HOCKEY NEWS - Following a month-long break for provincial and national tournaments, the Eden Senior Hockey League is all set to resume this weekend with the beginning of the play-offs.

The round-robin stage of the league was jam-packed with action, and it's safe to say that 2023 has been a great season thus far.

In the men's league the top three sides were all level on points, separated only by goal difference. Meanwhile, in the ladies league Plett Hockey Club managed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time, in only their second season of playing club hockey.

Following the withdrawal of Hoërskool Outeniqua from the Eden Senior Hockey League, there were only seven sides taking part in both the men's and ladies leagues.

This paved the way for some interesting times in the play-offs.

It means that fifth place must sit out the first weekend of play-offs and wait until the final weekend to finally cement their spot.

When it comes to the bottom two, sixth- and seventh-placed sides must face one another first.

The loser there finishes seventh while the winner goes on to play fifth place in a bid to finish fifth. It provides a shot at redemption for both the sixth- and seventh-placed teams.

In the top four, first place faces fourth place and second place takes on third place.

In the men's league this means that Crusaders, being first, will play against fourth-placed NMU this weekend. This while York and Old Oaks will do battle in the other semi-final. For the ladies, Crusaders are top and will face Plett in the semi-final. 

Meanwhile York is second and will take on third-placed George. Wanderers (sixth) will face George (seventh) in the men's league and Wanderers (sixth) will take on NMU George (seventh) in the ladies league.

Fifth-placed Plett (men) and Old Oaks (ladies) will wait for the outcome of the seventh-place knockout to know who their opponents will be in the fifth-place playoff.

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