Defending their title in spectacular fashion, it was Durban Girls’ College’s time to shine at the Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge hosted by St Mary’s DSG in Kloof.

Taking on host school, St Mary’s in the gold silver medal game, the riveting action flowed from end to end, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats in the challenge’s grand conclusion. This is the fifth time since the tournament’s inception that College have lifted the trophy, equaling St Mary’s record.

In the first half, the visitors managed to pierce the solid Saints defense, netting two magnificent goals, while the local team responded with one. College’s first goal game from a penalty stroke awarded after a defender’s fumble in a short corner. Stepping up to the spot, College’s Ruby Kraus calmly slotted her flick high and left, flying past Josephine Wyly, St Mary’s fantastic keeper.

Hannah Hargroves from Durban Girls’ College pulled off the goal of the final and possibly the tournament, with a piece of magic. Lurking in the middle of the circle, her team rocketed the ball up from their half, with some simple, fast passes that quickly reached Hargroves. Standing with her back to the very on guard keeper, Wyly, the quick thinking forward, snuck the ball between her legs with a solid tap, foxing Wyly and taking her team to 2 nil.

Saints surged in response, with a skilled passage of attack, running up the middle, finding Elizabeth Anderson at the top of the D. She drifted left firing in a shot on her reverse side. Nandi Mnyandu stood strong in the College goals, keeping the ball out, but a determined Anderson sprung on the rebound and not batting an eyelid, smacked in the ball for her team’s first goal.

The second half, the home team dominated with a variety of attacks, but the backline for College didn’t waver, clearing the ball out of the danger zone, usually launching off skillful aerial long balls to give their team a breather. Right up until the final whistle, Saints determinedly persevered. In yet another Saints surge, youngster Olivia Verster from College found herself defending in the middle of the circle, intercepting a whizzer of a pass from a tremendous run down the left line by St Mary’s. With seconds remaining in the game, Verster, with all the time in the world, neatly stole the ball and nonchalantly sent it out of her circle and out of danger, securing her team’s victory.

In the bronze medal game, Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School met The Wykeham Collegiate in a tightly fought Midland’s derby. After both teams attempted to find holes in their oppositions defense, the evenly matched game ended with the scoreline sitting on nil nil.

The bronze medal decider moved to the penalty spot where three players from each team had a run at their opposition’s keepers. The Wykeham Collegiate was first up with Emily Wilson opening up her teams account, netting their first goal. Girls’ High’s Nonky Thamahane leveled the score straight away. Starting off the second round, Wykeham’s co-captain Zahra Mohaud proudly took her team up to 2-1, then an unwavering Emily Dovey equalized.

In the third round, Amy Macaskill from The Wykeham Collegiate ran the ball up and was met by Kelly Willson who bravely advanced out of her goals, blocking Macaskill’s attempt. Macaskill pounced on the charged down ball and tried to round an agile Willson but was unable to find a gap or chance to slot her shot in. A focused Khanya Bekizulu didn’t let the pressure get to her, calmly knocking in Girl’s High School’s third goal and earning her team’s third bronze in Maritzburg Girls’ High’s seventh Grand Finals appearance. Returning for their second time, The Wykeham Collegiate can be commended for their tremendous fourth place, a carbon copy of their 2012 result.

For more info on the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, you can like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

Results

1 Durban Girls’ College 2 St Mary’s DSG, 3 Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School, 4 The Wykeham Collegiate, 5 Danville Park Girls’ High, 6 St Dominic’s Newcastle, 7 Grantleigh College, 8 Suid-Natal Hoërskool, 9 Kuswag Hoërskool, 10 Ladysmith High School

 Overall results

Durban Girls’ College - Durban Central Regional Winner - Gold (2013, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2023), Silver (2012, 2016, 2017), Bronze (2019), Fourth (2011, 2018)

 Tenth Appearance

St Mary’s D.S.G. – Highway Regional Winner - Gold (2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019), Silver (2022, 2023), Bronze (2011, 2013), Fourth (2015)

 Seventh Appearance

Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High – Pietermaritzburg Central Regional Winner - Silver (2011, 2013, 2015), Bronze (2012, 2014, 2023), Fourth (2016)

 Fifth Appearance

Grantleigh College – North Coast Regional Winner – Seventh (2022, 2023)), Eighth (2011, 2016, 2017)

 Third Appearance

Danville Park Girls’ High School – Durban North Regional Winner – Fifth (2023), Sixth (2012, 2014)

Kuswag Hoërskool – Durban South Regional Winner – Ninth (2011, 2023), Tenth (2022)

 Second Appearance

The Wykeham Collegiate – Pietermaritzburg North Regional Winner - Fourth (2012, 2023)

Ladysmith High School - uMvoti and oThukela Regional – Seventh (2012), Tenth (2023)

 First Appearance

Suid Natal Hoërskool - Sisonke and uGu Regional Winner – Eighth (2023)

St Dominics Newcastle – Northern KZN Regional Winner – Sixth (2023)