1 – Saturday, 5 April
07:30 – Trinity House vs St Andrew’s School
08:00 – St Benedict’s College vs Reddam House Constantia @Hatfield Christian School
08:45 – Helpmekaar Kollege vs York High
10:00 – St Alban’s College vs Somerset College
11:15 – St Charles College vs Bishops
12:30 – Michaelhouse vs St David’s Marist Inanda
13:45 – St Benedict’s College vs Trinity House
15:00 – St Andrew’s School vs York High
16:15 – Reddam House Constantia vs Helpmekaar Kollege
17:30 – St Alban’s College vs St Charles College
17:30 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Somerset College @Hatfield Christian School
18:45 – Bishops vs Michaelhouse
Day 2 – Sunday, 6 April
07:30 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Reddam House Constantia
08:00 – St Charles College vs Helpmekaar Kollege @Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf
08:45 – Somerset College vs Trinity House
10:00 – St Alban’s College vs St Andrew’s School
11:15 – Bishops vs St Benedict’s College
12:30 – York High vs Michaelhouse
13:45 – Reddam House Constantia vs Trinity House
15:00 – St Charles College vs St David’s Marist Inanda
16:15 – Helpmekaar Kollege vs Somerset College
17:30 – St Alban’s College vs Bishops
17:30 – St Andrew’s School vs Michaelhouse @Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf
18:45 – York High vs St Benedict’s College
Day 3 – Monday, 7 April
07:30 – Bishops vs St David’s Marist Inanda
08:00 – Reddam House Constantia vs York High @@Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf
08:45 – Somerset College vs St Charles College
09:20 – Helpmekaar Kollege vs St Andrew’s School @Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf
10:00 – Michaelhouse vs St Benedict’s College
11:15 – St Alban’s College vs Trinity House
All other fixtures will take place at the St Alban’s College AstroTurf.
