The Steinhoff Maties Men hockey team made history this past weekend when they for the first time ever won the Western Province Grand Challenge for the third consecutive time.
No Maties men team has ever before managed this achievement. Maties Men have also been undefeated for these three years in the League.
Maties were in the lead going into the final weekend of league matches with only WPCC still in a position to upset the applecart. WPCC had to win the match against Maties on Saturday while a draw would have been good enough for Maties, who won the match 1-0 thanks to a goal from Pierre de Voux.
For some 65 minutes it was a war of attrition between the teams. Attacking opportunities few and far between, but just because both sides defended like their lives depended on it. Both teams had many a national player in its squads so predicting a winner even on paper was a gamble. With mere minutes to go WPCC replaced their goalkeeper with another attacking player to throw all their cards in for the victory they needed. While WPCC was on the attack the possession was turned over and in what could not have been better scripted by Hollywood screenwriters, De Voux in his last season at Maties, scored the goal that sealed victory for his team and the fate of WPCC.
Maties captain Dylan Swanepoel has been involved in the hat-trick of victories. “These three WPGC titles means a lot. To do it three times in a row has taken a lot of sacrifices and hard work, so it’s a great feeling to know it has been worth it. Because no team has ever done this, it makes it extra special to make history at the club,” said a proud Swanepoel.
Neither Swanepoel nor coach Neville Rothman wanted to mention any individuals by name as standout players during the season. “This will be tough as we have had many of those and would prefer not to single out any players in particular,” said Rothman.
Swanepoel ventured an answer though: “The whole team did really well throughout the season and different players stood out at different times. However I do feel Jacques le Roux (goalkeeper) needs a special mention because of the way he played on Saturday. Especially after not being too busy in the goals throughout the season.”
Maties Women also won the WPCG this season. Theirs were a fifth victory in a row.
AFRIKAANS
Maties hokkiemans sorg vir stukkie geskiedenis
Die Steinhoff Maties manshokkiespan het die afgelope naweek vir ‘n geskiedkundige oomblik gesorg toe hulle die Westelike Provinsie se Grootuitdaaglia vir die derde agtereenvolgende keer gewen het.
Geen ander Maties mansspan kon dit nog ooit vermag nie. Hulle was ook vir die afgelope drie jaar onoorwonne in die liga.
Maties was in die eerste posisie met die aanvang van die laaste naweek se aksie met net die WPCC-span wat dinge vir die student kon deurmekaar krap. WPCC moes die wedstryd wen, terwyl ‘n gelykop-uitslag goed genoeg vir die Maties sou wees. Maties het danksy ‘n doel van Pierre de Voux die wedstryd met 1-0 gewen.
Vir sowat 65 minute was dit soos ‘n uitputtingsoorlog tussen die twee spanne. Aanvallende kanse maar min. Nie oor ‘n gebrek aan kreatiwiteit nie, maar eerder omdat albei spanne verdedig het asof hulle lewens daarvan afhang. Albei spanne het ook verskeie nasionale spelers in sy geledere gehad, dus was dit moeilik om ‘n wenner te kies, selfs op papier. Met enkele minute oor het WPCC sy doelwagter met nog ‘n aanvallende speler vervang. Dit was om hul kanse te vergroot om daardie doel te kry wat hulle so nodig gehad het.
Met WPCC op die aanval het Maties egter besit omgekeer en – in ‘n einde wat nie beter deur Hollywood-draaiboekskrywers geskryf kon word nie – het De Voux in sy laaste seisoen vir Maties WPCC se hart gebreek en glorie vir sy span verseker.
Maties-kaptein Dylan Swanepoel was deel van al drie die liga-seges. “Die drie titels beteken baie. Om dit drie keer agtereenvolgens te kon doen het baie opofferinge en harde werk geverg. Dit is dus ‘n ongelooflike gevoel om te weet dat alles die moeite werd was. En die besef dat geen ander span dit al ooit kon doen nie, maak dit soveel meer spesiaal om te weet ons het gesorg vir geskiedenis by die klub,” het Swanepoel trots vertel.
Nie Swanepoel of afrigter Neville Rothman wou individue uitsonder nie. “Dit is effe moeilik om iemand uit te sonder, want so baie spelers het meer as hul deel gedoen,” vertel Rothman. Swanepoel het egter ‘n kans gewaag: “Die hele span het ‘n goeie seisoen gehad. En daar was verskillende tye wat verskillende spelers uitgeblink het. Ek dink egter ons doelwagter Jacques le Roux se naam moet genoem word vir die manier waarop hy Saterdag verdedig het nadat dit vir hom ‘n stillerige seisoen in die doelhok in die algemeen was.”
Maties Vroue het ook vanjaar die liga gewen. Dit was hul vyfde agtereenvolgende sege.
