Overview Sporting Achievements

This weekend Maritzburg College headed down to Durban to take on respected rivals Northwood for a much-anticipated round of rugby and hockey fixtures, on their Founders Day.

There also plenty of other sporting action with soccer, shooting, canoeing, cycling, cross country, chess and volleyball events taking place.

Rugby

College fielded 25 rugby teams on Saturday, with 22 of the matches against the Knights. The boys gave determined performances with hard-fought battles and some close scores, winning 14 of their matches.

1^st XV match report (Mr Tim Orchard, 1^st XV coach)

On Saturday, Maritzburg College travelled down to Durban North to take part in Northwood’s Founders Day. Both sides came into this fixture with some good form after wins against Michaelhouse and Glenwood respectively. The College side had a raft of changes but still put out a team that had numerous threats.

The match itself was a very cagey affair as both sides could not put the other away even though both had numerous chances to do so. Northwood used their boot very effectively by kicking contestable kicks down the centre of the field to isolate College’s elusive fullback Luyanda Kunene. This tactic proved to be very fruitful as College could not find any rhythm on attack and were constantly playing the game in the wrong areas of the field. The first points of the game went the way of College with a long-range penalty through the boot of James Slevin, and put Maritzburg College marginally ahead, before Northwood hit back through a penalty of their own. The score remained at 3 all at halftime with both teams looking to get the first blow in the second half.

The game was characterized by numerous errors by both teams which made the game a very stop start affair. Northwood struck first with a try of their own to take a 10-3 lead, but College eventually struck back after a good period of possession-based rugby which allowed them to drive deep with the Northwood half. College charged down an attempted goal-line clearance from Northwood and amidst the ensuing chaos, a Northwood player was adjudged to have held back a College player whilst in the motion of scoring the try, causing the ref to award Maritzburg College a penalty try to take the score to 10 all. This is how the score stood as the match fell into an uneasy rhythm of thrust and counterthrust in the middle of the field as both sides looked to gain the ascendency. Northwood eventually struck again deep in the second half with a penalty kick of their own to take the score to

13-10. College mounted a valiant effort to try and take the game from Northwood but with the light fading Northwood broke the visitor’s hearts with try right on the final whistle to record a 20-10 victory.

Maritzburg College: 10

Try: Penalty Try Penalty: Slevin

Northwood School: 20

Summary of scores

Hockey

After some matches having to be cancelled due to security concerns. College fielded twelve College’s hockey teams against Northwood. With both schools playing excellent hockey, the results were always going to closely contested affairs. College eventually brought home 3 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses.

1st XI match report (Mr Kyle Emerson, 1st XI coach)

Northwood hosted College on their Founder’s Day, which definitely brought the best out of the home side. College were prepared and were the more dominant team in the first half. Neither team were able to open the scoring in the first quarter, with College testing the Northwood goalkeeper a few times. The first wave from Northwood did a great job in running down the College flickers, the one flick which Siwa Sithembu got off was well saved down low to his right. With three minutes left in the first half, College took the lead after some good individual skill by Cayden Jenkins as he ran into the circle, Julian Konigkramer then crossed the ball across the face of the goal and Sithembu was well positioned on the back post to flick the ball in.

In the third quarter, the game opened up with chances created by both teams, and Northwood earned several penalty corners, but could not break down the College defence. After a College penalty corner, Northwood launched a good counter attack which led to them earning a penalty corner. A well worked variation saw the pusher deflect the ball past Nic Holmes. This drew the scores level. College would rue not taking their chances and putting the game out of reach of the home side.

Northwood’s sustained pressure and intensity wore down the College defence and in the 6^th minute they earned another penalty corner. After the initial shot was stopped, Northwood reacted quickest to the second phase and the unmarked striker slapped the ball over the diving Holmes to take the lead. College pressed hard in search for an equaliser but could not beat the Northwood defence again. They earned a penalty corner on full time, and after the Northwood defender made a deliberate foul in the circle, they were unlucky to not have a stroke awarded. The resulting penalty corner was the last play of the game, but again the Northwood defence was equal to it and they stopped the shot.

Northwood did well to come from behind and claim the victory, however College will feel that they should have put the game out of reach with their early dominance and will be frustrated that they couldn’t manage the last quarter, and a period where they conceded two goals in 5 minutes.

Summary of results

Soccer

Midweek soccer results saw College win four of their six matches, drawing one and losing one.

U14A vs Hillcrest, won 3-2. U14A vs Carter, won 4-1. U15A vs Carter, drew 1-1. U16A vs Thornhill, won 3-0. 2nds vs Haythorne, won 3-1. 1sts vs Carter, lost 1-0.

The Final of the KZNHSFA Inland U19A League will see Maritzburg College take on Carter at College (Barns’ field) on Thursday 30 May, 3:30pm kick-off.

Volleyball

College’s U17 volleyball team competed in the KZN provincial tournament in Durban over the weekend, winning four of their five matches before losing narrowly in the semi-final.

College vs Port Shepstone won 2-0 College vs New Forest won 2-0 College vs George Campbell won 2-0 College vs Richard’s Bay won 2-0

College vs Durban and Districts lost 1-2 (semi-final)

The College 1st team will play against Westville Boys 1st team in the semi-finals of the Westville League on 1 June.

Cross Country

College’s senior cross country team took 2^nd place in the 5^th league race while the junior team finished in 3^rd place.

Canoeing

At the Surfski PUP(Pirates Umhlanga Pirates) event, College’s canoeists secured two 2^nd places.

K2: Keegan Vogt and partner 2nd overall

K2 u18: Jayden JvRensburg and partner 2nd & 11th overall

Sports report sent from Maritzburg College