25 September 2023
SACS were crowned champions of the 2023 Clifton Water Polo Tournament on Monday, outlasting Paul Roos Gymnasium 7-6 in the final at the Clifton Aquatic Centre, while Clifton handed Hilton College a 9-5 defeat to capture the bronze medal.
It marked the third time during the event that SACS had recorded a one-goal victory – they beat Westville Boys’ High 10-9 and Hilton College 11-10 on Sunday – but rather than suggest that SACS were lucky, those results were more a testament to their BMT.
The team from Cape Town were well led by their captain, Noah Bigara, who was named the MVP of the Tournament at its conclusion.
Josh Reyneke of Paul Roos received the award of Best Attacker.
Clifton College, who went down 7-9 to Paul Roos in the semi-finals, enjoyed an excellent tournament. Apart from that one loss, they also took down the defending champions, Saint John’s College, winning 9-7, while they were convincing victors in the remainder of their fixtures.
Clifton’s Ben Ribbink was recognised as the Best Defender while Glenwood’s Jesse Venter was declared the Best Goalkeeper.
Glenwood might have finished with the wooden spoon, but their comeback win over KES on Saturday – from four goals down to victory in a shootout, in which Venter was brilliant – was one of the performances of the tournament.
The closest match of the final day was that between DHS and KES for 9th and 10th places, with the Durbanites snatching a 10-9 victory.
Westville Boys’ High emphatically shut out Saint Andrew’s College, winning 9-0, while Kearsney College were doomed by a slow start against Saint John’s. They fought back well. However, but it wasn’t enough as they fell 5-9.
Nonetheless, the boys from Botha’s Hill, with a young side, should be pleased with their performances. Their youth suggests there is plenty more to come from this team.
Medal matches
Clifton’s 9-5 win over Hilton, in front of a large crowd, was unambiguous. The hosts came out on fire and roared into an impressive 6-1 half-time lead, which meant Hilton were never really in the game. It was a big statement against an excellent outfit.
The final, though, was a cagey affair as two well-organised teams did battle. It was 3-3 at half-time, but SACS pulled clear in the third chukka – the SuperSport Schools commentators said throughout the event that the third chukka separates the men from the boys – and, although they were never comfortably in front, they didn’t allow Paul Roos to draw level again as they went on to secure the prestigious title.
Huge credit to Clifton for putting on an exceptional event. It was well organised and well officiated, and the teams put on a show in the superb Clifton Aquatic Centre. Even the online offering by SuperSport Schools was outstanding, with the live commentary on the games adding immeasurably to the spectacle.
Results and Final Positions
15th/16th: Michaelhouse 10-2 Glenwood
13th/14th: Reddam Constantia 10-1 Grey College
11th/12th: DHS 10-9 KES
9th/10th: Affies 10-7 Maritzburg College
7th/8th: Westville Boys’ High 9-0 Saint Andrew’s College
5th/6th: Saint John’s College 9-5 Kearsney College
3rd/4th: Clifton College 9-5 Hilton College
1st/2nd: SACS 7-6 Paul Roos Gymnasium
The Clifton Water Polo Tournament 2023 was broadcast live on SuperSport Schools
Click the link above to watch the games in full again or visit Pinnacle Schools – YouTube for highlights.
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Web đź’»: https://live.supersportschools.com
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