SuperSport Schools Plus | Collegiate prepares for tough 150th reunion clash vs Pearson

Collegiate Girls High School, fresh off a strong showing at the National All Girls Festival in Potchefstroom, will return to action this week when they host their arch-rivals, Pearson High Schoolat their 150^Th reunion celebration in Gqeberha on Friday.

The hosts impressed in Potch, finishing seventh, just behind Bloemfontein’s Eunice High School.

At the tournament, coach Michael Abraham’s side was drawn in Pool C, which is also included Pietermaritzburg Girls’ HighEunice, St. Michael’sand Potchefstroom Girls.

The Eastern Cape team sparkled, winning all of their group matches, which included a shock 1-0 win over Eunice in a tightly contested affair.

Adding to their impressive pool results was the fact that they did not concede a single goal in those four outings while scoring nine of their own.

In the quarterfinals, Collegiate were finally stopped, but not before they had given Affies, the eventual winners, all they could handle. It came down to a penalty shootout and Affies advanced 2-1 from the spot.

After that, Collegiate suffered a 0-2 loss HMS Bloemhofbut they finished their tournament on a high, beating Cape Town’s Wynberg Girls’ High by a solitary goal to secure seventh place.

Collegiate will be eager to celebrate theirs 150^Th reunion in appropriate style by putting together a winning performance on their home turf. It’s going to require good execution to beat a dangerous Pearson side.

In their last meeting, in March, in the final of the Spar Hockey ChallengePearson, under the guidance of coach Ignatius Malgraffpulled off a 1-0 win to lay their hands on the silverware.

However, past results have favored Collegiate.

In last year’s derby, Collegiate won 3-2, and the sides played out a 2-2 draw the year before, while it was the Collegiate who picked up a 2-0 win in 2021.

Past results will mean very little, though, when the whistle for the first chukka blows on Friday night.

Both sides have players who have been selected to represent Eastern Province at this year’s SASHOC u18 Inter-provincial tournament in Bloemfontein in their ranks.

Collegiate will look to their provincial reps, Aluluth Adams, Tiara Finnisand Gemma Bowerto lead their challenge.

Meanwhile, coach Malgraff will look into it Anne De Villiers, Jody Van Aardtand Zoey Mostert to fire on all cylinders if his side is to cause an upset away from home.

The clash starts at 7:45 p.m at the Collegiate Astroturf and will be streamed LIVE he SuperSport Schools.

In other matches around the province, Stirling High Schoolafter suffering a hefty 0-7 defeat at the hands of DSG Makhanda, will try to reverse their fortunes when they take on Merrifield College in East London.

Cambridge High Schoolafter a bye last week, is back in action and will travel to Makhanda to face DSG.

Woodridge College he too York High SchoolKingswood College plays Alexander Road, and Die Brandwag will be in action against Victoria Girls’ High.

FIXTURES

Friday, 10 May

4pm – Alexander Road v Kingswood College
7.45pm – Collegiate Girls High vs Pearson High

Saturday, 11 May 2024

10am – Stirling High v Merrifield College
10.20am- Woodridge College vs York High
12.30pm – DSG Makhanda vs Cambridge High
13:00 – Die Brandwag vs Victoria Girls’ High

Avuyile Sawula is a multimedia sports journalist, broadcaster, and writer. He possesses a journalism qualification from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. During his time in the media industry, he has worked for various online media publications covering big matches and events across the country. He also has a broadcasting background having worked as a news journalist at one of Cape Town’s commercial radio stations. His reporting beats include hockey, rugby, water polo, and cricket. Apart from writing, he has a knack for creating sports content and video editing.