Rand Park Wins Tough Encounter

The impressive Wahoo Aquatics Centre, a private enterprise owned by Rick and Debbie Tudhope, was the scene of the fourth Annual Old Petrian’s Water Polo Tournament. All pictures: gsport

Rand Park High School became the first Gauteng-based team to win the annual Old Petrian’s Open Girls’ Water Polo tournament to the jubilation of a strong supporter turn-out, after beating defending champions, Reddam House College 8-7 in a nail-biting final.

Tournament hosts St Peter’s College presented enviable facilities in the Wahoo Aquatic Centre, located on school’s premises, and owned by parents of the school, Rick and Debbie Tudhope. Television crews, photographers, and a rowdy crowd, crammed into the impressive venue to witness some of the best girls’ school water polo on show. 

Defending champions Reddam House College looked calm and composed prior to the tournament final.

  Sign of things to come, Rand Park dominated the tournament’s Pool A, emerging unbeaten with 24 points after winning all eight fixtures including a 6-5 win over Reddam, and went on to a comprehensive 8-2 win over Pool B runners-up Westerford, before their finals encounter against Reddam.

2008 Challengers, Gauteng-based Rand Park High School exuded confidence after their pre-game war-cry.

After emerging second in Pool A where the Constantia-based team beat all the other teams except Rand Park, tournament defending champions Reddam ended their Pool A round-robin with 21 Points, before beating Pool B leaders Clarendon 6-4 in the second semi-final, to qualify for the finals encounter against Rand Park. 

The stress was telling on both team’s reserve benches, with the in-pool action to close to mention.

Westerford and Clarendon were the two teams in Pool B that managed to get a spot in the semi-finals with 21 points and 24 points respectively, outdoing the remaining teams that included some of the country’s best in Herschel, Kloof, Crawford, St Stithians, St Dunstan’s, Roedean and Edenvale.  

Reddam on attack again, as they traded Rand Park goal for goal in the nail-biting final.

The final was a heart-stopping affair, with the two contestants matching each other goal for goal through the four chukkas, until Rand Park managed to open a two-goal advantage in the final quarter, to lead 7-5.

The physiotherapy services sponsored by Wits University was in high demand to remedy the bruised and battered bodies lining up.

The Reddam coach called for a team-talk time-out, and cautioned calm in the face of the storm, his efforts having the right effect as his team managed to score twice in quick succession, with less than a minute remaining in regulation play, and extra time seeming unavoidable.

St Peter’s Headmaster Mr. Graham Howarth looks on as gsport Editor Kass Naidoo congratulates all teams participating in the 4th annual Old Petrian’s tournament.

But eventual champs Rand Park shrugged off the thought to score a belief-defying advantage with seconds to go, and as the final hooter sounded, the boisterous crowd went ballistic as the tournament champs created history, to lift the trophy in a proud presentation ceremony.

2008 Old Petrian’s champs, Rand Park receive their medals and tournament trophy to rousing applause.

gsport Editor Kass Naidoo, who was poolside among the cheering crowd, gave the tournament a thumbs up, saying it was a great advert for women’s sport. "I take my hat off to St Peter’s College for sincerely backing girls’ sport in South Africa. For four years running, and with limited sponsorship and funding, St Peter’s has ensured that this tournament has become a fixture on its school sports calendar.

Tournament director and St Peter’s College’s Deputy Headmaster Rui Morais smiles in satisfaction at another successful sporting tournament.

"Witnessing the high-class action in the pool, it’s no wonder that water polo is one of the fastest growing girls’ sports in South Africa. Congratulations to Rand Park and Reddam for providing one of the best finals in the tournament’s short history."

Rand Park High School exude delight at having claimed a remarkable victory to secure Old Petrian’s trophy.