Double delight for SACD at Growthpoint squash interprovincial
In a closing showdown with their Northerns rivals, the SACD teams were well-tested, but eventually the depth and talent of their squads came through to help them take the top spot on the podium.
The annual week produced another display of squash which was full of passion and skill, with Northerns showing courage to stay in the running until the Friday finale, ultimately just not managing to cross the finish line first.
The SACD A men ' s team won their fifth title in a row and seventh overall as victories by Rudi van Niekerk, his younger brother Dewald and Jonty Matthys sealed the deal.
There was a slight blip on the journey when Northerns No 5 Nikhil Pather dug in against Matthys after losing the first two games.
He won the third 11-3 to give his team a glimmer of hope, but Matthys pressed the reset button and got back on top in the fourth to take it 11-7.
In the women ' s Kaplan Cup, SACD A regained the title they last held in 2023 after Western Province took the honours a year ago.
This was SACD ' s sixth title overall, having previously won it from 2019 to 2023.
Their decider was closer than the final margin indicated and Northerns were full of fight as they attempted to hold off the formidable SACD outfit.
Though they sealed the victory by winning the first three matches in straight games, SACD had to work hard for their success.
More than half the games of the first three matches were decided by margins of three points or less, but on each occasion the SACD players managed to come through in the crucial stages.
This was epitomised in the match between the No 1s, Alexa Pienaar for SACD and Helena Hudson.
While Pienaar won 3-0, the scoreline of 12-10 12-10 11-8 reveals just how closely contested the match was.
Up 2-0 in matches, SACD No 5 Alouise Campher sealed the deal in a tight battle with Elzandri Janse van Rensburg.
The first two games were decided by margins of 11-9, but Campher finally got away in the third to win it 11-4 to clinch the title.
In the final game, Northerns No 3 Lara Patrick delivered a big-hearted effort against Shelomi Truter, taking the match into a fifth game decider before the SACD player moved ahead to win 11-6.
Final logs
Women ' s Kaplan Cup: 1 Capital Fruit SACD A 93, 2 Northerns A 75, 3 EP A 68, 4 WP A 51, 5 Border A 39, 6 Joburg Squash A 2
Men's Jarvis Cup:
1 SACD A 97, 2 Northerns 70, Joburg Squash A 67, EP A 52, WP A 43, KZN A 16.
The Herald
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
7 hours ago
- The Herald
PE Sports Legends Trust celebrates 10 unsung heroines
The Port Elizabeth Sports Legends Trust again acknowledged Women's Month by celebrating the lives and contributions of 10 unsung heroines in sport, arts and culture at the weekend. The vibrant Royal Tea in the beautifully draped 19th on Fifth Conference Venue in Walmer was part of the trust's 10th anniversary celebrations. It was also the third Unsung Heroines event organised by the trustees and the organisation's women's committee. SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) chief executive Nosipho Jafta was the guest of honour for the evening. Jafta praised the trust's efforts in recognising women in sport, arts and culture. 'This is amazing, this is a beautiful event,' Jafta said. 'It's always good for women to celebrate each other, to have this kind of event in Gqeberha, celebrating other women. 'I'm from Gqeberha and feel honoured to be part of this event. 'We need to do more of such events, because mothers are always known to be nation builders and this event to me is exactly that. 'We are honouring women who do not stand in front of cameras, who do not want to be praised, who don't want any accolades, they just want to be heard and seen. 'Today, we are saying to them, we see you, and it's beautiful to give people their flowers while they can still smell them, because in most cases we celebrate each other when we are no more. 'I support this initiative because I believe people must be honoured, they must be told that we are grateful for the work that they do in their communities.' Elizabeth 'Biffy' Joubert was acknowledged for her service in creating water safety awareness, as well as for many years of training educators in the skills of teaching swimming. Ursula Petersen was also honoured for having dedicated a lifetime to water skills training in the community. Truda Plaatjies, who obtained provincial hockey colours in her playing days, was honoured for her contributions to the less prominent sport of squash. Over many years, Plaatjies devoted time and energy to fostering the game at all levels. Besides being an active player, she also obtained her coaching qualification and served the province as a coach at