Tough battles await Paarl’s Girls’ High and Gim as Oranje comes to town
Both Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Girls’ High will face one of the toughest challenges of their seasons when they host Bloemfontein’s Oranje this weekend in the Western Cape.
The action kicks off at Girls’ High on Friday afternoon at 15:30. Then, on Saturday morning, at 10:15, Oranje takes on Gim.
Catch all the hockey action on SuperSport Schools.
The local sides both picked up wins over the past weekend, with Girls’ High grinding out a 2-1 victory over Paarl Vallei, while Gim impressed in Pretoria, where goals from Marieka Neethling, Karea de Ridder, and Tanya Pieterse carried them to a 3-0 win at Affies.
Both schools were in action at the St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival earlier this month in Johannesburg, where 32 of South Africa’s best teams went after the prestigious title.
There, Gim achieved the highest position of any of the Western Cape teams, ending fourth after going down 0-1 to St Stithians College in the third-place play-off match.
Coach Anri Keevy’s Paarl Girls’ side found the going tougher and placed 19th. They will look to their influential captain Heyke Lombard and vice-captain Rouxné Pentz to lead their challenge against Gyster van Schalkwyk’s charges.
Oranje started their season on fire, easily winning all of their games at the Balling Festival in Bethlehem, in February, and further extended their winning run at the Greg Beling Festival in East London, which followed.
At St Mary’s, Rhenish handed them their first loss of the season, by a goal to nil, and Oranje later went down 0-1 to St Stithian’s. In the end, they finished in fifth place.
Last weekend, they were held to a 2-2 draw by Pretoria’s Garsfontein, so they will be eager to return to winning ways. That is, after all, the usual state of affairs for the Bloemfontein school.
Oranje has won the last three times they’ve met Girls’ High. Last year, it was a tight 1-0 affair at the All Girls Festival, while they cruised to a 7-0 victory in 2022.
Paarl Gim has been a much tougher nut to crack for the Bloemfontein side. At St Mary’s, the teams shared a 1-1 draw. Meanwhile, at last year’s Super 12 Tournament, Gim won 2-1.
Other matches
On Friday, at 16:00, Bloemhof and Wynberg Girls’ High meet, while Outeniqua and Durbanville play at 19:00.
On Saturday, Stellenberg High hosts Reddam Constantia, while Parel Vallei will be looking to get back to winning ways, after their defeat to Paarl Girls’ High, when they take on St Cyprian’s.
Bloemhof will be back in action on Saturday, too, with a 09:50 clash against Paarl Girls’ High. Pinelands plays Milnerton High School, and Curro Durbanville welcomes Tygerberg High.
Fixtures
Friday, 19 April 2024
15:30 – Paarl Girls’ High vs Oranje
16:00 – Bloemhof vs Wynberg Girls’ High
19:00 – Outeniqua vs Durbanville
Saturday, 20 April 2024
08:00 – Stellenberg High vs Reddam Constantia
09:00 – Parel Vallei vs St Cyprian’s
09:50 – Bloemhof vs Paarl Girls’ High
10:15 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Oranje
10:30 – Pinelands High vs Milnternon High School
10:30 – Curro Durbanville vs Tygerberg High
- Bishops chasing consistency in 2025 - 2025-02-18
- Top four strongly represented in Vides Team of the Tournament - 2025-02-17
- DAY 3 | VIDES | St David’s outshines St Andrew’s to win title - 2025-02-16
