SWPSA names strong girls’ SA Schools squad
Schools Water Polo South Africa (SWPSA) unveiled a talented 15-member SA Schools squad at the end of the SWPSA Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
Central Gauteng A proved themselves to be an indomitable force as they rolled to a fourth successive IPT trophy, defeating Western Province A in a thrilling final at St David’s Marist Inanda.
The champions claimed six spots in the national squad, while Western Province was rewarded with three representatives, which was matched by KwaZulu-Natal. The Eastern Cape produced three SA Schools players – two from Nelson Mandela Bay and one from Buffalo City.
Isabella Imbriolo, who produced an outstanding campaign and fittingly scored the last goal of the competition, was named the Player of the Tournament, which made her a slam dunk choice for SA Schools.
Her teammates, Jenna Blaauw, who received the Best Utility award, and Cadha Mosehla, who took home the Best Forward accolade, also made the national selectors’ jobs easy.
They were joined in the SA Schools’ squad by Amy Stubbs, Caitlin Scrimgeour, and Lucy Davis, who were also vital cogs in the victorious Gauteng side.
Julia Luckhoff captained Western Province A with aplomb in their run to the final. She was rock solid in defence and was awarded the Best Defender gong for her tireless work at the back. She, also, was an easy choice for the national squad.
Province’s Bella Murray, who represented South Africa at the World Aquatics Women’s u20 Water Polo Championships in Salvador, Brazil, in August, and Kirsten Böttger, were selected, too.
Nelson Mandela Bay’s Lucy Nagel and Kimberly Kabiri also cracked the nod. Kabiri wowed spectators with her exceptional goalkeeping skills, which kept her side in contests that they might have otherwise lost by wide margins. She received the Best Goalkeeper award for her efforts.
KwaZulu-Natal narrowly missed out on a medal, losing to Central Gauteng B on penalties in the third-place playoff. They, nonetheless, put together a strong campaign, in large part because of the contributions of Hannah Savage, Inge Southey, and Inez Letschert, who all made the SA Schools’ squad.
Kara Batting, the only player from Buffalo City, rounded off the 15-player squad. The Hudson Park learner has been a standout performer for her province since the u16 level, collecting an impressive list of awards over the years as she has continued to improve her game.
SA Schools Squad
Kimberly Kabiri (Nelson Mandela Bay), Lucy Davis (Central Gauteng), Hannah Savage (KwaZulu-Natal), Inge Southey (KwaZulu-Natal), Inez Letschert (KwaZulu-Natal), Julia Luckhoff (Western Province), Jenna Blaauw (Central Gauteng), Isabella Imbriolo (Central Gauteng), Bella Murray (Western Province), Kirsten Böttger (Western Province), Lucy Nagel (Nelson Mandela Bay), Kara Batting (Buffalo City), Cadha Mosehla (Central Gauteng), Caitlin Scrimgeour (Central Gauteng), Amy Stubbs (Central Gauteng).
