St Stithians College was buzzing once again on Saturday as day three of the Saints Sports Festival got underway, with six sporting codes drawing crowds and delivering the kind of moments that make this festival one of the most celebrated on the Gauteng schools calendar.

Read more: Saints Sports Festival day three keeps the energy alive

On court 3, Thandulwazi Academy produced a memorable netball performance to defeat Trinityhouse Glenvista 15–11, with the team delivering on a powerful message their coach, Mandisa Hlela, had shared before the game. “Even if we are losing, may the scoreboard not reflect what the people are seeing on the court. The game plan was for us to push, to always keep our head up, even if we are losing, we still compete and contest with everyone like we are winning.”

Hlela was full of praise for her players, pointing out that the result was all the more impressive given how little preparation time the team had. “They really performed well, bearing in mind that there were only a few training sessions that were given to us.”

Also read: Saints suffer a defeat in the opening Saints Sport Festival rugby encounter

Training is largely restricted to Saturday school sessions at Saints, with online periods offering no chance to practise on court.

On the red Astroturf, the St Stithians Girls College first team was held to a goalless draw in a tightly contested hockey encounter. Saints coach Lance Lowe felt his side had done enough to deserve more from the game. “I thought we played really well in patches. I think we dominated the second half, which we wanted to at halftime. All in all, the game was very tight. It could have gone either way, but I think the keeper kept it in with our five shots at the end.”

On the rugby field, St John’s College, Harare, produced a stirring comeback to edge Clifton College 20–18, in a hard-fought contest that kept supporters on both sides gripped until the final whistle.

The festival atmosphere remained a key highlight away from the action, with attendees enjoying the chance to socialise, support their teams, and soak up the occasion. Learners could be seen chatting with one another, celebrating victories, and striking up friendships across schools.

As the sun set draws closer on another full day at St Stithians, the Saints Sports Festival had once again shown that the magic of the event lies as much in the moments between the matches as in the results themselves.

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