Cream of SA schools shine
PINELANDS High, Reddam High Girls and Strelitzia High were the toast of the annual SA Sports Tours Schools Soccer Tournament at Beaconhurst Park yesterday as they won their respective divisions.
Cape Town side Pinelands claimed the win in an exciting U19 boys final against Port Elizabeth’s Alexander Road High, scoring a 2-1 win.
Alex were rewarded for their early endeavour with a goal to Cazlon Petersen in the opening minutes.
Heading into the final five minutes of the half Pinelands equalised after a long ball over the top of the Alex defence was put in by Shaqueel Isaacs.
In the second half Pinelands enjoyed the better of the chances, forcing Alex’s keeper into a couple of saves.
Pinelands pressure told and it was Chad Follentine who found himself free in the box and was able to smash the ball past the keeper for the winner.
In the U19 girls final Reddam from Johannesburg cruised to a 6-1 victory over Kimberly Girls.
Reddam put in three first half goals, while Kimberly managed to score a goal in the second half. However, Reddam added three more to finish the game strong.
The U16 final between Reddam boys and Strelitzia from Uitenhage ended 1-all, and a penalty shoot-out was needed to separate the teams.
Both teams were locked at 1-1 after their first five penalties each and Strelitzia finally broke the deadlock in sudden death to take the title.
The Selborne U19 team finished eighth, losing the seventh/eighth play-off, while Selborne U16s finished fourth.
The players of the tournament were Brogan Sparks from Pinelands in the boys U19, Erin Hirz from Reddam in the girls U19 and Chumani Mamkeli from Strelitzia in the U16 boys.