St Andrew’s College Sports Report:
1ST TEAM WATER POLO – VIDES Tournament
This past weekend, the 1st team traveled to Selborne, East London to compete in the Annual VIDES Water Polo Tournament. The team entered well-prepared, having played several fixtures prior. We were in a tough pool alongside Michaelhouse, Wynberg, & Stirling.
The tournament began with a 8–6 victory over Michaelhouse. In the match against Wynberg, the team trailed 6–4 heading into the final quarter. However, the boys demonstrated their resilience & turned the game around to secure a thrilling 7–6 win. In our final pool match, we delivered a clinical performance, defeating Stirling 14–2 to seal our place in the knockout stages.
Knockout Stage Battles
In the quarterfinals, we faced a formidable Paul Roos team. We found ourselves behind in the final quarter, but captain Coel Trollip stepped up with a crucial equalizer, taking the game to a penalty shootout. All of our players converted their penalties, securing a 10–8 victory & a spot in the semifinals against Selborne.
In what was arguably the match of the tournament, the team executed a disciplined defensive strategy, securing a well-earned 7–3 win over a heavily favored Selborne team.
Final Showdown
In the final, we faced a strong & physically imposing St David’s team. Unfortunately, we strayed from our defensive structure, conceding three penalties & three action goals early on, putting us on the back foot. Despite continuously fighting back, we remained a goal or two behind throughout. St David’s controlled the final quarter, & we ultimately fell 9–5.
Individual Recognitions:
Coel Trollip – Man of the Match in the quarterfinal.
Josh Hinks – Man of the Match honors in the semifinal.
Coel Trollip – Attacker of the Tournament & selected for the Tournament Team, alongside Calum Emslie, Thomas Owen-Jones, & Jacques Du Toit.
U14 WATER POLO | Pitcairn Cup
This weekend, the U14A team delivered a fantastic performance at the Pitcairn U14 Tournament.
The opening day was a standout, as the boys secured impressive victories over Grey Bloem and SACS. Their confidence continued to grow, culminating in a hard-fought draw against a strong Rondebosch side—an effort that earned them the top spot in their pool.
Knockout Rounds
In the quarterfinals, the team faced a tough battle against Paarl Roos. Despite their grit and determination, they were unable to clinch a win. However, their teamwork and sportsmanship were evident throughout the match.
Next up was a challenging clash against a well-prepared Wynberg team. Though the result didn’t go in their favor, the boys continued to fight with resilience and enthusiasm, showing their unwavering commitment.
Final Placement Match
In their final match against Paarl Boys, the team displayed remarkable growth, working together and putting in a strong effort to close out the tournament in 8th place.
A Tournament to Remember
Throughout the weekend, the U14A team exhibited incredible spirit, perseverance, and teamwork. Their ability to compete fiercely against top-tier opponents is a testament to their hard work and dedication.
CRICKET vs SELBORNE
There were nine matches played against Selborne College this past weekend, with St Andrew’s College coming out on top in the majority of the them quite comfortably.The four open sides had very convincing wins, with the under 15 age group continuing to put together some impressive results.
Matthew Page is to be congratulated on his outstanding 7 wicket haul for the Colts B.
Other good batting performances came from Leo Murray with 57 for the Junior Colts A, Ethan Malan with 58 for the 3rd XI, Josh Jones with 51 not out for the 2nd XI, Connor Holder with 88 not out for the Colts A and Sebastian Steffny with 60 for the 4th XI.
With the ball great performances came from Adrian Gaunt who took 4/42 for the 2nd XI, and Kevin Turk 4/51 for the 4th XI.
In the 1st XI fixture in East London, Selborne College won the toss and elected to bat first. After early pressure from the St Andrew’s College opening bowlers, and three quick wickets, it was the spinners who then dominated with six wickets between them to bowl Selborne out for 95.
William Beamish and Myles Sansom made light work of the chase, passing the Selborne score just one wicket down. College went on to declare on 269/3 with Beamish scoring 103 and Sansom 77. This allowed St Andrew’s College the opportunity to go for an outright win but Selborne managed to bat out time and end the day just one wicket down in the second innings.
This was another clinical performance from the St Andrew’s College 1st XI as they now look forward to the Independent Schools Cricket Festival this coming weekend in Pretoria.
We also wish the Colts A all the best in the Independent Schools u15 festival in Johannesburg and the 2nd XI, 3rd XI, Colts B and Junior Colts A for their challenging tour to the Western Cape.