1st team netball vs DSG Grahamstown
The first team made history on Saturday, beating a strong DSG side for the first time. This exciting and closely contested game had the spectators on the edge of their seats cheering on every goal that was scored. Woodridge took a 5-4 lead in the 1st quarter and knew it was going to be a tough battle. DSG re-grouped and came back with a vengeance in the 2nd quarter, winning this quarter 6-2 and taking the lead from us. In the 3rd quarter the girls had to dig deep and put themselves on the line for the team.
They worked harder off the ball and put more pressure on the defence. Taylor Nicholls (GD) and Onthatile Phago (GK) were not giving the shooters much room to move and contested every shot. We turned the table and finished this quarter 6-2 in our favour. Going into the final quarter with only a 1 goal lead it was going to be down to the team that kept their composure and made the most of every opportunity.
Our captain, Palesa Motaung, moved to WA and brought calmness and motivation needed by the shooters to take us to a 17-13 final score WIN! I am so proud of these girls that never give up and play for each other.
Woodridge College 1st team hockey girls vs DSG Grahamstown
The Woodridge 1st team hockey girls stole the show, beating a strong DSG contingent 2-0. Fantastic goals were scored by Iman Bonnasse and Andrea Collins. The Woodridge team showed an attacking and aggressive style of play by keeping the DSG defence busy throughout the game. When DSG was on the attack, they were stopped by a solid Woodridge defence and hit back with a counterattack.
The link between Jemma Maartens and the Woodridge forwards was fantastic as Jemma kept playing a through ball that DSG’s midfield struggled to close down.
The Woodridge girls’ 1st team seemed unstoppable in their pursuit of another win over a strong DSG team. The DSG goalkeeper made some excellent saves to keep the Woodridge strikers at bay. However, after a short corner attack did not go as planned, Andrea Collins slotted in the winner for Woodridge College with 7 minutes of play left. The game ended with a score of 2-1 to the Woodridge girls.
Rugby vs Eton
Woodridge College had the wonderful opportunity of hosting two touring rugby teams from Eton College in the United Kingdom on Saturday 15 July 2023. The first half of this very physical match was evenly contested with neither team gaining ascendancy, the halftime score was 10-7 in Woodridge’s favour.
The second half saw both teams playing some attacking rugby, but Woodridge gained the upper hand by using opportunities in Eton’s half and converting them to points. The strong Woodridge defence kept Eton away from the try line on more than one occasion preventing the visitors from scoring.
Gabin Chabanel of Woodridge scored a great individual try from a scrum to narrowly score in the corner in one of the team’s tries. Tries were also scored by Van Ginkel Venter and Junaid Damons, with two conversions and three penalties also scored by Junaid Damons.
There was a combined U16/U17 team put together by Woodridge and Eton and they showed the depth of rugby that we have at Woodridge. The forwards and backs combined well and played some great rugby, scoring some scintillating tries. Woodridge was too strong for Eton College in the end, and they won by a convincing 34 – 19.
In true Eastern Cape style, the hosts showed their hospitality after their matches by sitting in the Kohler House Boma and enjoying a good old South African braai.
