28 April 2023
Day two of the Hibbert Shield Festival at Grey High School produced excellent outings for the three KZN schools, with Clifton sharing a high-quality 3-3 draw with Paarl Gimnasium, DHS showing plenty of heart in a huge 3-2 win over Selborne College, and Westville scoring late to secure a 2-0 win over Woodridge College.
Outstanding finishing
Clifton’s clash with Paarl Gimnasium produced some outstanding finishes from both teams. Overall, the Durban school should be very pleased with their showing against a strong team. There were, though, some minor disappointments.
Connor McKenzie and his side scored right on the half-time whistle to take a 2-0 lead, and they might feel a little unhappy to have allowed Gimmies to level matters in the second half. Still, though, the Paarl team’s goals came from quality finishes, one a field goal and the other a screaming penalty corner.
Hibbert Shield day one: Mixed fortunes for KZN teams
https://www.pinnacle-schools.com/2023/04/28/hockey-hibbert-day-one/
Showing great fight, though, Clifton again went ahead in the fourth chukka, with Mitchell Tillard finishing strongly to beat the goalkeeper to his right. Unfortunately, much to the team’s disappointment, Gimmies scrambled the ball across the line, with less than two minutes to play, to snatch a draw.
Fine performance
Coach Keegan Pearce might have been disappointed to see his side fail to close out the win, but he must surely have been pleased with their performance. Their structure, their composure on the ball, and their distribution were all good, and they fronted up very well to a strong side.
The draw left the two top of pool A and assured of a place in the quarterfinals.
Clifton post big win over Saint Andrew’s School
https://www.pinnacle-schools.com/2023/04/21/hockey-clifton-st-andrews/
DHS, after going down to SACS (0-5) and drawing with Pearson High (1-1) had to beat Selborne College in their final pool game if they were to qualify for the quarterfinals. Selborne had defeated Pearson 3-0 and held SACS to a 1-1 draw, so a very challenging game awaited Lerou Dithlakanyane and his team.
They responded well. It was goalless after the first chukka, but captain Dithlakanyane put his side ahead early in the second chukka with a sharp finish after DHS laid siege to the Selborne goal. Then, a smooth penalty corner routine resulted in a fine finish from Matlhatse Sebake, which put Michael Baker’s charges two goals clear.
Michael Baker’s magical DHS hockey makeover
https://www.pinnacle-schools.com/2023/04/26/hockey-dhs-michael-baker/
Huge pressure on DHS
Selborne, though, are a very good team and they halved the deficit early in the third chukka with a powerful drag flick. They were able to then equalise, putting all of the pressure back onto DHS. If the Durbanites were to reach the last eight, they had to find a late winner.
They conjured up goal number three to come away with a must-have 3-2 win. “The boys showed character,” coach Baker said. Their reward for the victory was a showdown against Paul Roos, who dominated Pool C with three wins, on Saturday morning at 09:15.
Pool B, with SACS, DHS, Selborne College and Pearson High, was undoubtedly the most challenging of the three pools – “so tough”, coach Baker reckoned – which might stand the Blue Typhoon in good stead against Paul Roos, but the concern is how good their legs will be after an extremely tough game against Selborne on Friday.
Westville come from behind to beat Kearsney
https://www.pinnacle-schools.com/2023/04/23/hockey-westville-kearsney/
Relief
For Westville, their 2-0 win over Woodridge, sealed with a late goal, must have been something of a relief.
They had been well beaten by Paul Roos, then given away a soft goal in a loss to Garsfontein by the odd goal, on day one. Ending pool play without a win was, frankly speaking, unthinkable for a proud hockey programme under the leadership of an excellent coach in Cam Mackay.
It didn’t happen, which meant the KZN challenge at the Hibbert Shield went undefeated on day two of the tournament.
There’s plenty to play for on day three.
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