Clifton win waterpolo tourney

CHILLY and rainy conditions greeted the teams, coaches and spectators of the Nashua Clifton Water Polo Tournament on Sunday morning, where teams gathered to play their final matches.

First in the pool were Maritzburg College and St David’s, with a persevering St David’s team clinching a 9-8 win, followed by a closely contested 5-5 draw between Jeppe and Reddam House to claim 13th place. Kearsney and Westville battled it out for 11th and 12th, with the latter of the two KwaZulu-Natal teams coming out on top with four goals to one. Next up were St Peter’s against St Alban’s, where a determined St Peter’s side sealed 9th place, before KES and Affies claimed 7th and 8th places respectively. St John’s played well to seal 5th place ahead of DHS and the third and fourth position was decided within the 17th second of the penultimate game, seeing St Stithians clinch a nailbiting 4-3 win over an impressive Hilton College side.

The final saw tournament hosts, Clifton, up against an unbeaten and notable Bishops team, battle it out in front of a packed Aquatic Centre. It was a tense start, seeing the two teams marking fiercely. Bishops drew first blood, with Kimon Haralambous finding the back of the net. Clifton retaliated – one goal by Dayne Jagga, the second by Todd Petterson, taking the score to 2-1 at half-time.

It was anybody’s game. Clifton opened up a gap during the third chukka with two goals in close succession by Petterson and Jagga, with a third by Caleb Simpson taking the total to 5-1 by the end of the chukka. Jagga scored early in the fourth chukka, making it a hat-trick, with another two goals in quick succession by Nicholas Downes and Wyatt Edwards, leaving the score to 8-1. A second goal by Haralambous of Bishops took the score to 2-8 but Clifton sealed the victory with another two goals to end on 10 goals to two. A thrilled team dived into the water to celebrate with their teammates, including coach, Paul Martin (first tournament with Clifton) and manager, Barbara Bowley.