By Staff Reporter
Top teams across South Africa were drawn to Makhanda January 25-28 for the St Andrews College Shield. The 13 schools participating in the water polo event were St Johns and St Stithians from Gauteng, Hilton, Westville, Michaelhouse, and Clifton, all from Kwa-Zulu Natal, St Andrew’s College, Grey High, Selborne from the Eastern Cape, SACS, Bishops, Paul Roos, and Rondebosch in the Western Cape.
The competition met expectations, presenting a formidable challenge for all participating teams. The schools were divided into two pools, and most games were evenly contested. Bishops, St Johns, and Paul Roos remained unbeaten on day 1, with Paul Roos showcasing resilience in two games that required penalty shootouts.
St Johns maintained their dominance on day 2, securing the top spot in Pool B alongside Rondebosch, Paul Roos, and Westville, filling the other quarter-final spots.
On the final day, the excitement heightened in Pool A, awaiting the conclusion of the St Stithians vs Selborne game to determine the final pool standings. Bishops led Pool A, with SACS, Clifton, and Selborne securing the remaining quarter-final spots.
The quarter-final match-ups were as follows:
- Bishops vs. Westville
- SACS vs. Paul Roos
- Selborne vs. Rondebosch
- Clifton vs. St Johns
The Cape sides dominated, with Bishops, SACS, and Rondebosch making it to the semi-finals, alongside St Johns.
St Stithians defeated Michaelhouse in the plate semi-finals, and Hilton beat St Andrews College. Bishops triumphed over Rondebosch, and SACS defeated St Johns, setting up a final rematch.
St. Johns and Rondebosch battled for the bronze medal, with St Johns staging a comeback in the last quarter to secure victory.
In an exciting final, SACS turned the tables on Bishops, overcoming a deficit to win 10-9.
The final standings were as follows:
1st – SACS
2nd – Bishops
3rd – St Johns
4th – Rondebosch
5th – Paul Roos
6th – Selborne
7th – Clifton College
8th – Westville Boys High
9th – St Stithians College
10th – Hilton College
11th – Michaelhouse
12th – St Andrew’s College
13th – Grey High
