Kearsney celebrates double win at Founders weekend

KEARSNEY College celebrated a great Founders Weekend, with a double header win against Maritzburg College.

Kearsney 1st XV’s rugby match was one of their finest performances of the season. Both teams showed intent to give the ball some air and it was an entertaining encounter enjoyed by a big crowd.

Kearsney slotted a penalty by James Sutherland to take the lead after 10 minutes of play. They continued to exert pressure and were rewarded with a try by prop Matt Heard, converted by Sutherland for a 10-0 lead after 15 minutes.

Kearsney dominated the next five minutes displaying effective interplay. Eventually captain Dylan Richardson dived over for Sutherland to convert, stretching the lead to 17-0.

Richardson scored again from a turnover on a College lineout where Heard showed good awareness and plucked the ball from a spilled attempt. He made good yardage before off-loading to Richardson, who over-powered the defence, to dive over under the posts. Sutherland converted for a 24-0 lead at halftime.

College refused to lie down and immediately scored at the start of the second half from a line break which was converted to shrink the hosts’ lead to 24-7.

Richardson had a stormer of a match and scored his third try, unconverted, after Kearsney enjoyed some good phase play.

Kearsney were unlucky not to add to their 29-7 score, but good defense prevented them from scoring more tries.

Kearsney was awarded another penalty after sustained pressure. Fullback Jacques Odendaal converted a difficult kick, to stretch the lead to 32-7. College attacked furiously for the last four minutes, but the hosts’ defended well and the final scored remained at 32-7.

Hockey

It was an exciting opportunity for Kearsney’s 1st X1 to test themselves against one of the traditionally highest ranked teams in the country, Maritzburg College, who are currently ranked second and Kearsney third in the country.

The game started at high tempo with College dictating the ball possession and creating a couple of goal scoring opportunities which Kearsney kept out through tight defence. When Kearsney got possession, they looked to counter at quick pace and create scoring chances.

Kearsney were able to win their first penalty corner 25 minutes into the game through great stick work from Steven Conway.

Guy Morgan stepped up executed a fantastic, powerful low drag flick that beat the College keeper, to put Kearsney 1-0 up with five minutes to play in the first half.

The game continued with College controlling most of the play and Kearsney just looking to pounce on mistakes. Morgan turned over the ball, rolled to Nic de Beer (who had a massive game in the mid-field), who fed Luke de Vlieg inside the circle. De Vlieg shot on target and the keeper got a stick to it, but Kyle Koenig, who had followed up on the shot, tapped in to put the hosts 2-0 up at halftime.

The second half followed a similar pattern, but with no goals being scored. Kearsney showed fight and belief to keep a strong College team out and not concede a goal; to maintain a 2-0 victory.