Overview Sporting Achievements
Maritzburg College enjoyed an excellent start to the 2024 winter season – with strong performances on both the hockey and rugby fields played in the main against Clifton School. We also hosted Howick High School, St Charles College, Michaelhouse, Northwood School and Midlands Development.
College’s hockey teams were undefeated winning 11 of their 13 matches and drawing 2, with the added excitement of playing under lights on Pape’s for the first time. The rugby teams also enjoyed a great day of results, winning 22 of their 28 matches. The 1st and 2nd XV teams dominated with the 1st team winning 83-10 while the 2nd XV secured a 41-0 victory, much to the delight of the supporters on Goldstones and Basher Ridge.
Maritzburg College cyclists also shone at the Berg 100 race over the weekend with Brent Foster finishing 1st overall and 1st in his age category.
Rugby
The rugby teams also enjoyed a great day of results, winning 22 of their 28 matches. The 1st and 2nd XV teams dominated with the 1st team winning 83-10 while the 2nd XV secured a 41-0 victory, much to the delight of the supporters on Goldstones and Basher Ridge.
1st team report (Mr Tim Orchard, 1st XV coach) On Saturday College played host to Clifton College for the first time ever on Goldstones on what was an extremely hot day both on and off the field. College was smarting after unexpected loss the previous weekend against Kearsney and looked for a better performance to finish off Term1. The first half was a slow burner with College only leading 24-5 at the break after L Kunene opened the scoring after only four minutes into the half. The home side had to work hard to break down their opposition and gifted Clifton a try after a series of errors deep in their own half.
The second half’s performance matched the weather as College was red-hot on attack, scoring nine tries to Clifton’s one in a scintillating display of attacking rugby. Maritzburg College found great joy down the left-hand touchline as Clifton could not handle College’s skill with ball in hand. L. Kunene a further three tries to finish off with four in the match whilst L. Sinkfontein bagged himself a hattrick. James Slevin was lethal with the boot, converting ten tries in the game and grabbing himself a penalty as well.
Maritzburg College 83 Tries: Kunene x4, Sinkfontein x3, Kemka x2, Nyathi, Mbatha and Slevin Conversions: Slevin x10 Penalty: Slevin Clifton 1
Hockey
College’s hockey teams were undefeated winning 11 of their 13 matches and drawing 2, with the added excitement of playing under lights on Pape’s for the first time.
1st team report (Mr Kyle Emerson, 1st XI coach)
The stage was set for an exciting evening, as the College 1st XI played their first match under their newly installed lights on Pape’s Astro. The boarders, staff and many supporters came out in their numbers to support and enjoy a match on a Friday evening. The Clifton 1st XI came out the blocks fast and tried to play a fast-paced game, which saw them move the ball well with some exciting build up play. College were equal to it and the first quarter didn’t see many chances created, as the two teams summed each other up.
Clifton earned the first penalty corner of the evening but their variation did not allow them to get a clean shot off and trouble Nic Holmes in goals. College asserted themselves more in the third quarter where they started to turn more ball over from the Clifton defenders and their quick counter attacks proved difficult for the Clifton team to manage. A rare goalkeeping error, resulted in an unfortunate stoke being given to Clifton and yellow card to Holmes, after he had his helmet off when clearing a ball in open play. The Clifton player put it away and they took the lead in the 3rd quarter. College had a penalty corner that was well saved by the Clifton keeper as he moved quickly to his right and made a stick save. Clifton couldn’t clear the ball and a scramble in the 9-yard area saw debutant Rory Schirge react quickest to push the ball into the goal. The pressure piled up from College as they created a few more chances in the quarter, a ball being cleared off the line, and the Clifton keeper made a few saves off his line to keep the scores even.
Early in the 4th quarter, College capitalised on a good passage of buildup play and a left-sided circle entry saw Uyanda Dlamini hit a back-hand shot low and hard to the far post where Julian Konigkramer was well positioned to deflect the ball into the goal. Fatigue started to set into both teams due to the high pace at which the match was played and the unforced errors started to creep in from both teams. A turnover on the halfway line allowed Clifton to launch a quick counter-attack and the striker received the ball at the top of the circle to calmly fire a precise back-hand into the bottom corner of the goal to level the scores. A good battle that would see both teams ruing missed chances on the night to claim a victory, with a final score of 2-2.
Cycling
College cyclists excelled at the Berg50 race over the weekend.
• Brent Foster 1st overall and 1st in his age category • Kayden Searle 3rd overall and 1st in his age category • Michael Jewaskiewitz 4th overall and 3rd in his age category.
Canoeing Well done to two of College canoeists who competed in this weekend’s Umko Challege, finishing in the top three places in their categories.
U18 James Gotte & (partner – Rory Treleven) 1st
U23 Mixed doubles Jack Odell & (partner- Jess Behn) 3rd
Sports Report sent by Maritzburg College
