30 September 2024
Parity and dramatic action was the name of the game as the Centenary Clifton Water Polo Tournament came to a thrilling end on Sunday. When the dust had settled – or maybe that should be when the water had stilled – SACS had successfully defended the title, edging out St John’s 8-7, while Clifton eclipsed Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) for third in a penalty shootout.
The SACS versus St John’s showdown was a fitting final, bringing together the defending champions and the 2022 winners.
It was cagey in the first quarter, with Ross Rovelli setting up Fedor Sadovnik for the opening goal for St John’s with a superb pass, which Sadovnik tapped into the net. Just before the end of the chukka, Ben Bigara struck for SACS, firing from long-range, but right in front, into goalkeeper Kemogelo Thobejane‘s bottom left corner.
The second quarter belonged to SACS, who had their long-range sights dialled in. Matt Forbes started the ball rolling with a shot into the goalkeeper’s bottom left corner.
St John’s, on the back foot, mustered their only goal in the chukka to level matters at 2-2, but it was special. Near the SACS goal, Nicholas Searle pulled off a magical spin move to evade the attention of two defenders as they closed on him from opposite sides. He, then, picked out Christopher Chapman in front of the goal and he made full use of the opportunity.
A rocket from Mac Lecuona gave SACS the lead again and Thobejane denied Aiden Turrell with a sharp save to his left to keep the gap at one goal. Turrell, though, was on the mark soon afterwards from the right. With just over a minute to the break, Turrell had his second and SACS enjoyed a handsome 5-2 advantage at half-time.
It appeared as if SACS were on their way to a comfortable win. All the momentum was on their side and their three-goal lead appeared to be very solid. St John’s, though, were far from beaten.
They signalled their intent early in the third chukka, with Simon Mussett pulling off a steal near the middle of pool and exchanging passes with Nicholas Searle before pulling one back from the right.
St John’s took it to SACS, with first Chapman and then Rovelli testing goalkeeper Leo Jackson. After Nicholas Fall was high and wide with a shot, the Johannesburg side went down the length of the pool again, but Michael van Heerden was denied by the crossbar.
There was no denying St John’s skipper Greg Pryce soon after that. When SACS failed to close him down, he let rip, sending a laser past Jackson’s left arm and into the net.
Then, when SACS had a player excluded, St John’s had a good chance to level, but Conor Melling-Williams pulled off a superb block on Rovelli to keep the Cape Town team in front. In the last minute of the chukka, though, Christopher Chapman found room on the right again and he beat Jackson to make it 5-5 after three quarters.
Just half-a-minute into the final quarter, Ross Rovelli shot low and hard to the goalie’s left to push St John’s into the lead. Twenty seconds later it was 6-6 with Jandro Rojo-Roos rising high out of the water before powering a shot past Thobejane.
Only four minutes remained when Nicholas Fall struck from the right, finding the top left-hand corner with a shot across the goalkeeper, and SACS had edged ahead once more.
The Capetonians looked like they were about to increase their lead with a breakaway but Rovelli came to the rescue of St John’s, stealing the ball away Matt Forbes right in front of Thobejane.
After a timeout called by their coach Jon-Marc de Carvalho, St John’s got the desired result, with Chapman scoring from the right again. It was 7-7.
But, with just over three minutes remaining, Jandro Rojo-Roos lobbed the goalkeeper to score the goal that proved to be the match-winner.
The third place playoff was a cliffhanger, with Clifton outlasting Paul Roos and winning it from the spot. What a ride it was for Clifton’s skipper Ollie Ditz, too.
With time winding down, the scores level at 4-4, and the hosts on the attack, Ditz had a pass intercepted by Miguel Terblanche, who charged down the pool and, wisely, opted not to try to go through goalkeeper Ross Strauss, who had been immense for Clifton throughout the tournament. Instead, with Strauss having come out to meet him, Terblanche lobbed the ball over the ‘keeper and into the net.
Undaunted, Ditz took possession of the ball, directly in front of the Paul Roos goal, but he had a man tight on him and he was some distance out. The Clifton captain dropped low into the water, then burst high out of it and released a missile towards goal. It beat the goalie to his right and, with just over a minute to play, the teams were level at 5-5.
Strauss brilliantly denied Adam October with a strong save to his right as the seconds ticked away and it was on to a penalty shootout.
Clifton had the first shot and Ethan Lyne put it into the bottom right corner. Nicolaas van der Westhuizen, a left-hander, beat Strauss to the goalie’s left and PRG was level. Then, Luc O’Brien buried the ball in the bottom right corner past Adam Lawrence. Miguel Terblanche responded with a powerful shot above the right shoulder of Strauss. It was 2-2.
Ditz, the next man up for Clifton, went to the ‘keeper’s left, but his effort was rejected. If Paul Roos scored, they would win. Adam October went right, but Ross Strauss showed why he deserved the Goalkeeper of the Tournament Award, which he would receive later in the day, stopping the stinging shot.
Clifton’s Head Boy, Ethan Lyne, delivered another pinpoint finish to edge Clifton ahead again. Nicolaas van der Westhuizen went to the right of Strauss, who partially stopped it, but the ball made it across the line. 3-3.
Copying Lyne’s example, Luc O’Brien beat the goalie with a low shot to the right and Clifton edged ahead, 4-3. Terblanche, then, scored for PRG, although Strauss, once again, got an arm to it.
That brought up Ditz for Clifton. The second time around, he made no mistake. October took the next shot for Paul Roos. He was high and Clifton had snatched third place, much to the delight of the home faithful.
Fifth went to Westville Boys’ High, who edged out their neighbours, Kearsney College, 7-6, with Max Scully, who turned out for the KZN u18 side last year, proving a difference-maker. He and Rhees Hall were outstanding for the winners.
Hilton College was extended by a never-say-die Affies outfit, but they battled their way to an 8-7 win behind the rocket arm of their captain Meyer Malherbe, who struck four times from distance, to take seventh.
Frankly, competition among the quarterfinalists was so tight that it would not have been a surprise to see any of the eight lift the title. There was not much in it.
East London’s Selborne College placed ninth after a 9-6 win over Northwood, which was built upon a rollicking start that caught the Knights cold. Incredibly, that victory equalled the biggest win of the day. Competition was tight!
In eleventh place was DHS, who held on for a 9-8 win over Reddam House Constantia, while Michaelhouse beat KES 8-7 to take 13th. Maritzburg College placed 15th after a 9-6 defeat of Grey College.
Apart from Ross Strauss winning the Goalkeeper of the Tournament, Nicholas Fall, of SACS, won the Best Attacker Award, Greg Pryce of St John’s, was named the Best Defender, and his team-mate, Ross Rovelli, received the Most Valuable Player Award.
RESULTS
1st/2nd: SACS 8–7 St John’s
3rd/4th: Clifton (5) 5-5 (4) Paul Roos
5th/6th: Kearsney 6–7 Westville
7th/8th: Hilton 8–7 Affies
9th/10th: Selborne 9–6 Northwood
11th/12th: Reddam House Constantia 8–9 DHS
13th/14th: Michaelhouse 8–7 KES
15th/16th: Maritzburg College 9–6 Grey College
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