Our Lady of Fatima defeated Curro Salt Rock in the final in the Durban North Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge.  
Pic: Val Adamson

For the first time in the history of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge, the final went into extra time at the Durban North Regional on Saturday 7 September at Curro Salt Rock.
 

Host school, Curro Salt Rock met Our Lady of Fatima in the regional final that went down to the wire. With the first attacking play, Curro got the ball up to their star Goal Attack Danika Willemse who attempted to net the first points of the final but was slightly off target. Less than a minute later, Willemse received the ball and netted the first point, taking her team 1 nil up.
 
For majority of the first half, it was one way traffic, with the ball being sent up to Willemse who patiently lurked at the foot of the net, neatly slotting in her chances. With 2 minutes remaining, Fatima swopped out their goal attack, with Zoe Quigley setting foot into the circle, sparking a change for the visitors, instantly putting Fatima on the scoreboard with a well-crafted point. 40 seconds later, Fatima managed to double their points, going into half time trailing by 5 points to 2.
 
Quigley opened up the second half account with a fabulous shot from just inside the circle, and 27 seconds later, she put away Fatima’s fourth. Curro worked hard and managed to get the ball up to the circle, increasing their score by a point to 6 -4 in the 80 second. Looking threatening, Curro sent up another attack, but their assault was completely halted by a moment of defending brilliance when Khanya Mkhize from Our Lady of Fatima launched into the air with a mid-air intercept.
 
Scoring slowed down in the next three minutes, with Quigley quietly putting away two more 1 pointers levelling the scores, Captain Jenna Shaw commanding her troops with her all-round talents and Mkhize impressing on the other end with her wizardry blocks and intercepts. With the clock winding down, both teams’ see-sawed their way up another 2 points each taking the score up to 8 all. As the final whistle loomed, Quigley floated in her second 2 point attempt but was unable to find the middle of the net.
 
Explaining the process, Tournament Director Marguerite Wagner shared, ‘When the game is tied at the end of the final, we play an extra minute. The first team to lead with two goals wins. If the score is still a tie, then they play one more minute, and whoever leads with one goal wins.’
 
A determined Curro Salt Rock fired the ball up to their forwards but were unsuccessful. Fatima turned play around and attacked on the other side, netting their ninth goal in the 46 second. Play continued and the visitors preserved with their spell and magically scored their tenth, going 2 up in the extra time.
 
This is the second time in two years that Our Lady of Fatima have had a closely fought final. Last year they fell by one point to Danville Park Girls’ High School in the tightly contested 2023 regional final. The defending champs finished third this year, going down to the compact BSS Starlets who continue to impress.
 
Next weekend the challenge heads inland where defending champs, Dundee High School hosts the Northern KZN Regional on Saturday 14 September.
 
All games are live streamed on SuperSport Schools.
 
Finals Result
Curro Salt Rock 8 (0) vs Our Lady of Fatima 8 (2)
 
Third Place Playoff
Danville Park Girls’ High School13 vs BSS Starlets 9
 
Semi-Finals Results
Our Lady of Fatima 11 vs Danville Park Girls’ High School 8
Curro Salt Rock 14 vs BSS Starlets 8
 

Pool Results

Pool A
1 Curro Salt Rock 12pts; 2 Danville Park Girls’ High School 9pts; 3 Riverdene High School 3pts; 4 Redwood College 3pts; 5 Crawford North Coast 3pts
 
Pool B
1 Our Lady of Fatima 12 pts; 2 BSS Starlets 9pts; 3 Ashton International College 6pts; 4 Crawford La Lucia 3pts; 5 Hillgrove High School 0pts