Written by Apex 10s off to a flying start!
In their opening clash at the Cape Town 10s, Apex Netball Academy took on a feisty MVP side in a game that was as much about adapting to the grass as it was about outplaying the opposition. Both teams spent the first few minutes slipping, sliding, and figuring out their footing, but as top athletes do, they adjusted quickly.
The first half was a proper tug-of-war, neither side willing to give an inch. But then, enter the Super Duo—Shane and Sian—both national shooters who spent the first half looking for their mojo, but she was nowhere to be found. So, they settled for finding their groove instead, and that was more than enough to turn the tide.
With the shooters firing, the defensive unit kicked into high gear. Entle and Kieran started picking pockets at the back, while Carla stepped in during the second half to keep the intensity up. When the final whistle blew, Apex walked away with a well-earned 21-15 victory—Mojo or no Mojo, this team is here to play!
Apex 10s: Mojo Found, Panthers Tamed!
With a full complement of players, Apex took on the Panthers, bolstered by the presence of seasoned veterans Mandy and Shannon. Now, there’s very little that needs to be said about these two dynamos—so much has already been written, and for good reason. Their wealth of experience alone was enough to send a few shivers down the opposition’s spine.
Adding to the intrigue, four ex-Maties players found themselves facing off, worlds away from the polished, high-performance environment of Stellenbosch netball. This was raw, this was gritty, this was 10s netball on grass.
By now, Apex had pretty much found their mojo—well, more accurately, Mojo finally arrived, after a delayed transit alongside her partner-in-crime, Austin. No more excuses. It was time to play.
With the SS duo—Shane and Sian—once again on shooting duty, Kieran started at the back before handing over to Weihan, tasked with handling the towering 2.1m opposition shooter. Knowing each other’s game inside out, Weihan and Carla made life miserable for the opposition, proving an old kraal saying true: “If ya don’t have the ball, ya canna shoot.”
Meanwhile, Austin, feeling the need to make up for lost time, threw himself into the game with everything he had. The effort paid off, with Apex sealing a solid 17-11 victory.
Two games down, two wins in the bag. The momentum is real—bring on the next one!
Apex 10s: Thugs, Jugs & A Whole Lot of Chaos!
The third and final game of the day against Thugs and Jugs was the one where everything clicked. In a bold (and slightly mischievous) tactical move, Apex 10s threw 1.9m Wiehan into center. Safe to say, this was a bit unsettling for the opposition—after all, it’s not every day you have a towering, hyper-mobile menace controlling the middle of the court.
Meanwhile, Mojo, feeling the need to atone for her delayed arrival, insisted on playing GA. The team wisely decided to rack up some points first before handing her the bib. To everyone’s surprise, she went 100% on her shooting stats—2 from 2, nogal!—despite taking a rather unfortunate kopstamp from Entle to the, uh… unmentionables.
Speaking of Entle, she had initially said yes to playing 10s under the assumption that it was rugby. Only once she arrived did she realize this was netball—oops. But being the athlete she is, she adapted in the most logical way possible: by showcasing her actual rugby skills. Final tally? Entle 3, Fence 0. When asked about her day, she channeled her inner Danny Bateman and said, “I know, Coach, but I see that red and I just wanna go after it, like a bull, you know?”
Shane, on the other hand, caused some airspace violations. His shots were dropping so straight and pure that we swear we didn’t even hear the swish. Word on the street is that Cape Town International Airport has been alerted—just in case air traffic control needs to step in tomorrow.
Apex wrapped it up with a dominant 17-4 win, closing out the day in style. And of course, a huge shoutout to our all-round legend Dylan—the scorer, the gofer, the man who made sure we went 3 for 3 today. If there’s an MVP for making things run smoothly, it’s him!
Day 1: Done. Apex 10s? Flying. Onward to tomorrow!