The undoubted highlight and remarkable story of the 2024 Under 21 South African Hockey IPT opening day came in the fourth game of the day as WP Peninsula overturned a 2-0 deficit to snatch a 3-2 win against Southern Gauteng in the Women’s tournament. There were also big wins for Western Province men and women while the KZN Raiders women produced a dominating one-way display in securing three points.
We can’t start anywhere else than the game of the day. Akani Nkosi opened the scoring for Southern Gauteng, and they doubled it before half-time through Olivia Dillon as the Johannesburg side looked comfortable in their march to 3 points. But Stacey-Lee Gedult’s team had other ideas. They created some nerves with the first goal from Tanya Pieterse and levelled with ten minutes remaining through Kate van Heerden. Not content with one point they would surge forward and find the winner thanks to Hannah Breytenbach. The two-nil trap well and truly sprung in a remarkable second half.
KZN Raiders laid down their own marker for the women’s tournament with a bruising dismissal of Free State. Jessica Fletcher and captain Malikah Hamza, both helped themselves to a hat-trick while Elizabeth Anderson’s brace and Zoleka Ngcobo’s goal almost took them into double figures.  Western Province also was comfortable in their opening day victory over Eastern Province scoring one in each quarter to beat Eastern Province 4-0. Kaltego Bodibe, Caylin Maree, Mbali Anthony & Paige Thomas doing the damage for the hosts.
In a topsy turvy game to start the tournament Northern Daisies and North West exchanged blows before the Potchefstroom based outfit secure the victory. Teshawn de la Rey gave North West a lead cancelled out by Laiken Brisset. Chanel Genis re-established that lead but another of the SA U21 Women class of 2023 Cerian Fourie levelled matters again. Juane Keulder gave North West their third lead of the game and this time they would hold on before adding one more from Arisha van Niekerk to secure the three points.
In the mens tournament Owen Mvimbi’s Southern Gauteng were too good for the WP Invitational side winning 5-1, with five different goal scorers (JP Britz, Josh Grobler, Joshua Williams, Michael Bailey & Nashaan Matroos) showing their all-round danger they bring to the tournament. Joey Baylet netted the consolation for the Invitational side.
Northern Blues found themselves trailing to WP Peninsula in the 20th minute when Ross Montgomery opened the scoring. It would take 25 minutes for Calvin Davis to level matters. The captain would double the Blues score as well as his own with a second before a late Taine Tanner-Ellis goal wrapped up the victory for the men from the capital.
The hosts were too good for the North West challenge winning 6-1, the only blight on their record was a late consolation goal for SA U21 World Cup star Jaydon Brooker for North West. Viwe Mbata, Kenton Melville, Josh de Klerk and Brett Horn all scored for Western Province while Carloon Mentoor’s double was the cherry on a very tasty opening day cake.
Alex Willimott netted a first half leading goal for Eastern Province in their battle with Free State. Dayne Samboer’s and Tristan van der Spuy’s teams were even and the Free State men made sure the score line resembled that equalizing through Siyethaba Mchunu. The solitary draw on the day both a point gained and two lost for the two semi-final hopefuls.
All games on Day two will be live streamed through the Supersport Schools app.