St Dominics raised trophy for the first time in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge’s North KZN Regional. Pic by Val Adamson

Host school, St Dominics Newcastle hoisted the trophy for the first time in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge’s Northern KZN Regional on Saturday 6 May.

 
In a highly competitive regional final, St Dominics met local rivals, Ferrum Hoërskool who have dominated this regional with eight victories since the tournament’s inception in 2011. The two teams topped their pools with convincing wins throughout the day, and both won their respective Semi-Finals. 
 
In the 18 minutes of the final, both teams were evenly matched, with nothing between the two. The action-packed game glided all around the park. 3 minutes in, Ferrum found some space and took play up to St Doms in the games’ first real surge but an alert backline defended boldly, sending the game out of their danger zone, back up to midway. A few minutes later, it was the turn of the hosts, who ran the ball up to the other end, but in a similar fashion, Ferrum’s defence didn’t falter. 
 
Nearing 7 minutes, St Doms shone with some great skills, working the ball up with players passing quickly to one another as they rapidly made their way up the middle towards the Ferrum circle. The magic and momentum was abruptly halted as the ball carrier lost concentration and frustratingly stepped on the ball. 
 
An indication of how equal the two teams were, it took 9 minutes and 9 seconds for the first shot to be fired. Ferrum was gifted an opportunity, running the ball into the circle and wasting no time, smashing in their attempt, only to watch the ball whisk past the righthand post. Both teams played with tremendous discipline, not giving away any short corners, and only one long corner was given to St Dom’s. 
 
In the final quarter, St Doms kicked up a gear. The home team mounted several attacks on the Ferrum goal, with two close calls but the savvy Ferrum defenders stood strong as St Dominics grew in confidence. Time expired with the score sitting level at zero zero. The regional final would be decided in a penalty shootout. 
 
Three players from both teams made their way to the spot. Ferrum took first charge, with Annerie Roos netting her team’s first goal. Both Abongile Masondo from St Doms and Ferrums’ Annemie Rautenbach turns ended with keepers Colbe Le Breton and Sanri van Rhyn respectively shutting down their shots. Second up for St Dom’s, Andiswa Mhlungu was unfortunately fouled by FERRUM and was awarded a penalty stroke which was taken by a brave Xoliswa Sithole. Sithole sent her flick dead centre of goals but Le Breton easily stopped the shot. 

Third up for Ferrum, Joey du Preez took the ball up, drifting right and pulling van Rhyn out of the box. As she was nearing the base line, she slipped the ball past the keeper but sadly, her shot was off target and the ball skidded right of goal. With the score still on 1 nil, Ciana Captain, Captain for St Domnics stepped up to the spot. She too drifted right and tapped the ball in. Le Breton got a foot on the ball, slowing it down but luck was on Captains side, as the ball trickled over the line just in time to level the score at 1 all. 
 
With all three players having had their chance, the final progressed to a sudden death. A cool calm and collected Captain Courageous began, lifting the ball up for a few skillful bounces on her stick as she entered the circle, she let the ball drop and proceeded in similar fashion to run right, pulling the ball further right, away from an advancing Le Breton, with a bit more force, she tapped the ball beyond the reach of Le Breton and netting her and her teams’ second goal. A previously successful Roos went first for Ferrum. Following the trend of taking play to their right, she advanced rapidly to within a few meters from the baseline, realising her angle had been cut down dramatically by a charging van Rhyn, she knocked in her shot that flew wide. An eruption of emotions followed suit, with St Dom’s taking the win by the narrowest of margins, with two successful penalties, to Ferrum’s one. 
 
Recognised for his efforts with the whistle, head boy and First team goal keeper for St Dominics Newcastle, Mvelo Mashinini shone as the Most Promising Umpire.
 
St Dominics Newcastle is the seventh team who will be representing their region at the Grand Finals that takes place at St Mary’s DSG in Kloof in July. They join Danville Park Girls High School (Durban North Regional); St Mary’s DSG (Highway Regional); Kuswag Hoërskool (Durban South Regional), Durban Girls’ College (Durban Central Regional); The Wykeham Collegiate (Pietermaritzburg North Regional) and Suid Natal Hoërskool (Sisonke and uGu Regional).
 
The challenge heads to Wartburg Kirchdorf School this weekend, on Saturday for the uMvoti and oThukela Regional, followed by the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional at Epworth School on Sunday. The tenth regional takes place at Grantleigh College the following weekend, wrapping up the ten regionals around KZN. 
 
For spectators that are unable to get to the side of the pitch, the ten regionals and the Grand Finals will be live streamed by SuperSport Schools on their mobile app or website.
 
For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

 

Pool Results

Pool A
1 Ferrum Hoërskool 16pts; 2 Sarel Cilliers High School 9 pts; 3 Newcastle High School 9pts; 4= Vryheid Landbou; 4= Pongola Akademie
Pool B
1 St Dominics Newcastle 16pts; 2 Vryheid High School; 3 Dundee High School; 4= Utrecht High School; 4= Amajuba High School
 

Regional Final Results

St Dominics Newcastle 0 (2) vs Ferrum Hoërskool 0 (1)