Senior Tennis Tournament in Burgersdorp – Results

This past Friday morning, 7 February, Union High School’s Top 4 senior boys’ and girls’ tennis players set off for the Van Niekerk and Koen Tennis Tournament in Burgersdorp.

Over the two days that followed, the team faced off against competitors from Middelburg, Burgersdorp, De Aar, Cradock and Hoërskool Jim Fouché.

𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘴.

Upon arrival, the team was relieved to find the courts completely dry. Double and mixed doubles matches commenced almost immediately.

𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗴, 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟯𝟳-𝟭𝟵.

The players showcased remarkable stamina, achieving four more wins against Burgersdorp (40-16), Jim Fouché (32-24) and Cradock (35-21).

Unfortunately, the competition proved tough against De Aar, resulting in a loss of 24-32.

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 18:00.

The next morning, the players were once again relieved to find that the courts were dry enough for matches to start at 07:30. The boys had two remaining doubles matches against the second teams of Burgersdorp and Jim Fouché. They triumphed over Burgersdorp, winning 12-2, but faced defeat against Jim Fouché, losing 5-9.

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 185 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 308 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥.

This achievement earned them a spot in the semi-finals, where they faced Jim Fouché again. Unfortunately, Union lost this round by a narrow margin of eight games. However, due to their strong performance in the previous day’s matches, they advanced to the final round against De Aar.

The players had to start their matches immediately without a warm-up, which, combined with high stress levels, led to poor decision-making and unnecessary mistakes. De Aar ultimately claimed the trophy, winning four out of the six matches played in the final round.

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.

Congratulations to our senior tennis players!

Well Done To UHS 1st Hockey Girls

This past weekend, Union High School’s 𝟭𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗛𝗢𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟𝗦 proved that they are not just athletes – they are leaders dedicated to making a positive impact in their community.

Rather than waiting for donations to come their way, these exceptional young women took matters into their own hands by organising a plastic bottle collection and recycling initiative. Their efforts not only aim to raise funds for upcoming tours but also contribute to cleaning up our beloved town.

While many were enjoying the weekend, the hockey girls were busy showcasing their commitment to both their sport and the environment.

(Even those representing Union in tennis at the Burgersdorp tournament joined in the effort, bringing back bottles in a true show of teamwork and dedication.)

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 – 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭.

But the effort doesn’t stop there! The hockey team is now issuing a challenge to the Graaff-Reinet community: can you match their incredible commitment to raising funds and cleaning up the environment? Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference and helps both the team and the planet.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗛𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽.

Save The Date: DRAKENSBERG BOYS CHOIR

𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝘆𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗮𝗳𝗳-𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵!

Get ready to be swept away by a breathtaking blend of classic choral masterpieces, vibrant Afro-Pop energy and beloved South African favourites performed by the incredibly talented young voices of the Drakensberg Boys Choir.

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 10 March 2025
𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: NG Grootkerk, Graaff-Reinet
𝗧𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: R180 for adults; R160 for pensioners; R120 for children under 12

Tickets will be available at the Union High School’ front office as from Friday, 7 February. (𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺.) Hurry, as seats are limited!

𝘈𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘳, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦

Junior Cricket vs Herbert Hurd – Results

U/11A

Union won the toss and chose to bat first in challenging windy conditions. However, an early run-out disrupted their start. Mark Copeman and Liam Raath then steadied the innings, but once they were dismissed, the Union batting order collapsed, leaving them all out for 83.

Herbert Hurd comfortably chased down the target, with “Mr. Extras” contributing significantly to the run chase. They wrapped up the match with ease, winning by 8 wickets.

U/13A

Union batted first, posting a total of 229 runs, with Josh Kingwill scoring 70, Nathaneal Phillips 57, and Ryan Collet 31. Despite a strong bowling effort, with Nathaneal Phillips, Edwin Holmes, and Uthmaan Steele each taking 2 wickets, Herbert Hurd successfully chased down the target, losing 7 wickets in the process. Herbert Hurd won by 3 wickets.

Interschools Athletics – Results

The annual Interschools Athletics took place on Thursday, 30 January 2025 at Hoër Volkskool.  It was a warm afternoon with good competition and excellent participation from both schools.

Xavier Barlow

Congratulations to Xavier Barlow, whose exceptional abilities earned him the title of Victor Ludorum at the Interschools athletics.  Xavier clinched 1st place in both the Long Jump (6, 24 m) and 200 m (25,55 s) for Boys u19.  He also achieved 2nd places in the 100 m and High Jump

The girls didn’t stand back and Farronique Booysen achieved two 1st places – in the Long Jump and 100 m for Girls u19.

