Maritzburg College enjoyed a great weekend of sport with most games being played against Glenwood. In addition, their squash, soccer, cross country and canoeing teams were in action over the weekend.

Rugby:
Maritzburg College won 20 of the total number of 23 rugby games played, losing 3 against Glenwood High School. Maritzburg College played 20 games and won 19, losing just 1. With good wins for the U14A, U15A, U16A and 2nd XV teams, it was a heart-breaking final few minutes which saw Maritzburg College’s 1st XV go down 22-23 to Glenwood College on Dixons.

1st XV March Report (Mr Tim Orchard, 1st XV coach)
Saturday’s encounter between Glenwood High School and Maritzburg College was billed as a blockbuster encounter and the match certainly lived up to it. With momentum firmly on the side of Maritzburg College as they had yet to lose a single rugby match on the day, the Maritzburg College supporters in attendance certainly felt that a clean sweep was on the cards.

The match started off as a very cagey affair with both sides trading field possession in pursuit of drawing first blood. Glenwood High School had the honour of drawing first blood after sustained pressure allowed them to score a converted try after a defensive error close to the Maritzburg College line. This try galvanised the Maritzburg College team as they hit back soon afterwards with a penalty of their own. The match see-sawed with regards to possession and territory until Maritzburg College’s lineout drive started to assert some dominance over the Glenwood pack.

This dominance began to show as Maritzburg College started to place the Glenwood High School team under serious pressure at the end of the first half with some hard running down the blind side finding the Glenwood team wanting. AJ Knoetze repaid the favour to Glenwood after a hole opened up at a ruck close to the Glenwood line allowed him to crash over to put Maritzburg College into the lead for the first time in the match. The kick was not converted, and Maritzburg College held a slender lead going into halftime.

The second half started off with Maritzburg College dominating the territory stats until a well-worked move allowed Glenwood High School to wriggle out of the Maritzburg College stranglehold. This allowed Glenwood High School to gain some momentum and they crashed over to regain the lead. Glenwood High School began to find their feet again and followed their converted try with a penalty to stretch the lead to 17-8. Maritzburg College once again went to their maul to lay an attacking platform, and after a maul that went thirty meters, Joshua Munn crashed over in the corner for a fine team try.

AJ Knoetze kicked over the conversion and Maritzburg College were back in the match at 17-15. Glenwood High School hit back with a penalty to put the score at 20-15. However, momentum swung firmly on the side of Maritzburg College and with their maul dominating, Glenwood High School was hemmed in deep in their own half manfully preventing Maritzburg College from scoring again. After a series of more mauls, Liam Prinsloo made a break for the Glenwood goal-line; a desperate Glenwood defender prevented him from scoring but could not stop from off-loading in contact with Luyanda Kunene who scored under the uprights to put College back in front. The score now stood at 22-20 with minutes to play but Glenwood managed to regain possession and slowly marched up the field. In the dying moments of the game, a penalty was awarded to Glenwood in kickable range and to the joyous rapture of those in green, slotted over to win the game for Glenwood and to allow them to record their only win of the day. Maritzburg College 22

Tries: AJ Knoetze, Joshua Munn and Luyanda Kunene Conversions: AJ Knoetze x2
Penalty: AJKnoetze
Glenwood High School 23

College’s unbeaten U14A hockey side enjoy a quiet team moment – they had another great game winning against Glenwood.
Photo Credit: C Beckett

Summary of Scores:

Team Opposition Venue Win/ Lose Score
1st Glenwood Dixons Lost 22-23
2nd Glenwood Dixons Won 14-3
3rd Glenwood Dixons Won 42-19
4th Glenwood Dixons Won 47-0
5th Glenwood Dixons Won 31-0
6th Glenwood Dixons Won 22-7
7th Glenwood Madsens Won 45-0
8th Alex 1st Goldstones Lost 5-17

16A Glenwood Dixons Won 42-6
16B Glenwood Bassons Won 38-7
16C Glenwood Bassons Won 17-5
16D Glenwood Bassons Won 24-0
16E Alex U16A Snows Won 15-0

15A Glenwood Bassons Won 20-14
15B Glenwood Madsens Won 23-5
15C Glenwood UKZN 1 Won 43-0
15D Glenwood UKZN 1 Won 56-0
15F Voortrekker Voortrekker B Lost 20-22

14A Glenwood Bassons Won 12-10
14B Glenwood Madsens Won 12-10
14C Glenwood Madsens Won 31-0
14D Glenwood UKZN 1 Won 48-0
14E Glenwood UKZN 1 Won 36-7

Hockey

Maritzburg College played 14 games on Friday and Saturday in the main against Glenwood High School, winning 11, drawing 2 and losing just 1 match. Against Glenwood, Maritzburg College won all 8 matches played, with a fantastic set of results which saw 34 goals scored for Maritzburg College and none against.

