Ashton International College Ballito finished as runners up after a spirited run to the final of the 2026 SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Durban North regional on Sunday.

Hosted at Crawford La Lucia, the tournament featured 10 schools contesting 23 fast-paced, 20-minute matches. That included local schools Ashton, Crawford International North Coast, Reddam House Ballito and Curro Salt Rock.

Ashton, the defending regional champions, topped their pool with 13 points after emphatic wins over Curro Salt Rock (7-0), Reddam House Ballito (6-0) and Crawford La Lucia (4-0), along with a goalless draw against Danville Park Girls’ High.

READ: Ashton hockey girl’s 1st XI powers to SPAR Grand Finals bronze | North Coast Courier

They held their nerve in a tightly contested semi-final against Reddam Umhlanga, drawing 0-0 before edging the penalty shootout 2-1 to book their place in the final.

In the decider, Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent School capitalised on their chances to claim a 2-0 victory. Head coach Nic White praised his side’s development.

READ MORE: Ashton International College shines in KZN SPAR Durban North Regional Hockey Challenge | North Coast Courier

“The growth shown by the players from the first game was evident, with noticeable improvement in confidence, teamwork, and intensity throughout the tournament,” said White.

Assistant coach Erdine Coetzee highlighted the youth in the squad.

“We had eight new players in the first team, including four U16s. Giving them the opportunity to play top-class hockey will help them grow stronger over the next few years.”

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