Top performers awarded at the Saints Water Polo Invitational
The annual St Stithians Water Polo invitational concluded at the end of October, after South African College Schools (SACS), and Herschel Girls School were crowned champions in the boys and girls section respectively.
SACS, defeated St John’s College (7-6) in the final, while a hard-fought (5-4) win for Herschel saw the Cape Town schools leave Gauteng with all the gold.
The victory, for SACS was their third consecutive triumph at the invitational, having won it last year, and in 2021.
For Herschel Girls, however, it was a momentous win that saw the side claim their first-ever triumph at the tournament.
As a result, both teams were duly rewarded when the “ALL-STAR” teams of the tournament were announced after the finals on Sunday.
SACS went unbeaten in the tournament, cruising past their opponents in the group stages, before defeating Clifton 7-3 in the quarterfinals, and edging out a resilient St Andrew’s team 8-6 in the semi-finals to book themselves a spot in the showpiece against St John’s.
In the team of the tournament, the winners have four players including the likes of Connor Melling-Williams, Jandro Rojo-Roos, Mac Lecuona, and the ever-present Nicholas Fall.
Fall was also awarded the “best attacker” accolade, closing off his tournament with a well-deserved individual award.
The finalist, St John’s College also has two players on the team, with Geroge Pryce, and Nicholas Searle.
The other team with a vast representation are third-place finishers, St Andrew’s College from Makhanda. They have three players on the team, namely, Calum Emslie, Nick Franklin, and Robert Faber.
In the girls’ section, the eventual winner, Herschel boasts four players, and rightfully so, after their superb showing on the opening day.
During their pool stage matches, the Cape side scored a whopping 65 goals in three matches and only lost to fellow finalists, Roedean (9-4).
Despite that defeat, the side managed to get back to winning ways, and in the final showed grit and determination to edge out a motivated Roedean side in front of their home supporters.
The players from Herschel in the 15-player team are, Alexa de Villiers, Amy van Breda, Carla Lampe, and Carla Lampe.
Another school from Cape Town, Reddam House Constantia has two players named in the team, while Roedean was also rewarded with the duo of Mia Loizides, and Mia Osei inducted into the team.
The Eastern Cape teams, Clarendon High School, Kingswood College, and Diocesan School for Girls all field one player in the team.
Individual awards:
Girls:
Best goalkeeper: Mia Osei (Roedean School)
Best defender: Alexa de Villiers (Herschel Girls School)
Best attacker: Mia Loizides (Roedean School)
Boys:
Best goalkeeper: Jordan de Sousa (Bishops)
Best defender: Gregory Price (St John’s College)
Best attacker: Nicholas Fall (SACS)
The ALL-STAR teams:
Boys:
Calum Emslie (St Andrew’s College), Connor Melling-Williams (SACS), Gregory Pryce (St John’s College), Jack Robinson (Rondebosch Boys High), James Crick (St Stithians Boys College), Jandro Rojo-Roos (SACS), Jordan de Sousa (Bishops), Mac Lecuona (SACS), Marc Smith (St Stithians College), Nicholas Fall (SACS), Nicholas Searle (St John’s College), Nick Franklin (St Andrew’s College), Robert Faber (St Andrew’s College), Ross Stuart (St David’s Marist Inanda), Thomas Truter (Bishops).
Girls:
Alexa de Villiers (Herschel Girls), Amy van Breda (Herschel Girls), Anastasia Hambakis (Reddam House Bedfordview), Carla Lampe (Herschel Girls) Emily van Heerden (Herschel Girls), Emma Catto (Reddam House Constantia), Francesca De Villiers (Roedean School), Gina Squazzin (St Stithians College), Hannah Banks (Reddam House Constantia), Jessica Stevens (Diocesan School for Girls), Matipa Karimazondo (Kingswood College), Mia Loizides (Roedean School), Mia Osei (Roedean School), Ruby Carlson (St Dominic’s Catholic School), Tori Voke (Clarendon High School).