various levels. Also honoured was Luyanda Matomela Siwisa, a top athlete who went on to serve Cowan High School for 28 years. As an educator, she went above and beyond the call of duty, producing several leading athletes and netball players, many of whom went on to gain provincial and national colours. Carol Munger was honoured for her contribution to hockey in the region. A familiar figure on the fields of Gelvandale for the Rangers Club during her playing career, she then took on a new role and served diligently over many years as the manager of EP teams. Also recognised was Rina van Zyl, who without any fanfare was involved in the welfare of young golfers, particularly in giving opportunities where previously denied. She has the distinction of being the only woman chair of a golf club, the Fairview Golf Club. Fiona Rodell was honoured for having dedicated six decades of her life to keeping the spirit of Spanish dancing alive. She has won the prestigious Molina Award an incredible 17 times. A legend in the world of dance, Maureen Gardner, was also recognised. She has enjoyed a dance career spanning 50 years, winning two SA titles with her husband, Sylvester, along the way. She actively promotes and teaches the art of dance in the community. Pinky Nkanunu was recognised as a lifelong activist for justice, equality and transformation in sport. Her quiet background efforts served as inspiration to her late husband, Silas, who was a former SA Rugby Union president. A poignant moment was the special dedication to the late Chakeera Dolley, who was honoured by the trust in 2024 for her contribution to the sport of volleyball. Another highlight was the special award presented by trustee Graeme Sauls to Barbara Gunn-Manna, who is a well-known personality in the soccer world. Her work to keep the history of the game alive via social media platforms is well-known and traverses the continents. The Herald
The Herald
7 hours ago
- The Herald
Chippa keep ‘Big Three' in Nelson Mandela Bay but take 10 matches to EL
Soccer Money-spinning home games against Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns to be played in Gqeberha Premium By Vuyokazi Nkanjeni - 04 August 2025 Chippa United will play two-thirds of their Betway Premiership games in East London this season, but the 'Big Three' home games will all be hosted at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. When the final fixtures were released at the weekend, it was revealed that the Chilli Boys will travel to the Buffalo City Stadium for 10 fixtures while Gqeberha will only stage five...
The Herald
8 hours ago
- The Herald
Triumphant return for Victor at Victory Raceway
Pieta Victor made a triumphant return to dirt oval racing after a lengthy break at round five of the DO4SA Dirt Oval Regional Championship that took place at Victory Raceway on Saturday night. The regional championship comprises six rounds with racing taking place at both Victory Raceway in Walmer and at the PE Oval Track Club, along Mission Road in Greenbushes. Racing in the V8 American saloon class, Victor dominated the opening heat with a masterclass of skill and speed in wet and slippery conditions. He was content to slot into second place behind Rohan van Vuuren in the next two heats, but came out with guns blazing to win the final dominantly, much to the delight of the large crowd. Damon Miles was the class act of the 2.1 modified class with a full house of wins in the heats as well as a resounding win in the final that saw him being voted as the driver of the day. The competitive 1660 modified saloon class continued to provide high drama with many incidents and accidents eliminating many of the top drivers as the night progressed. Marthinus Muller continued his fine run to stretch his lead in the regional championship. Pierre van der Berg was back to his best in the heavy metal class, taking the win in the final after being pushed hard by Neville Ellard. Josh Sletcher and Dawid Grundlingh enjoyed a consistent evening in the hot rod class while Pieta de Lange stretched his now unassailable lead in the 1600 stock saloons with the win in the evenly matched class. The class results were: 1600 saloons: 1 Pieta de lange (E185), 2 Reghardt Joubert (SA3), 3 Ruben Barnard (C139) 1660 modified saloons: 1 Marthinus Muller (E46), 2 Chanell van Tonder (E173), 3 Melindre Marais (E92) 2.1 modifieds: 1 Damon Miles (SA2), 2 Rimon Landman (E154), 3 Johan Knoesen (E49) Hot rods: 1 Dawid Grundlingh (C727), 2 Reghardt Joubert (C133), 3 Ludolf Olckers (C98) Heavy metals: 1 Pierre van der Berg (SA1), 2 Joshua Sletcher (C100), 3 Neville Ellard (E71) V8 American saloons: 1 Pieta Victor (SA1), 2 Wayne Holland (C21), 3 Juan Roesstorff (SA3) Driver of the day: Damon Miles (SA2) The Herald
