Maritzburg College enjoyed an exceptional week of sporting achievement, with standout
performances across basketball, canoeing, cycling, water polo, and tennis. The highlight events included the Jenny Orchard Invitational (JOI) Basketball Tournament, hosted on the College campus as well as the 2026 Dusi Canoe Marathon. College teams also impressed at the St John’s Basketball Tournament and several other sporting fixtures.
Jenny Orchard Invitational Basketball Tournament (JOI)
Maritzburg College’s 1st team delivered a dominant performance throughout the JOI, topping their pool and executing commanding playoff victories.
It was in the final game, in what’s already being hailed as one of the greatest comeback
performances ever, that our 1st Team Basketball truly excelled showed heart, grit, and sheer
determination, fighting back from over 20 points down to win the Tournament!
A sensational 64–55 victory over ESCA capped off an unforgettable performance that will be talked about for years to come. Huge congratulations to the boys for never giving up, believing in each other, and digging deep when it mattered most.
Key results include:
• Quarterfinal: Beat Soweto Basketball Academy 74–53
• Semi-Final: Beat Kearsney 74–45
• Final vs ECSA: Beat ECSA 64-55
Division A champions!
The 3rd team also produced an impressive set of results, securing strong wins against:
• Lost 47-57 vs Kingswood
• Won 57-47 vs Treverton
• Lost 56-61 vs Bishops
• Won 63-28 vs Thomas More
• Won 82-77 vs Alex
• Won 62-45 vs Enjabulweni
Placed 9th Division B
St John’s Basketball Tournament
College’s 2nd team has been in superb form at the St John’s Tournament. They progressed
convincingly through their fixtures, including a noteworthy 51–30 semifinal victory over St John’s, and winning the final against St Peter’s to finish as Division B champions.
2nd team
• Won 44-22 vs YUT Mauritius
• Won 59-30 vs Sacred Heart
• Won 44-38 vs Redhill
• Won 94-11 vs Saheti
• Won 51-30 vs St John’s B (SF)
• Won 61-36 vs St Peter’s (F)
Division B champions
The 15A team recorded several excellent wins during the tournament finishing 9th overall.
• Won 44-22 vs St Peter’s
• Won 64-34 vs Michael Mount
• Won 53-32 vs St Albans
• Lost 55-59 vs Hilton (R16)
• Won 47-39 vs St David’s
• Won 43-18 vs St Albans
These performances reflect the depth and momentum of College basketball across all age groups.
Water Polo
The 15A water polo team delivered a spirited and determined performance at the Dallas Hutton 15A. Festival finishing 8th overall.
Results
• vs DHS – Lost 3–5
• vs Affies – Lost 2–5
• vs Clifton – Lost 0–11
• vs Invitation – Won 1–0
• vs Curro – Won 9–1
• vs Westville – Lost 5–6
Athletics
Maritzburg College delivered an impressive performance at the 4th aQuellé Series meeting,
competing against 32 other schools. With overall team scores to be confirmed after next week’s final event, College nevertheless stood out on the track and field, securing six 1st places, seven 2nd places, and four 3rd places across various age groups.
Notable victories included B. Cassels (U13 200m), L. Bottcher (U15 Hammer), S. Jansen (U17Hammer), C. Scheepers (U19 200m and Long Jump), and C. Sweetnam (U19 Javelin). Strong runnerup performances came from athletes such as S. Ngubane (U15 100m), R. Slade (U15 Hammer), and B. Fourie (U19 3000m), while third places were added by competitors including B. Jean-Louis (U19200m) and K. de Bruyn (U19 Javelin).
A standout highlight was Sibongakonke Ngubane, who earned the title of Under 15 Champion
Athlete, underscoring College’s depth of talent across the age categories.
Tennis
Taking on visiting teams from St Benedicts’ College’s tennis team enjoyed good results at both 1st team and U15A level. The 1st Team won 5 of their 9 matches, while the 15A team secured 4 wins from 10 matches.
Cycling
College cyclists competed in the Illovo Wartburg Classic on Saturday, 21 February, producing several podium and top-10 results.
60km – Junior Men
• K. Searle – 3rd
• B. Fourie – 8th
• C. Wood – 12th
• H. Dlamuka – DNF
45km – Youth Male
• R. Champkins – 8th
• D. Chunilall – 14th
25km
• Junior Men: P. Khumalo – 2nd
• Sub-Junior Male: M. Badenhorst – 14th
Dusi Canoe Marathon
It was an unforgettable Dusi for the Maritzburg College community. Across all categories, the College spirit was evident, represented by world-class Old Boys, talented young paddlers, and an exceptional coaching setup.
Old Collegian Andy Birkett (OC 2008), partnered by Matt Fenn, delivered another historic
performance by securing back-to-back K2 victories and achieving a record-extending 16th Dusi Canoe Marathon win, a monumental achievement that further cements his legacy.
College’s junior paddlers performed exceptionally well:
• 2nd U18 & 10th Overall: Keegan Vogt & partner Ryley Smith
• 3rd U18 & 15th Overall: James Gotte & partner Melokuhle Mpangazitha
• 4th U18 & 25th Overall: Nathan Curry & Josh Worthmann
• 6th U18 & 36th Overall: Matt Rawson & Joshua Craig
College also proudly secured the Dusi Schools Trophy, thanks to the combined performances of:
• Nathan Curry & Josh Worthmann
• Matt Rawson & Joshua Craig
A special commendation goes to Coach Bridgitte Hartley, who had an outstanding race of her own, finishing 5th in the Ladies division and 1st in the Veterans category.
Summary
This has been an outstanding week for Maritzburg College sport, with athletes across multiple
disciplines demonstrating skill, determination, and College pride. From podium finishes in the Dusi, to tournament champions, to strong showings in water polo, cycling, and tennis, College boys once again showcased exceptional ability and commitment.