There will be a new champion crowned at the U16 boys’ SASHOC National Week.
That was confirmed after 2025’s winner, Southern Gauteng A, missed out on the final four on Friday, the fourth day of the inter-provincial tournament in Hilton.
The boys from Gauteng finished third in Pool A, behind KZN Coastal A and Western Province A.
In Pool B, Boland A maintained their unbeaten record to top the group, while KZN Inland A staged a remarkable comeback to finish in second spot and secure their place in the semi-finals.
On Saturday, Boland A faces Western Province A in a Western Cape semifinal, while it’s all about KZN in the other semi, with Coastal A and Inland A locking horns.
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Day four’s action kicked off with entertaining clashes at Hilton College and St Anne’s DSG.
Western Province A, behind goals from Michael Watson, Chai Rozendaal, and Max Fourie, further strengthened their position in Pool A with a 3-0 win over Northern Gauteng A.
Southern Gauteng A, meanwhile, headed into their clash against KZN Coastal A knowing they needed nothing less than a victory.
The KZN side, however, had other plans and, after a slow start, led 2-0 at the break on goals from Lord Magkato and Luke Lambert. Aya Njenje made it 3-0 in the fourth chukka to almost put the game to bed. Matthew Jung pulled one back for Southerns, but it came too late.
Southern Gauteng B ended their group stage campaign with a 2-0 victory over Northern Gauteng B to secure fifth place in the pool.
Pool B was where the drama took place.
KZN Inland A, after two days of the tournament, looked dead and buried, but their 6-0 victory over KZN Inland B on Thursday, their first win of the event, gave them hope.
With two games to follow on Friday, coach Damian Kimfley’s side needed all six points on offer to give themselves a chance of sneaking into the semis.
Their first task was a tough test against Eastern Province A, a side that had lost just one match.
KZN Inland A rose to the challenge. They were ruthless, playing their best hockey thus far. Santi Matroos fired them into a 2-0 lead in the first chukka, and Thabani Fakude made it 3-0 in the second quarter.
EP pulled one back through Shahzad Gie in the 29th minute, but that was their first and last goal.
James Buys went on to score a brace for Inland A before Ntshabiseng Ntshingila and Thibedi Mogoba added their names to the scoresheet to seal a stunning 7-1 win.
Later in the day, Inland A outplayed Western Province B 5-0 and moved on to the semifinals despite losing two games. Their plus-14 goal difference was the best return of the group stage.
Boland A was held to a 2-2 by Southern Free State A, but that result mattered little as the Bolanders’ place in the last four had already been secured. The Free Staters finished a point behind KZN Inland A, but lost only one match.
Day five’s action kicks off with a relegation battle between Northern Gauteng B and Western Province B.
The first semifinal between Western Province A and Boland starts at 12:15 on St Anne’s DSG’s Lower Astro. The second semi, between KZN Coastal A and KZN Inland A, takes place at the same venue from 15:05.
Day 4 – Results
Pool A
Western Province A 3-0 Northern Gauteng A
Southern Gauteng A 1-3 KZN Coastal A
Southern Gauteng B 2-0 Northern Gauteng B
Pool B
KZN Inland A 7-1 Eastern Province A
Western Province B 1-0 KZN Inland B
Boland A 2-2 Southern Free State A
KZN Inland A 5-0 Western Province B
Day 5 – Fixtures
08:00 – Northern Gauteng B vs Western Province B
09:25 – Southern Gauteng A vs Eastern Province A
10:50 – Southern Gauteng B vs KZN Inland B
12:15 – Western Province A vs Boland A (semifinal 1)
13:40 – Northern Gauteng A vs Southern Free State A
15:05 – KZN Coastal A vs KZN Inland A (semifinal 2)