1st XI Match Report (Mr Kyle Emerson, 1st XI coach)
Most of the hockey matches took place on Friday afternoon and evening against Glenwood High School, with the balance taking place on Saturday. Being Glenwood’s Old Boys’ Day saw added energy and passion from the opposition, with loud support on the side of the Astro. Playing under lights always brings more of an atmosphere and the first quarter got off to an electric start which saw both teams pressing high up the field. Glenwood High School was very physical and put challenges which were often very close to the edge of the law. Maritzburg College created a few chances in the first half but not enough to beat the Glenwood goalkeeper. Ross Graham was at full stretch, diving in the circle to try to get a tip in but was just out of reach. The best chance of the first half fell to Connor Fulton who received a pass on the top of the circle and got off a good low backhand but the outstretched foot of the goalkeeper was enough to keep the score at 0-0 at halftime.

Maritzburg College opened the scoring in the 3rd quarter after Mathew Ponter threw a long overhead to find Cameron van der Vliet who chased the ball down and put the ball past the goalkeeper in a one-on-one. The momentum was definitely in Maritzburg College’s favour. The second goal came after a good turnover in midfield by Alex Styan. He passed the ball to Glenton Winlock who found Ross Graham in the circle. His shot was saved but Connor Fulton was quick on the rebound and flicked the ball into the net. Maritzburg College continued to dominate and a penalty corner was well saved after a drag-flick by Matthew Ponter, and shortly afterwards, Ross Graham hit the crossbar. The Glenwood High School goalkeeper kept the scoreline at 2-0 after a great save from Fulton’s forehand hit and he then did well to keep Bryn Brokensha’s rebounded effort out of the goal. Maritzburg College played a structured game and dominated possession in a match that saw eleven cards handed out by the umpires. The final score was 2-0 for Maritzburg College.

Summary of Scores:

Team Opponents Venue Win / Lose Score
1st Glenwood 3 Schools Astro Won 2-0
2nd Glenwood 3 Schools Astro Won 1-0
3rd Glenwood 3 Schools Astro Won 7-0
4ths Howick 1sts Pape’s Astro Drew 0-0
5ths Howick 2nds Papes Astro Won 2-1

16A Glenwood 3 Schools Astro Won 5-0
16B Glenwood 3 Schools Astro Won 8-0
16C Glenwood 3 Schools Astro Won 3-0
16D Howick U16A Barns B Drew 1-1
16E St Charles Won 6-0
16F St Charles SCC Won 4-0

14A Glenwood 3 Schools Astro Won 2-0
14B Glenwood 3 Schools Astro Won 6-0
14C Howick U14A Papes Astro Lost 0-2

Soccer

Congratulations to the Maritzburg College 1st team, who with two wins in the week, are joint top of the KZNHSFA league table with three rounds to go.

Selected results:

1sts vs 2nds, 1sts Won 1 – 0 1sts vs Carter, Won 1 – 0 U14B vs Westville A, Lost 0 – 3 U16A vs Kingsway, Won 3 – 2 2nds vs Haythorne, Lost 0 – 2

Squash

Last week Thursday, 12 May, Maritzburg College’s Junior squash team were involved in a fixture against Michaelhouse. In what was a highly competitive fixture, the Junior team came out on top, winning 9 – 3.

Canoeing

College boys took part in the KZN Canoe Marathon camps over the weekend, doing very well in both K1 and K2 divisions.

• K1 U14: 1st Scott Venniker 4th Keegan Vogt
• U16:3rd Jayden Jansen van Rensberg 6th Luke O’Connor
• U18: 4th Joshua Glyn-Cuthbert 6th James Goble 9th Ian Hemingway
• K2 U14: 1st Scott Venniker and Keegan Vogt
• U16:2nd Jayden Jansen van Rensberg and Keith Ward 3rd Luke O’Connor and partner
• U18:2nd James Goble and partner, 3rd Joshua Glyn-Cuthbert and partner

Cross Country

Maritzburg College cross country teams participated in the Midlands League 3 with the following boys finishing in the top 10:

• Seniors 2nd J Werth 6th S Arnold 8th L Newlands
• Juniors 3rd L Shangase 5th E McAllister