This past weekend, from 22 May, the Kokstad Men’s Hockey Club travelled to Pietermaritzburg to compete in the KZN Quadrangular Hockey Tournament. Making our debut appearance at the tournament, we participated in the B Section competition.
The team arrived on Friday and immediately faced Southerns Men in our opening fixture. After the long journey, it took some time for the boys to settle into the match, but once we found our rhythm, we took control of the game and secured an impressive 3–0 victory.
Saturday proved to be a demanding day, with three fixtures on the schedule. Our first game kicked off at 7am against Northern Men, where the team once again produced an outstanding performance to claim another convincing 3–0 win.
The highlight of the tournament followed in our clash against Mavericks, a match that was a decider for the 2026 KZN Quadrangular B Section championship. Mavericks entered the game on 7 points, with Kokstad closely behind on 6 points. The encounter was intense and fast-paced from start to finish. Kokstad struck first when Jesse Lubbe scored a superb deflected goal from an assist by Layton Gilden. In the closing moments, Mavericks were awarded a penalty stroke, and the thrilling contest ended in a hard-fought 1–1 draw.
Our final fixture was against Inland Men, and the objective was simple — win the match and bring the trophy home. The boys rose to the occasion in spectacular fashion. Audley Bok opened the scoring with a brilliant deflected goal assisted by Kendrico Hermans, before Jaycee added a superb solo effort to seal the result. Kokstad claimed a 2–0 victory and were crowned the 2026 KZN Quadrangular B Section Champions.
A special congratulations goes to Layton Gilden, who was deservedly named the team’s MVP for his exceptional performances throughout the tournament.
We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to all our sponsors for their continued support and belief in the team. A special thank you to Ethos Africa, our team kit sponsor, for their generous sponsorship of the playing kit and refreshments and the kit supplier, NYN Sportswear, suppliers of soccer, hockey, netball, basketball and rugby kits as well as tracksuits. Your contribution and support are deeply appreciated.
To our community, individuals Kerwin De Kock, Howard Pyoos, Mr Mulla, Mr Abrahams, Mr Junaid Jamal and Dr Bokwe and Rolyats Spar, thank you for supporting every fundraiser and encouraging us throughout the journey. This achievement would not have been possible without you.
The journey continues, and next year we look forward to competing in the A Section as we begin preparing for upcoming fixtures in Durban from 17–19 July 2026, as well as the Heritage Tournament in Durban on 24 September 2026.