St Patrick’s College was victorious in the Ugu and Sisonke Regional that took place in Kokstad on Saturday 20 April. Pic: Val Adamson
 

A new team will engrave their name on the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge trophy when host school, St Patrick’s College was victorious in the Ugu and Sisonke Regional that took place at their picturesque setting in Kokstad on Saturday 20 April.

 
St Patrick’s is the fifth team to be crowned in this region since the tournament’s inception in 2011, having defeated defending champions and one-time winners, Suid Natal Hoërskool in an enthralling final.
 
In the lead up to the regional final, both teams finished second in the logs after their four pool games. St Patrick’s finished two points behind a determined Port Shepstone High School who earned 12 points in Pool A. In Pool B King Edward topped the log with 13 points, followed by Suid Natal on 10 points.
 
After the pool games, the challenge progressed to a cross pool positional playoff. In a coastal derby - Sheppie met Suidies in the first semi-final, and in the second semi-final, an inland derby - King Edward took on St Patricks. At the conclusion of the semis, Suidies had a change to protect their title, meeting St Patrick’s in the regional final.
 
The conclusion of three of the four main games were decided on the spot, with three players from each team participating in an 8 second penalty shootout. In the first semi-final, Suid Natal and Sheppie drew 1 all at full time and Suid Natal went up by a single goal in their very first run, with no other goals being netted in the remainder of the penalty attempts.
 
In the bronze medal game, Sheppie found themselves for the second time at the spot, this time facing King Edward High School. The full-time whistle blew with both teams unable to slot the ball into the back of the box, drawing on nil nil. A jack-in-the-box keeper, Reitumetsi Pakkies from King Edward pulled out some awe-inspiring saves, closing down all of Sheppies runs, diving all over the place in some epic charge downs.
 
In the all-important final, St Patrick’s were first to score. 14 minutes into the game, Courney Kitching calmly slapped in the opening goal after a great attack down the right side. She was camped out at the goal mouth and was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, slotting in her teams first.
 
A minute later, St Patrick’s were brought back down to earth as Suidies also charged down the right, crossing the ball to an alert Luca Meyer who nailed in the equaliser. For the remainder of the final, both teams were unable to find a hole in their opponents defence, to get the challenge-winning goal. At the final whistle the score was 1 all with both teams gearing up for the penalty shootout.
 
Suid Natal’s keeper, Anrika Badenhorst did well in her first standing in the penalty shootouts, closing down all of Sheppie’s attempts. In the final a young, crafty St Patrick’s Rayne Kitching side stepped Badenhorst, rounding her to the left and then trickled the ball over the line for the only goal in the penalty shootout. St Patrick’s keeper, Sikhona Mcebesi kept a clean sheet in her first defence that day in a penalty shootout,
 
Most Promising Umpire went to Bergview High School’s Arne Pieterse who had a fantastic day officiating with the whistle.
 
St Patrick’s College is the eighth KZN  team to gain a spot at the Grand Finals that will be held in July at St Mary’s D.S.G. The seven other teams that have secured their spot already are Durban Girls’ College (Durban Central Regional), The Wykeham Collegiate (Pietermaritzburg North Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (Pietermaritzburg Central Regional); Our Lady of Fatima (Durban North Regional), St Mary’s DSG (Highway Regional); Amanzimtoti High School (Durban South Regional) and Grantleigh School (KZN North Coastal Regional).
 

Results

1 St Patrick’s College, 2 Suid Natal Hoërskool, 3 King Edward High School, 4 Port Shepstone High School, 5 Southcity Christian School, 6 Kokstad College, 7 Curro Creston, 8 St Monica’s Diocesan, 9 Ixopo High School, 10 Bergview College 
 
Pool A
1 Port Shepstone High School 12 points, 2 St Patrick’s College 10 points, 3 Kokstad College 6 points, 4 St Monica’s Diocesan 6 points, 5 Ixopo High School 0 points
Pool B
1 King Edward High School 13 points, 2 Suid Natal Hoërskool 10 points, 3 Southcity Christian School 5 points, 4 Curro Creston 3 points, 5 Bergview College 1 point