Clarendon High School for Girls’ Junior A water polo team delivered an impressive performance over the weekend, securing a commendable seventh-place finish out of 16 teams at the Collegiate U15 Water Polo Tournament in Gqeberha.
What makes the achievement particularly notable is that the KuGompo City squad was made up entirely of U14 players competing against a field of older, more experienced U15 opposition.
The young team kicked off their campaign in the pool games with a hard-fought 6-3 loss against Glenwood House U15.
They bounced back emphatically in their second fixture, dominating Woodridge U15 with a 12-0 victory.
Despite a narrow 6-5 defeat to Roedean U15 in their final group match, Clarendon finished third in their pool.
Advancing to the playoff for the quarter-finals, the team faced a tough challenge against Reddam Constantia U15, falling 12-1.
Showing immense resilience, they regrouped quickly for the quarter-final round, earning a well-earned 4-2 win against Kingsmead College U15.
Moving into the position playoffs, Clarendon put up a strong fight against hosts Collegiate U15, narrowly losing 4-2 in the fifth to eighth playoff.
They closed out the tournament on a high note in the game, outclassing St Mary’s Waverley U15 with an 11-2 victory to seal seventh place overall out of 16 competing teams.
School management praised the young athletes for their determination, noting that competing so successfully against older opponents demonstrated exceptional teamwork, resilience, and true Clarendon spirit.
Gratitude was also extended to coaches Jenna Weppelman and Tori Voke, as well as the parents, for their guidance, encouragement, and support throughout the weekend.
