Mossel Bay – Capital Fruit SA Country Districts (SACD) A men’s and women’s teams overcame courageous Northerns A rivals to successfully defend their titles at the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan Interprovincial squash tournament in Mossel Bay on Friday.
The twin championship clashes provided a fitting conclusion to the 66th edition of the tournament, with both titles remaining in the balance until the No 3 players completed the decisive matches.
In front of an enthusiastic crowd on the all-glass show court, 35-year-old JP Brits drew on all his experience to overcome Northerns’ rising star Judah Phillips, 19, in four fiercely contested games, sealing SACD’s sixth successive Jarvis Cup men’s title and eighth overall.
Earlier, Keschia Schlebusch had set up the possibility of a double triumph by defeating Starla Phillips 3-1 to secure SACD’s second consecutive Kaplan Cup crown and seventh overall.
The scorelines only told part of the story. Northerns pushed the defending champions to the limit in both deciders and came within touching distance of ending SACD’s dominance.
The men’s decider began perfectly for Northerns as Jarrod Cousins and Luhann Groenewald claimed the opening two matches.
Cousins edged Gareth Craigen in a punishing five-game battle that featured relentless rallies before the Northerns player found another gear in the closing stages, striking a series of winners to clinch the deciding game 11-7.
Groenewald, unbeaten throughout the tournament and arguably the standout No 2 players of the week, then produced another commanding display to defeat Reuel Videler in straight games and leave the defending champions under immense pressure.
SACD responded through South African No 1 Dewald van Niekerk, who sparked the comeback by edging Damian Groenewald in a superb five-game encounter. His older brother, Rudi, then levelled the overall score with a composed 3-0 victory over Connor Earl.
That left Brits needing one final win to retain the Jarvis Cup. Although Phillips claimed the opening game and repeatedly tested the veteran’s resolve, Brits’ experience, tactical awareness and composure eventually proved decisive as he guided SACD over the finish line.
The women’s Kaplan Cup clash was every bit as dramatic.
SACD struck first through Bianke Pienaar before Northerns No 2 Lara Patrick levelled matters after an enthralling contest against Alexa Pienaar.
Neither player managed to establish control as momentum swung throughout the match. Locked at 8-8 in the deciding fifth game, Patrick held her nerve to win the final three points and square the overall contest.
The defending champions regained the advantage in the clash between the No 1 players as Lizelle Muller and Helena Hudson produced one of the matches of the tournament.
Hudson appeared destined to put Northerns ahead when she opened a 9-7 lead in the deciding game, but Muller drew on more than two decades of experience to remain composed under pressure, reeling off the final four points to complete a remarkable comeback.
Northerns refused to surrender. Jordin Phillips struck the ball superbly to defeat Chante Leppan in four games, despite dropping the third, ensuring the Kaplan Cup would be decided by the final match of the day.
That left Schlebusch and Starla Phillips to battle for provincial honours in a contest worthy of the occasion.
Combining skilful shot making with relentless determination, they produced a gripping finale before Schlebusch finally secured victory, sparking scenes of jubilation and relief as SACD successfully defended their crown.
Friday’s results were:
Women’s Kaplan Cup
Capital Fruit SACD A bt Northerns A 17-9 (SACD A first): Lizelle Muller bt Helena Hudson 3-2 (6-11 11-8 11-6 7-11 11-9), Alexa Pienaar lost to Lara Patrick 3-2 (11-9 4-11 11-3 7-11 11-8), Keschia Schlebusch bt Starla Phillips 3-1 (9-11 11-6 11-7 11-7), Bianke Pienaar bt Kaylee Hunt 3-0 (11-6 11-6 11-8), Chante Leppan lost to Jordin Phillips 3-1 (11-3 11-5 4-11 11-4).
Western Province A bt Capital Fruit SACD B 18-5 (WP A first): Kim McDonald bt Kyla Hartzenberg 3-0 (11-3 11-5 11-8), Katie Mayhew lost to Rachel Cilliers 3-1 (10-12 15-13 18-16 11-6), Cassandra Erasmus bt Hanrie Duits 3-1 (4-11 11-7 12-10 11-8), Bianca Besener bt Leandri van Onselen 3-0 (11-7 13-11 11-6), Nicole Gliddon bt Madjone Engelbrecht 3-1 (11-6 8-11 11-5 11-4).
Final log: 1 Capital Fruit SACD A 77, 2 Northerns A 68, 3 WP A 36, 4 Joburg Squash A 32, 5 Capital Fruit SACD B 14.
Men’s Jarvis Cup
SACD A bt Northerns A 16-9 (SACD A first): Dewald van Niekerk bt Damian Groenewald 3-2 (11-5 4-11 11-8 2-11 11-6), Reuel Videler lost to Luhann Groenewald 3-0 (11-5 11-7 11-8), JP Brits bt Judah Phillips 3-1 (10-12 11-7 11-7 11-4), Gareth Craigen lost to Jarrod Cousins 3-2 (11-8 11-7 4-11 10-12 11-7), Rudi van Niekerk bt Connor Earl 3-0 (11-8 11-6 11-5).
Joburg Squash A bt EP A 15-9 (Joburg Squash A first): John Anderson bt Dean Venter 3-0 (11-7 11-9 11-4), Ethan Robinson lost to Gerard Mitchell 3-0 (12-10 11-6 11-4), Christo Potgieter lost to Lawrence Kuhn 3-1 (6-11 1-8 11-4 retired), Jordan Wilkinson bt Siphelele Mpini 3-1 (11-7 12-10 8-11 11-9), Amekulani Zitha bt Thomas Southway 3-2 (7-11 10-12 11-7 14-12 11-8)
Western Province A bt Capital Fruit SACD B 16-6 (WP first): Ruan Olivier bt Jonty Matthys 3-0 (11-2 11-4 11-3), Devon Osborne bt Christian Swanepoel 3-0 (11-6 11-4 11-4), Mighael Lombard bt Luke van Vuuren 3-0 (11-7 11-4 11-3), Brett Mclachlan lost to Alwyn Venter 3-1 (11-9 11-6 6-11 11-7), Daniel Cloete lost to Etienne Schutte 3-1 (11-8 6-11 11-9 11-8).
Final log: 1 Capital Fruit SACD A 95, 2 Northerns A 89, 3 EP A 53, 4 WP A 52, 5 Joburg Squash A 42, 6 Capital Fruit SACD B 15.
The A section teams were:
Women: 1 Northerns A, 2 Capital Fruit SACD A, 3 Joburg Squash A, 4 Western Province A, 5 Capital Fruit SACD B.
Men: 1 Capital Fruit SACD A, 2 Northerns A, 3 Western Province A, 4 Joburg Squash A, 5 Eastern Province A, 6 Capital Fruit SACD B.
