Derby Day a delight as arch-rival schools duel

Sarel Cilliers hosted the Derby Day this year, with the last matches of the season played against all-time rivals Dundee High.
It was a cold but bright morning, with a thin layer of white frost on the fields, but the players and spectators came early in their droves and were not disappointed. There were some outstanding displays of skill and tenacity.
As the day heated up, so did the matches and there was a fantastic atmosphere all round.
Sarel Cilliers would like to thank all those who came to support their teams and for contributing to the success of the day. A special thanks to Sarel Cilliers sports master Mr Dube, as well as to Ms van Zyl and her catering team.
To their credit, the chess team won 5-4. This team has had a very good season and are constantly improving, with some games lasting in excess of 90 minutes. Keep up the good work, chess masters!
The Derby Day results are:
The netball girls faced tough opposition, with the following scores: first team 11-70, U/16 14-3, U/15 11-13, and U/14 8-24.
The hockey girls played really well. The first team lost 1-3, second team lost 0-2, and U/16 team drew 1-1.
The U/14 hockey boys had a chance to play the Uelzen first team boys. For some Sarel Cilliers players, it was their first match, with many players new to the field. The Uelzen Boys won 3-0, but we are excited to see that there are many Sarel Cilliers players with potential.
The boys’ second team played a fantastic game against an undefeated DHS team, but lost 1-2.
The boys’ first team drew a large crowd and it was a superb, fast-paced game that displayed some excellent ball control and a lot of skill on both sides. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Lungelo Ndlovu scoring the goal.
Congratulations to our boys! With a very young team of players (there are several Grade 9 and 10 boys on the team), we are excited to see what next year will bring.
The rugby matches were tough and hard, and well fought on both sides. The results for the junior teams – U/14: 5-27, U/15: 5-14, U/16: 15-5. The undefeated Sarel Cilliers second team faced an undefeated Dundee High second team and neither side were taking any prisoners. It was a tough game, but the Sarel Cilliers boys showed true grit and great teamwork to win with a score of 17-0 to keep their record of no losses for the season. The first team rugby match was the highlight of the day and there was enormous support for both sides, with the pavilion filled to capacity. It was an extremely exciting match, with Dundee High starting off strong and leading 10-0 in the first half hour, but the Blue Lions showed great teamwork and equalised the score. They then pushed forward to win by a convincing 32-20. Siyamthanda Zulu scored two tries and played a fantastic game.
All in all, it was a great day. Well done to all the players and coaches.
Congratulations to the learners for having such fantastic team spirit and sportsmanship.