The following learners must also be congratulated on their first places:

N Murray: 800 m (Girls u/15)
A Mayekiso: Shotput (Girls U/16)
J van Den Berg: 400 m (Boys U/19)
A Neill: 1 500 m (Boys U/19)
B Lemke: 800 m (Boys U/19)
Q Solomon: High Jump (Boys U16)
L Makaula: 200 m (Boys U/16)
M Botha: 400 m (Girls U/19 – she took part in the u19 age group although she is u15)
C Hoffman: 200 m (Girls U/19 – she took part in the u19 age group although she is u15)

Union led the way at the beginning of the event but unfortunately Volkskool secured a win with 860 points against Union’s 757 points.

Zonal Athletics – Results

𝗗𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀

𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 to the following Union High School junior athletes whose stellar performance at yesterday’s zonal athletics meet for primary schools at the Botanics Sports Grounds, has seen them qualify for the next round of athletics to be held at the Westbourne Oval in Gqeberha on Saturday, 9 February:

• Girls u/11 High Jump: 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗵 𝗔𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿
• Girls u/13 800m: 𝗛𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗲
• Girls u/13 High Jump: 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗞𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮-𝗞𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘇𝗮 & 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲
• Boys u/13 Shot Put: 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀

Interhouse Quiz Night

In an unforgettable evening of wit and House pride, Union High’s 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗭 night unfolded with all the exuberance one could hope for, proving once again that brains sometimes trump brawn.

𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳’𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, it was Arnott that claimed the ultimate victory in a battle of knowledge, finishing with an impressive total of 107 points, leaving Daly trailing at 94.

The quiz, which took place in the school hall, featured lively teams from Grade 8 to 12.

𝗔𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘄 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 across various categories, including Arts, Literature, Entertainment and Sport.

Laughter permeated the hall as participants encountered quirky questions and amusing missteps. Contestants often found themselves in fits of giggles, especially when a particularly mischievous question stumped even the brightest minds. It was a delightful reminder that the spirit of the event was as much about fun and fellowship as it was about competition.

𝗔𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘁𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁, with members demonstrating impressive teamwork and diverse knowledge. Each correct answer was met with cheers from their supporters, while Daly’s fans rallied in spirited encouragement.

Congratulations to Arnott for their superb performance and to all the participants who made the night a fantastic celebration of knowledge.

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘭𝘺’𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘪𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 – 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴!

Senior Cricket vs Cradock – Results

This past Saturday, Union High School’s senior cricketers made the trip to Cradock for a set of matches against Cradock High School.

In the 𝟮𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠’s match, Union won the toss and opted to bat first. The team delivered a solid all-round performance, setting a total of 103 runs before being all out. In the second innings, their bowling was sharp, and the fielding was impressive.

𝘓𝘦𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘳, 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 8 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥 2 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 12 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 3 𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 1.50. This strong performance helped secure a victory for Union’s 2nd team by 29 runs.

In the 𝟭𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠’s match, Union faced a challenging game against their Cradock counterparts. Captain Yaaseen Kazi won the toss and chose to bat first in overcast conditions. After a solid start, the openers lost an early wicket, but the team pressed on to set a competitive total. Yaaseen Kazi contributed significantly with 47 runs off 38 balls, while Xavier Barlow was the top scorer, accumulating 69 runs through determined batting. 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 276 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 50 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴.

Cradock approached their innings positively, with one of their batsmen scoring an impressive 127 runs. However, Union’s bowling department remained disciplined and focused on their game plan. Yaaseen Kazi stood out again, bowling 10 overs, conceding 49 runs and taking 5 wickets.

𝘜𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘺 38 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘴.

Junior Cricket vs Hangklip – Results

This past Saturday, Union High School’s junior cricketers faced off against a visiting Laerskool Hangklip Primary at home.

In the 𝘂/𝟭𝟭𝗔 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵, Union won the toss and elected to bat first. Unfortunately, the team struggled early on, suffering a quick dismissal for just 48 runs, which included an early run-out. Hangklip seized the opportunity and chased down the target with relative ease, securing victory by 9 wickets.

The 𝘂/𝟭𝟯𝗔 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 saw Union again take the initiative by batting first, managing to post a total of 82 runs. Despite a commendable effort from their bowlers, Hangklip successfully chased the target, finishing with 8 wickets down. Notably, Edwin Holmes and Sintayu Kaitro shone with the ball for Union, each taking 3 wickets. However, in a tightly contested battle, Union ultimately fell short, losing by just 2 wickets.