Belgotex Sport Girls Challenge – Day 1 Recap

Belgotex Sport Girls Challenge – Day 1 Recap

"Stirred by the Storm, Served with Spirit"

If Day 1 of the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls Challenge was a test of flavour, then the recipe called for resilience, heart, and a side of rain-soaked grit. With the wind howling and the skies opening, conditions turned the turf into a true test kitchen — and across all three divisions, the teams brought their best ingredients to the boil.

U19: Full Flavour, Fierce Fire

In the premier age group, a few teams have already begun to rise like dough in the oven:

• Herschel lead the way in Pool A, going two from two. A clinical 1-0 win over Durban Girls, courtesy of Anna Sherren, was followed by a sizzling 6-0 win over Cornwall Hill — Sherren, Sarah Ashbolt, and Emily Dickinson each grabbing a double to leave their mark early.
• In Pool B, Paarl Gim showed they’ve come to cook. They saw off a strong St. Mary’s Waverley 2-0, with Alanda Rademeyer netting a beauty, and followed it up with a lively 3-1 win over Springfield — Walters, de Ridder, and Rademeyer again all on the scoresheet.
• Pool C looks like it’s heading for a photo finish. Stellenberg started with a 4-0 win over Somerset (Bea van den Berg grabbing a brace), while Pearson edged Waterkloof 2-1. Their 1-1 draw with each other has set up a tantalising Friday finish — and it might come down to goal difference.
• St. Mary’s Kloof have taken control of Pool D, inspired by Jenna-Leigh Freese, who led from the front in wins over Reddam Constantia (3-1) and St. Cyprian’s (2-0).
• Collegiate were full of energy in Pool E, with a 1-0 win over Rustenburg and a thrilling 3-2 win over Durbanville, with Jade Grobler and Kerrin Gillies finding the net at key moments.

With the top eight teams across all pools headed for the Cup quarterfinals, there’s still everything to play for — and no room for burnt edges as we head into Day 2.

U16: Precision on the Plate

The U16s cooked up their own storms, and a few teams found their rhythm fast:

• Waterkloof are in full control of Pool A, opening with a sharp 3-0 win over St. Cyprians and adding a sizzling 7-0 over Worcester Gim.
• Paarl Gim were just as dominant in Pool B, cruising past Pearson 4-1 and blanking St. Mary’s Waverley 5-0.
• Affies have yet to concede in Pool C, with back-to-back clean sheets in wins over Herschel (2-0) and Somerset College (5-0).
• In Pool D, Rhenish survived a tight test against Reddam (1-0) before finding their attacking spark in a 6-0 win over La Rochelle.

With the quarterfinals looming, the U16s are finding their flavour — and tomorrow, the pressure cooks even hotter.

U14: Sweet Starts, Crunch Time Coming

In the youngest division, early signs show poise and power:

• Paarl Gim and La Rochelle are both unbeaten in Pool A, setting up a delicious group decider on Friday after dispatching Reddam Constantia and St. Mary’s Waverley.
• Rhenish are in firm control of Pool B with wins over St. Stithians (4-0) and St. Cyprians (5-0).
• Herschel served up a polished Day 1, beating Collegiate 4-0 and Bloemhof 2-0 to top Pool C.
• Affies and Waterkloof look neck and neck in Pool D, drawing 0-0 in the opener but each grabbing a win — Affies over Pearson (2-0) and Waterkloof over Durbanville (3-1).

Day 2 Menu: Final Group Stage & Quarterfinals

As the group stages reach their boiling point, the Day 2 menu is stacked with deciders and high-stakes clashes. Quarterfinal berths are on the line, and with the wind still whispering and the rain lingering, only the toughest teams — and the most finely tuned recipes — will move to the top shelf.

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