SQUASH MEDIA RELEASE: DAY 2 GROWTHPOINT JARVIS-KAPLAN SQUASH INTERPROVINCIAL
TUESDAY, 7 JULY 2026
NORTHERNS STAY ON COURSE FOR GROWTHPOINT SQUASH SHOWDOWN
- Western Province delivers spirited effort in men’s Jarvis Cup clash
Mossel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa: The Northerns men’s and women’s teams emerged unbeaten from their challenges on the second day of the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan Interprovincial squash tournament in Mossel Bay on Tuesday to stay firmly on course for the title deciders later this week.
Inspired by their No 1 players, Helena Hudson and Damian Groenewald, the women’s team defeated Capital Fruit SA Country Districts B, while the men overcame a determined Western Province A outfit.
Both Northerns teams are on course for Friday’s eagerly anticipated clashes with defending champions Capital Fruit SA Country Districts (SACD) A, but know they will need to maintain their winning momentum if they are to challenge for the Jarvis and Kaplan Cup titles.
The Northerns women cruised to a comprehensive 20-2 victory over SACD B, with Madjone Engelbrecht the only player to earn points for the Country Districts side.
She pushed Jordin Phillips all the way in an entertaining contest before eventually going down 3-2 after a spirited performance.
The men’s encounter proved far more demanding, with Western Province producing a series of determined displays before Northerns eventually prevailed.
The opening matches were evenly contested, but Northerns found another gear at the crucial moments as both Jarrod Cousins and Connor Earl battled through in five-game thrillers.
Cousins looked to be in serious trouble after falling 2-0 behind against Brett Mclachlan, but produced a superb comeback to level the match before edging a tense deciding game 11-9.
Earl also needed all five games to see off Daniel Cloete. After leading 2-1, he was taken the distance by the Western Province No 5 before holding his nerve to claim the decider 11-9.
Those victories gave Northerns an unassailable 3-0 lead in matches and secured the valuable five bonus points.
The Groenewald brothers then completed the job, with Luhann winning comfortably before Damian rounded off the clean sweep with a hard-fought four-game victory over Western Province No 1 Ruan Olivier, who battled throughout.
Elsewhere, defending Jarvis Cup men’s champions Capital Fruit SA Country Districts A continued their impressive title defence by overwhelming Eastern Province A 20-1.
The SACD women’s premier team were equally dominant, defeating Joburg Squash A 20-2 to remain firmly in contention for another Kaplan Cup triumph.
Tuesday’s A section results were:
Women’s Kaplan Cup
Northerns A bt Capital Fruit SACD B 20-2 (Northerns A first): Helena Hudson bt Kyla Hartzenberg 3-0 (11-4 11-1 11-4), Lara Patrick bt Rachel Cilliers 3-0 (11-6 11-4 11-2), Starla Phillips bt Hanrie Duits 3-0 (11-6 11-4 13-11), Kaylee Hunt bt Leandri van Onselen 3-0 (11-2 11-3 11-3), Jordin Phillips bt Madjone Engelbrecht 3-2 (11-5 8-11 11-4 7-11 11-8).
Capital Fruit SACD A bt Joburg Squash A 20-2 (SACD A first): Lizelle Muller bt Teagan Russell 3-0 (11-9 11-4 11-7), Alexa Pienaar bt Elske Garbers 3-0 (11-0 11-9 11-5), Keschia Schlebusch bt Gill van Vlaanderen 3-1 (9-11 11-8 11-4 11-4), Bianke Pienaar bt Bongi Seroto 3-0 (11-0 11-2 11-3), Chante Leppan bt Kate Rowe 3-1 (4-11 11-5 11-7 11-7)
Latest log (matches in brackets): Capital Fruit SACD A 40 (2), Northerns A 20 (1), WP A 15 (1), Joburg Squash A 10 (2), Capital Fruit SACD B 3 (2).
Men’s Jarvis Cup
Capital Fruit SACD A bt EP A 20-1 (SACD A first): Dewald van Niekerk bt Dean Venter 3-0 (11-2 11-5 11-3), Reuel Videler bt Gerard Mitchell 3-0 (11-3 11-8 11-5), JP Brits bt Lawrence Kuhn 3-0 (11-6 11-5 12-10), Gareth Craigen bt Siphelele Mpini 3-1 (11-7 11-6 4-11 11-9), Rudi van Niekerk bt Jason le Roux 3-0 (11-6 11-5 11-5).
Northerns A bt WP A 20-6 (Northerns A first): Damian Groenewald bt Ruan Olivier 3-1 (11-4 11-7 10-12 11-7), Luhann Groenewald bt Devon Osborne 3-0 (11-5 11-1 11-4), Judah Phillips bt Mighael Lombard 3-1 (11-8 11-9 1-11 11-6), Jarrod Cousins bt Brett Mclachlan 3-2 (5-11 9-11 11-3 11-5 11-9), Connor Earl bt Daniel Cloete 3-2 (7-11 11-9 11-5 7-11 11-9).
Joburg Squash A bt Capital Fruit SACD B 20-3 (Joburg A first): John Anderson bt Jonty Matthys 3-0 (11-7 11-2 11-5), Ethan Robinson bt Christian Swanepoel 3-0 (11-9 11-0 11-3), Christo Potgieter bt Luke van Vuuren 3-1 (11-7 11-5, 6-11 11-3), Jordan Wilkinson bt Alwyn Venter 3-1 (10-12 11-7 11-5 11-5), Amukelani Zita bt Etienne Schutte 3-1 (8-11 11-8 11-5 11-4).
Log after two rounds: Capital Fruit SACD A and Northerns A 40, Joburg Squash A 30, WP A 23, EP A and Capital Fruit SACD B 4
The A section teams are:
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.
Ends.
FREE TO USE PICTURE WITH CAPTION
Kyla Hartzenberg and Helena Hudson: Capital Fruit SA Country Districts B No 1 Kyla Hartzenberg, left, and Northerns A opponent Helena Hudson get together after their match in the Growthpoint Jarvis-Kaplan Interprovincial squash tournament in Mossel Bay on Tuesday. Hudson won 3-0 as Northerns A took the encounter 20-2.
Photo credit: Johnny Munro
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