Overview Sporting Achievements
Maritzburg College enjoyed a great weekend of sport with most games being played against Glenwood. In addition, College squash, soccer, cross country and canoeing teams were in action over the weekend.
Rugby
College won 20 of the total number of 23 rugby games played, losing 3. Against Glenwood, 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 College’s 1st XV go down 22-23 to Glenwood on Dixons.
1st XV March Report (Mr Tim Orchard, 1st XV coach)
Saturday’s encounter between Glenwood 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 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 had the honour of drawing first blood after sustained pressure allowed them to score a converted try after a defensive error close to the College line. This try galvanised the 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 College started to place the Glenwood 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 College into the lead for the first time in the match. The kick was not converted, and College held a slender lead going into halftime.
The second half started off with College dominating the territory stats until a well worked move allowed Glenwood to wriggle out of the College stranglehold. This allowed Glenwood to gain some momentum and they crashed over to regain the lead. Glenwood began to find their feet again and followed their converted try with a penalty to stretch the lead to 17-8. 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 College were back in the match at 17-15. Glenwood hit back with a penalty to put the score at 20-15. However, momentum swung firmly on the side of College and with their maul dominating, Glenwood were hemmed in deep in their own half manfully preventing 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 to 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 field. In the dying moments of the game, a penalty was awarded to Glenwood in kickable range and to joyous rapture of those in green, slotted over to win the game for Glenwood and to allowing them to record their only win of the day.
College 22
Tries: AJ Knoetze, Joshua Munn and Luyanda Kunene
Conversions: AJ Knoetze x2
Penalty: AJKnoetze
Glenwood 23
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
College played 14 games on Friday and Saturday in the main against Glenwood, winning 11, drawing 2 and losing just 1 match. Against Glenwood, College won all 8 matches played, with a fantastic set of results which saw 34 goals scored for 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, 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 were very physical, and put challenges in which were often very close to the edge of the law. 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 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 half time.
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 College’s favour. The second goal came after a good turnover in midlfield 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 by the ball into the net. 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 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 the goal. College played a structured game and dominated possession in a match that saw eleven cards handed out by the umpires. Final score was 2-0 to 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 | 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 |
Our, as yet undefeated, U14A side in a quiet moment ahead of their game which they won 2-0.
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, 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
College cross country teams participated in the Midlands League 3 with the following boys finishing in top 10:
Seniors
2nd J Werth
6th S Arnold
8th L Newlands
Juniors
3rd L Shangase
5th E McAllister