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, recently.
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 lifted the trophy, equaling St Mary’s record.
In the first half, the visitors pierced the solid Saints defence, netting two 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 College’s 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 skilful 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 their first run at the Grand Finals, St Dominic’s Newcastle had a mountain to climb, meeting two of their hardest opponents in their first two pool games. First up, they took on five-time winners, St Mary’s DSG, holding them in some great defence, only going down 4-0 to them.
In their second game they took on The Wykeham Collegiate, again the St Dom’s defence stood strong only allowing Wykeham two goals.
Their last two pool games, their tide turned and Anahle Mbatha notched up her team’s very first goal at the Grand Finals, with a 1-nil victory over Kuswag Hoërskool. In their final pool game, Husna Docrat earned St Dom’s second goal in their tie against Suid Natal Hoërskool. The Northern KZN representatives finished their pool games mid-way down the log in an impressive third place.
Next, the travelling team played Grantleigh College from Richards Bay in their cross-pool play-off. Kheta Nkosi and Abongile Masondo etched their names on the scorecard, both netting goals and giving their team a slot in the fifth place play-off.
In their final game, St Dominic’s Newcastle met a compact unit from Danville Park Girls’ High School. In a fast flowing game, Danville opened up their account with three goals in the first half. Hloni Mthmkulu found the back of the net for St Dom’s, bringing the score up to 3-1.
Danville quickly responded with a fourth goal. In the final minute of the play-off, Masondo was in the right place at the right time, scoring her second goal of the tournament and St Dom’s second goal in the game, with the end result going Danvile’s way, 4-2.
St Dominic’s earned themselves a very respectable sixth place in their first appearance at the Grand Final.
