St John’s College and Clapham take top honours at St Peter’s College Festival
The St Peter’s College Football Festival, played over three days as part of the 20th annual St Peter’s College Sport and Cultural Festival, concluded on Sunday with St John’s College being crowned the boys’ champion and Clapham High winning the girls’ title.
Boys’ Competition
Cup
In the lead-up to the event, St John’s College had been in good form, and they continued to play winning football, which powered them through to the final against Parktown Boys’ High.
Both defences stood strong in the title game, with neither breaking, leaving the sides level at 0-0 at the end of regulation time. That sent the game to the penalty spot to determine the winner, with St John’s coming away with a 4-2 victory.
That result mirrored their semi-final showdown against St Benedict’s College. Bennies pushed St John’s hard, and a penalty shootout decided the game, which also ended 0-0 and then 4-2 from the spot.
St John’s didn’t go through the tournament unscathed, however. They suffered a shock 0-1 loss to Stanford Lake in a group stage match, which left them in second place in their group.
They showed their mettle, though, in the quarterfinals, when they took on Norkem Park High, the runners-up of the Curro Halala Cup, with St John’s toughing it out for a 1-0 victory to advance to the semifinals.
Parktown Boys’ High’s opponents in the semifinals were Clapham High, who had been relentless and appeared almost unstoppable in the earlier stages of the competition. However, Parktown found a way to halt the train and came away with a 2-1 win.
The bronze medal clash between St Benedict’s and Clapham ended 0-0, but Bennies took the penalty shootout 4-3 to finish third.
Plate
The hosts, St Peter’s College, were eliminated from the main Cup competition, which left them in the Plate competition. They gave the home supporters plenty to cheer by winning through to the final against The King’s College.
With the title on the line, there was nothing to separate the sides after regulation time. Then, after the contest finished deadlocked at 0-0, it was on to a penalty shootout. It went to sudden death, but St Peter’s held their nerve to win it 8-7.
In the Plate’s bronze playoff, Waterford Kamhlaba, from Eswatini, who are familiar figures in South African school sports’ competitions, took on Woodlands International College. In a high-scoring game, it was Waterford who triumphed 4-3.
Bowl
There were also seven goals in the final of the Bowl, played between Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Boksburg and Penryn College, with CBC sneaking a 4-3 win.
Stanford Lake won the Bowl bronze playoff, beating Polokwane’s Mitchell House 2-0.
CBC Boksburg had edged out Stanford Lake 1-0 in the semifinals, while Penryn College won 3-1 against Mitchell House.
Shield
In the Shield competition, Polokwane Preparatory School and College (PEPPS) recorded a 1-0 victory over St Alban’s College in the final.
St Alban’s excelled in their semi-final showdown against Sisekelo High, ramming home eight goals to charge into the final. PEPPS, meanwhile, held off Dainfern College, scoring a 1-0 win to advance to the title decider.
Girls’ Competition
Cup
In the girls’ competition, the championship was claimed by Clapham High, who had been on a prolific run, scoring goals with ease from their first match to their last.
The Pretoria school is in prime position to claim another title in the forthcoming Gauteng Schools Champions League finals, which have been rescheduled to Tuesday, 23 September, at the Vaal University of Technology.
On Sunday, they seized the girls’ St Peter’s College Football Festival title in no uncertain terms, overrunning St Anne’s Diocesan College 8-1 in the final.
Clapham faced little resistance from the champions of the Riverwood aQuellé Soccer Festival and the Midlands Cup. After exhibiting such dominant form, they’ll be odds-on to be crowned the Gauteng Champions League winner.
Norkem High won the bronze medal after a 3-1 win over Uplands College.
Earlier on Sunday, St Anne’s Diocesan College saw off Uplands College 4-0 in the semi-finals, while Clapham High cruised to a 7-0 win over Norkem Park High.
Plate
In the Plate final, Krugersdorp High defeated Waterford Kamhlaba 2-1.
Krugersdorp High overcame Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge 2-1 in their semifinal, while Waterford Kamhlaba defeated Roedean School 2-0 to move on to the final.
Bowl
Saheti School claimed the Bowl following a 4-3 victory over St Peter’s College.
Third place went to Jeppe High School for Girls, who edged out Edenvale High 2-1 in the battle for bronze.
Shield
Kingsmead College, the eventual Shield winners, began their journey to the title with a 3-1 win over HeronBridge College in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
PEPPS beat Sisekelo High 1-0, while Dominican Convent, from Harare, scored a 2-0 victory over Southdowns College. Woodlands International College had a bye.
In the semifinals, Kingsmead College beat Southdowns College 2-1, and PEPPS rolled to a 3-0 victory over Woodlands International College.
That left Kingsmead College and PEPPS to meet for the title, and Kingsmead lifted the Shield after a narrow 1-0 victory.
RESULTS
BOYS’ COMPETITION
Sunday, 21 September
Shield Quarterfinals
Dainfern College 2-0 Southdowns College
Enjabulweni High 4-0 St Alban’s College
Sisekelo High 2-0 Bye
PEPPS 4-3 Pinnacle College Rynfield
Shield Semifinals
PEPPS 1-0 Dainfern College
St Alban’s College 8-0 Sisekelo High School
Shield Final
PEPPS 1-0 St Alban’s College
Bowl Semifinals
CBC Boksburg 1-0 Stanford Lake
Penryn College 3-1 Mitchell House
Bowl 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff
Stanford Lake 2-0 Mitchell House
Bowl Final
CBC Boksburg 4-3 Penryn College
Plate Semifinals
St Peter’s College 1-0 Waterford Kamhlaba
The King’s College 2-1 Woodlands International College
Plate 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff
Waterford Kamhlaba 4-3 Woodlands International College
Plate Final
St Peter’s College (8) 0-0 (7) The King’s College
Cup Semifinals
Parktown Boys; High 2-1 Clapham High
St John’s College (4) 0-0 (2) St Benedict’s College
Cup 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff
St Benedict’s College (4) 0-0 (3) Clapham High
Cup Final
St John’s College (4) 0-0 (2) Parktown Boys High
GIRLS’ COMPETITION
Shield Quarterfinals
Kingsmead 3-1 HeronBridge College
PEPPS 1-0 Sisekelo High
Dominican Convent – Harare 2-0 Southdowns College
Woodlands International College 2-0 Bye
Shield Semifinals
Kingsmead 2-1 Southdowns College
PEPPS 3-0 Woodlands International College
Shield Final
Kingsmead 1-0 PEPPS
Bowl Semifinals
St Peter’s College 3-1 Edenvale High
Saheti 4-3 Jeppe
Bowl 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff
Jeppe 2-1 Edenvale High
Bowl Final
Saheti 4-3 St Peter’s College
Plate Semifinals
Krugersdorp High 2-1 Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge
Waterford Kamhlaba 2-0 Roedean School
Plate Final
Krugersdorp High 2-1 Waterford Kamhlaba
Cup Semifinals
St Anne’s Diocesan College 4-0 Uplands College
Clapham High 7-0 Norkem Park High
Cup 3rd/4th/Bronze Playoff
Norkem Park High 3-1 Uplands College
Cup Final
Clapham High 8-1 St Anne’s Diocesan College
