Krugersdorp High School (KHS) once again hosted the Best of the West Hockey Festival, which ran alongside the popular primary school netball tournament from February 27 to 28.

While netball drew much of the attention, the astro turf was equally active as U14 girls’ hockey teams showcased their skill and determination.

Schools from across Gauteng competed, including Jeppe High School for Girls, HeronBridge College and Randpark High School.

According to KHS head of marketing Lauren Coetsee, the festival remains focused on youth development.

“It is always an honour to welcome the schools and provide them with the opportunity to compete in this pre-season tournament,” she said.

She added that the festival continues to grow. This year’s U14 Girls’ Hockey Festival featured 12 teams, reflecting its expanding footprint in Gauteng school sport.

St Theresa’s on fire

The Rosebank school emerged as one of the strongest teams in the tournament, recording dominant victories over Randpark, Parktown, Oos-Moot and Kingsmead, while holding KHS and Jeppe to goalless draws. They did not concede a single goal in these fixtures, underlining both their attacking strength and defensive solidity.

HeronBridge College makes a statement

HeronBridge from Fourways featured consistently among the top performers. They secured convincing wins against Randpark, Parktown and Oos-Moot, and edged KHS 2–1. Although they suffered a narrow loss to Edenvale and drew with Kingsmead, their overall performance reflected strong form throughout the competition.

Kingsmead College shows grit and consistency

Kingsmead from Melrose demonstrated resilience and competitive spirit. They defeated Randpark, Oos-Moot and KHS, and held Edenvale and HeronBridge to draws. Despite a loss to St Theresa’s, Kingsmead remained one of the more consistent sides.

Edenvale High School stands strong

Edenvale delivered solid performances, including wins over Jeppe, HeronBridge, Randpark and Oos-Moot. Multiple clean sheets and key victories against strong opponents placed them among the leading contenders.

Full match results

27 February:

• Randpark 0–3 Kingsmead
• Jeppe 1–0 Edenvale
• KHS 1–2 HeronBridge
• Randpark 0–6 St Theresa
• Parktown 0–3 KHS
• Kingsmead 1–1 Edenvale
• Parktown 0–0 Jeppe
• Randpark 0–5 HeronBridge
• Oos-Moot 1–3 Kingsmead
• Parktown 0–6 St Theresa
• HeronBridge 0–1 Edenvale
• KHS 0–0 Oos-Moot

28 February:

• Parktown 0–3 HeronBridge
• Oos-Moot 0–5 St Theresa
• Randpark 0–2 Edenvale
• Kingsmead 2–0 KHS
• HeronBridge 1–0 Oos-Moot
• Parktown 0–0 Edenvale
• St Theresa 2–0 Kingsmead
• Randpark 0–1 Jeppe
• HeronBridge 3–0 Randpark
• Oos-Moot 0–1 Edenvale
• St Theresa 0–0 KHS
• HeronBridge 0–0 Kingsmead
• Jeppe 0–0 St Theresa

“The festival once again provided valuable pre-season preparation, giving teams the chance to test combinations, refine structures and build momentum ahead of the winter hockey season,” Coetsee concluded.

Related article: Best of the West: Courts come alive with goals and sportsmanship