STEENBERG HIGH CROWNED WESTERN CAPE CHAMPIONS AND WINS R100K

It was a repeat of the 2010 Western Cape Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup provincial final – but this time Steenberg High School triumphed over Cloetesville Secondary  School and won the R100 000 western cape provincial  prize money. 

Now both teams are through to the National Finals which take place in Bloemfontein in the Free State from 2 – 6 October.

Western Cape was the last province to host their finals, which took place at the Rustdene Stadium in Beaufort West over the weekend.  Steenberg beat Cloetesville 3 - 1 on penalties - the score was 0 all after regulation time.

“If we had converted our chances it would have been better,” said Clive Biegnwaar, Steenberg High’s coach.  “Winning a game on penalties is never ideal, especially in a final.”

But Biegnwaar is happy with the way his charges played.  “Everything we spoke about in the changing room was executed on the field.  The boys were determined and hungry to win.  I told them not to try and do anything fancy but apply everything that we have done at training and remain calm and not let any pressure get to them.”

Biegnwaar, who is also an accountancy teacher and who has been at the school for 26 years said that the loss to Cloetesville in the 2010 Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup taught him a valuable lesson.  Hence, he went back to the drawing board, corrected previous mistakes and came back this year with a positive attitude combined with experience.  Although the schools board will decide where the winning funds will be spent, he hopes it will be on floodlights for the school’s sports fields.  “Soccer keeps the kids off the streets and on the right track so I would like to see the school upgrading the soccer field and also introducing more sports.”

Steenberg is 50 years old with over 1 200 pupils.  Classes have up to 56 pupils, but despite this the matric pass rate for 2011 was 91 percent.  Biegnwaar thanked Sanlam, the Motsepe Foundation and Sundowns for the football initiative as he believes that tournaments such as the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup does wonders in building players confidence.  “It  gives them something to strive for and they can learn from other schools to help them become better players.”

Cloetesville coach, Rowen Bergstedt, accepted defeat and admitted Steenberg had done their homework as they managed to successfully close them down and frustrate his players.  “I knew Steenberg would go into the match seeking revenge and I warned my players about being complacent as what happened two years ago does not guarantee us another win.”

Nevertheless, Cloetesville still stands the chance of winning the R1 million big prize as both teams are through to the National Finals.  “There is no reason why we cannot win the National Finals.  It will be tough out there but my boys are mentally and physically strong and I will work on synergy as this is key to our success. Individuals do not win games, teams do!”

 

RESULTS

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS:

Robinvale Secondary School

Steenberg Secondary School
Qhayiya Secondary School
Themabalethu Secondary School
Cloetesville Secondary School
Bastiaanse Secondary School

 

Group A

Robinvale Secondary School

Steenberg Secondary School
Qhayiya Secondary School

Robinvale Secondary School 0 vs  Steenberg Secondary School 2

Goals: Leeroy Sopio and Marlin Sheldon

Steenberg Secondary School 1  vs Qhayiya Secondary School 0
Goals: Imeraal Ling

Robinvale Secondary School 1 vs Qhayiya Secondary School 1
Goals: Qhayiya – Tevern Syce; Robinvale – Granold Scott

 

Group B

Themabalethu Secondary School

Cloetesville Secondary School
Bastiaanse Secondary School

 

Themabalethu 0 vs Bastiaanse Secondary School 0

Cloetesville Secondary School 2 vs Thembalethu Secondary School 1
Goals: Cloetesville- Andile Yapi and Ruwayne Springbok; Thembalethu- Siyabulela Matshani

Bastiaanse Secondary School 1 vs Cloetesville Secondary School 1

Goals: Cloetesville- Antonio Lewis; Bastiaanse - Curtley Blom

 

3^rd and 4^th Play offs
Qhayiya 0 vs Bastiaanse 0
Qhayiya won 4 – 3 on penalties

 

FINAL:
Steenberg 0  vs Cloetesville 0
Steenberg won 3 – 1 on penalties


About the Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup:

The Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Cup is an initiative co-funded by Sanlam, the Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust and the Motsepe Family Foundation. It the biggest high school soccer tournament in South Africa and is open to all high schools including rural, public, private and independent schools. The National winning school will walk away with R1 million with R600 000, R500 000 and R400 000, for the second, third and fourth placed schools respectively. Each Provincial winners gets an additional R100 000. Prize money is used to fund legacy projects identified by the school.