Clifton College captured the Northwood Stayers Water Polo Tournament title on Sunday, lifting back-to-back titles after their victory in the KZN Top 10 the previous weekend, and making a statement that they’re a team to watch out for in 2027.
Unbeaten in the KZN Top 10, they went undefeated in the three-day event, twice overcoming Kearsney College, which had been a bit of a tournament bogey team for Clifton, to secure the title.
The Botha’s Hill boys’ youthful lineup included seven players from their Ian Mellier Water Polo Tournament-winning U15 side, and they gave Clifton all they could handle.
In their Pool A clash, Kearsney led for most of the match before Clifton turned the tables in the last two minutes to win 6-5 in a reversal of what Kearsney had done to Clifton at the Clifton Water Polo Tournament and at the Nick Rey U16 Water Polo Tournament.
In the final, coach Pierre le Roux‘s team caught Kearsney on the counterattack and defended well to secure a 6-4 victory.
Those two losses were the only defeats Kearsney suffered ahead of the coming weekend’s Saints Invitational Water Polo Tournament, where they will fly the KZN flag alongside Hilton College, Michaelhouse, and Durban High School (DHS) in the 20-team event. Kearsney previously won the event in 2024.
Northwood, beaten by Westville Boys’ High in a penalty shootout in the first game of the Stayers’ tournament, completed their campaign with a win over the same team, beating them 6-4 in the third-place playoff.
In another tight contest, the Northwood Invitational side held off Maritzburg College, claiming a tight 6-5 victory to finish fifth.
Only one goal separated Glenwood High and Thomas More College (TMC) in the seventh-place playoff, with TMC, who beat Glenwood 10-7 at the KZN Top 10 tournament, triumphing 3-2 on this occasion.
Curro Hillcrest finished ninth after a comfortable 7-3 win over St Charles College.
RESULTS
Friday, 16 October
Pool A
Westville (3) 4-4 (2) Northwood
Kearsney 13-4 Maritzburg College
Clifton 8-4 Westville
Kearsney 12-10 Northwood
Pool B
Invitational 6-3 St Charles
Glenwood 9-3 Curro
Saturday, 17 October
Pool A
Clifton 12-4 Maritzburg College
Northwood 11-5 Maritzburg College
Kearsney 9-6 Westville
Clifton 8-2 Northwood
Clifton 6-5 Kearsney
Pool B
Thomas More 4-3 Glenwood
Curro 5-2 St Charles
Invitational (2) 6-6 (1) Thomas More
Glenwood 12-2 St Charles
Thomas More 8-4 Curro
Invitational 7-1 Curro
Playoffs
Northwood 6-4 Maritzburg College
Westville 11-4 Invitational
Sunday, 18 October
7-10 Playoffs
Thomas More 13-4 St Charles
Glenwood 11-1 Curro
Semi-finals
Clifton 11-3 Northwood
Kearsney 7-6 Westville
9th/10th
Curro 7-3 St Charles
7th/8th
Thomas More 3-2 Glenwood
5th/6th
Invitational 6-5 Maritzburg College
3rd/4th
Northwood 6-4 Westville
1st/2nd
Clifton 6-4 Kearsney
