Making a welcome return, Durban Girls’ College reclaim the Durban Central Regional title at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge after an action-packed Durban derby at St Henry’s Marist College on Saturday 23 August.
Playing in the two bookends of the tournament, Durban Girls’ College met Durban Girls’ High School in the first and last fixture, with both results going in favour of College. The opening game of Pool B saw College go up 12-5. In the concluding game, Durban Girls’ High put up a monumental fight but were just not good enough on the day.
Taking the first centre pass, College took 50 seconds to net their first point, with Skyla Eley following up with her second point of the final just 30 seconds later. Standing on the base line, Girls' High Nadine Claassen received a banana pass over the College defenders and calmly slotted in her teams first point.
The first three quarters of the game, it was the Goal Shooters who were boldly knocking in the points, with Girls’ High opting for the looped passes to Claassen lurking deep on the baseline and College using quick sure passes into the circle, moving the ball rapidly to their focused forward, Eley.
With the scoreline snuggly at 6 points each, College’s assertive Goal Attack Hannah Gray landed a magical 2 pointer on the whistle, taking College into half time with a 2 point advantage. That was her second goal of the half and her second 2 point attempt.
The second half rained goals, with both teams netting a total of 16 goals. College was first to draw blood after a grand intercept after Girls’ High start, rocketing the ball to their trusty shooter. She followed up pocketing yet another goal for College, taking the score to 10 – 6. With 90 seconds played, Gray sunk her second 2 pointer. Three minutes into the second half, Girls’ High realigned and settled, getting the ball to their compact Goal Attack, Zaba Singila who middled her third shoot, and getting her team on the board in the second half. In response, Gray flighted her third 2 pointer. With double the score, and three minutes remaining, College’s Eley got in on the action, adventurously firing off a long range shot edging her team up to 18 points to Girls’ High’s 8 points.
At the final whistle, College was on 19 points and Girls’ High finished on 11 points. For the second year in a row, Girls' High ended their challenge in second place while College earned their third title. In 2022, appearing in the Durban North Regional, then hoisted the Durban Central Regional trophy in 2023.
Leading up to the regional final, College took on defending champs and host school, St Henry’s Marist College in the cross-pool playoff. Dominating from the get go, College knocked St Heny’s out with an impressive 16 – 5 victory. In the second semifinal, Girls’ High met Mandlenkosi High School for the second year in a row. In a tightly contested game, only one point separated the two with Girls’ High advancing to the final.
A total of 516 goals were scored in the 33 games that were 16 minutes long. Finishing first in their pool, College hooped 84 points and only allowed 7 goals in, while second placed Girls’ High pocketed 75 and 17 against. Leading pool A, Mandlenkosi scored 56 for and 14 found their way in on the other end. Second placed St Henry’s had 48 for and 22 goals against.
Midway through the Challenges, the next tournament heads to Curro Hillcrest for the Highway Regional on Saturday 6 September. Photo credit: Rogan Ward
Results
Final
Durban Girls’ College 19 vs Durban Girls’ High School 11
Semifinals
St Henry’s Marist College 5 vs Durban Girls’ College 16; Mandlenkosi High School 11 vs Durban Girls’ High School 12
Pool A
1 Mandlenkosi High School 15pts; 2 St Henry’s Marist College 12pts; 3 Werda Skool 6pts; 4 Durban Girls' Secondary School 6pts; 5 Crescent Girls' High School 6pts; 6 Rossburgh High School 0pts
Pool B
1 Durban Girls; College 15pts; 2 Durban Girls’ High School 12pts; 3 Igagasi High School 9pts; 4 Orient Islamic School 6pts; 5 Ridgepark High School 3pts; 6 Brettonwood High School 0pts