13 February 2024
Five KwaZulu-Natal teams were in action at the 30th St Andrew’s Squash Festival in Bloemfontein over the weekend. The event brings together the very best of South Africa’s squash-playing schools.
No winner is determined, however, as teams face different opposition, playing five teams each, and the focus is on matters like sportsmanship and building relationships.
Nonetheless, there were some outstanding performances for KZN schools.
Michaelhouse, the best in the province in 2023, faced a difficult schedule but rose to the challenge and delivered superb results.
In a tough opener, they recorded a 4-2 win over Pretoria Boys High A. The next time out they defeated another one of the long-time powers, Grey High, by a 5-1 margin. They blew past St John’s College in their next outing, winning 6-0.
Their next two opponents, St Andrew’s School and King Edward VII, also among the best over the years, played Michaelhouse to a 3-3 draw.
Only Hoërskool Zwartkop, 2023’s national champions, produced a better set of results, winning all of their ties, but ‘House was the only other unbeaten team.
Maritzburg College enjoyed a very good run, too. Their number six, Joel Maistry, went an excellent five for five, as College lost only once.
They had wins over Queen’s College, St Stithians College, St Andrew’s College and St Andrew’s School B. It was only Grey High who prevented College from producing a clean record.
Westville Boys’ High, undoubtedly the number one tennis school in South Africa, showed their squash is in a healthy place, too. They racked up wins over Bishops, Grey College, and St Stithians, but went down to Pretoria Boys High A.
Kearsney College faced an exceptionally tough schedule. Nonetheless, they beat Grey College and St Stithians, drew with St John’s, and went down to Pretoria Boys High and Zwartkop.
Glenwood fell to St John’s College B, St Andrew’s College, Pretoria Boys High B and St Andrew’s School B, but in typical Glenwood fashion they fought to the end and finished on a high note with a win over Kingswood College.
RESULTS
Friday, 14:15
St Andrew’s School A 1-5 Hoërskool Zwartkop
St Andrew’s School B 6-0 Parktown Boys’ High
Selborne College 5-1 St John’s College A
Grey High 2-4 King Edward VII
Maritzburg College 5-1 Queen’s College
Michaelhouse 4-2 Pretoria Boys High A
Kingswood College 0-6 Pretoria Boys High B
Kearsney College 4-2 Grey College
Westville Boys’ High 4-2 Bishops Diocesan College
St Dominic’s College 4-2 St Stithians College
St Andrew’s College 4-2 Paul Roos Gimnasium
Glenwood High 1-5 St John’s College B
Friday, 19:15
St Andrew’s School A 2-4 King Edward VII
St Andrew’s School B 3-3 Bishops Diocesan College
Kearsney College 3-3 St John’s College
Pretoria Boys High B 5-1 St John’s College B
Pretoria Boys High A 1-5 Selborne College
Grey High 1-5 Michaelhouse
St Andrew’s College 6-0 Glenwood High
Paul Roos Gimnasium 6-0 Kingswood College
Westville Boys’ High 4-2 Grey College
Hoërskool Zwartkop 6-0 St Dominic’s College
Maritzburg College 5-1 St Stithians College
Parktown Boys’ High 0-6 Queen’s College
Saturday, 09:30
St Andrew’s School A 3-3 Grey High
St Andrew’s School B 5-1 St John’s College B
Michaelhouse 6-0 St John’s College A
Hoërskool Zwartkop 5-1 King Edward VII
Kingswood College 1-5 Parktown Boys’ High
St Andrew’s College 2-4 Maritzburg College
Kearsney College 1-5 Pretoria Boys High A
Glenwood High 1-5 Pretoria Boys High B
Grey College 4-2 St Dominic’s College
Selborne College 6-0 Bishops Diocesan College
Westville Boys’ High 4-2 St Stithians College
Paul Roos Gimnasium 3-3 Queen’s College
Saturday, 14:30
St Andrew’s School A 3-3 Michaelhouse
St Andrew’s School B 5-1 Glenwood High
Maritzburg College 1-5 Grey High
Paul Roos Gimnasium 2-4 St John’s College A
Kingswood College 3-3 St John’s College B
Grey College 2-4 King Edward VII
Kearsney College 5-1 St Stithians College
Selborne College 2-4 Hoërskool Zwartkop
Parktown Boys’ High 0-6 Bishops Diocesan College
St Dominic’s College 3-3 Queen’s College
Westville Boys’ High 1-5 Pretoria Boys High A
St Andrew’s College 6-0 Pretoria Boys High B
Sunday, 08:30
St Andrew’s School A 1-5 Selborne College
St Andrew’s School B 0-6 Maritzburg College
St John’s College B 0-6 St Andrew’s College
King Edward VII 3-3 Michaelhouse
Kingswood College 2-4 Glenwood High
Grey College 1-5 Pretoria Boys High A
Parktown Boys’ High 0-6 Pretoria Boys High B
Grey High 5-1 St Stithians College
St Dominic’s College 1-5 Paul Roos Gimnasium
Queen’s College 3-3 Bishops Diocesan College
Kearsney College 0-6 Hoërskool Zwartkop
Leave a Reply