For a second consecutive year, the Steinhoff Maties men’s hockey team rewrote the club’s history books.
With their victory Sunday in the Western Province League, Maties won the WP League for a fourth consecutive year. This is the first time in the club’s history that a team wins the league four years in a row. Last year it was the first time the club won a hat-trick of titles. As if it is not already enough, Maties Men for just the fifth time ever and for the first time since 2009 won the USSA and WP titles in one season. The other times were in 1979, 1980 and 1997.
It was a drama filled weekend with the league-deciding match between Maties and WPCC ending in a draw meaning that the teams had to play a final on Sunday to determine the winner of the league for 2016. The past few seasons these two clubs battle each other to the limit and drew each time. On Sunday, a goal with only a few minutes left by Luke Schooling ensured there is a result to the battle this time. It was not an easy day for Maties. A few minutes after the start of the game, the team lost its captain and stalwart Dylan Swanepoel and soon after Tom Richardson also left the astro with an injury.
Alex Stewart took over the captaincy and the youngsters showed they are ready for life after Swanepoel and other senior players like Shannon Boucher and Daniel Bell that played their last matches for Maties this season.
It was also about a baptism of fire season for new coach Ashlin Freddy, who coached the team to a place in the semi-finals of the Varsity Hockey series and the USSA and WP titles.
With the women also winning the WP title on Sunday, it was the ninth time that both Maties teams win the league in one season. The other years were 1979, 1997, 2007, 2009, 2013-2016.
Maties Men’s WP titles: 1904, 1907, 1923, 1928, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2009, 2013-2016.
AFRIKAANS
Stukkie geskiedenis vir Steinhoff Maties Mans
Vir ‘n tweede agtereenvolgende jaar het die Steinhoff Maties Manshokkiespan die klub se rekordboeke herskryf.
Met hul sege Sondag in die Westelike Provinsie Liga, het Maties vir ‘n vierde agtereenvolgende jaar die WP-liga verower. Dit is die eerste keer in die klub se geskiedenis dat die klub vier jaar in ‘n ry die liga wen. Verlede jaar was dit die eerste keer dat die klub ‘n driekuns behaal het. Asof dit nie reeds lekker genoeg is nie, het Maties Mans vir net die vyfde keer ooit en die eerste keer sedert 2009 die USSA- en die WP-titel in een seisoen gewen. Die ander kere was in 1979, 1980 en 1997.
Dit was ‘n naweek gevul met drama nadat die laaste wedstryd in die liga tussen Maties en WPCC gelykop geëindig het, en die spanne Sondag ‘n eindstryd moes speel om die wenner van die liga vir 2016 te bepaal. Die afgelope paar seisoene het die twee klubs mekaar tot die uiterste toe gedruk en elke keer gelykop gespeel. Sondag het ‘n doel met net ‘n paar minute oor deur Luke Schooling seker gemaak daar is diè slag ‘n uitslag. Dit was nie ‘n maklike dag vir Maties nie. Enkele minute na die begin van die wedstryd het die span sy kaptein en staatmaker Dylan Swanepoel verloor en kort daarna is Tom Richardson ook van die astro met ‘n besering.
Alex Stewart het die kapteinskap oorgeneem en die jongelinge het gewys hulle is gereed vir die lewe na Swanepoel en van die ander senior spelers soos Shannon Boucher en Daniel Bell wat hul laaste wedstryde vir Maties die seisoen gespeel het.
Dit was ook omtrent ‘n vuurdoop-seisoen vir nuwe afrigter Ashlin Freddy, wat die span gebrei het tot ‘n plek in die halfeindronde van die Varsity-hokkiereeks en die USSA- en WP-titels.
Met die vroue wat ook die WP-titel gewen het, was dit die negende keer wat albei Maties-spanne in een seisoen die liga wen. Die ander jare was in 1979, 1997, 2007, 2009, 2013-2016.
Maties Mans se WP-titels: 1904, 1907, 1923, 1928, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2009, 2013-2016.
