Curro netballers reach Gelofte Night Series final
A high-energy game is expected against hosts Gelofte tomorrow evening (March 13).
Curro Salt Rock’s 1st netball team secured their place in the Gelofte Night Series grand final after a tense victory over Kloof High School on Monday afternoon (March 9).
The trip to Kloof came after Friday’s scheduled fixture was postponed due to severe weather.
Trailing by a single goal at halftime, Curro drew level at 13-all by the end of the third quarter before the game opened up in a fast‑paced and high‑scoring final stretch. The North Coast visitors held their nerve in the dying moments to clinch a hard‑fought 21-19 win. Curro’s title defence begins at 5.30pm tomorrow (March 13) against Gelofte.
Curro finished top of the log on 31 points, followed closely by Gelofte on 30. The victory also marks their return to the night series showpiece, where they beat Hillcrest High School 29-23 in a thrilling final last year.
Head coach Chené Gissing praised the level of competition and the tenacity on court.
“It was an incredibly exciting match that kept us on the edge of our seats until the very last whistle,” said Gissing.
“It proved to be our toughest match of the tournament; it was physical and intense, with excellent netball displayed by both teams.”
Vice‑captain Megan du Plessis, who claimed her third consecutive Player of the Match award, described the encounter as one of the most challenging yet.
“The game was extremely tough and very competitive, with both teams playing at high level,” said Du Plessis.
“We stayed focused and gave it our all until the final whistle, taking the win. I’m really proud of how our team supported each other and kept pushing through such a challenging match. It feels amazing to be going into the final, and I’m proud to be part of this team.”
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Captain Zuleika de Lange echoed the sentiment, calling the contest “nail‑biting” and crediting Curro’s collective spirit for the result.
“The team gave their absolute all on court, showing resilience and commitment until the end,” said De Lange.
“We look forward to giving it our all and playing hard for the championship this Friday.”
Rugby
Curro’s 1st rugby fixture continued on Friday evening despite the weather, facing hosts Gelofte in the main 7pm fixture.
Heavy rain caused ball handling issues for both sides, but Gelofte made the most of the conditions to claim a 37–0 victory in front of a large home crowd.
Curro high school head of sport, Shaun Blignaut, said the opening half was a physical arm‑wrestle.
“Gelofte capitalised on two of our mistakes and managed to score two tries, giving them a 10‑0 lead going into halftime,” said Blignaut.
“In the second half, our team showed great determination and spent a large portion of the game camped inside the opposition’s half,” he said.
Blignaut said there were plenty of positives to take out of the match.
“Our forwards performed exceptionally well in both the scrums and lineouts, consistently winning possession and putting the team in strong attacking positions,” he said.
Kevin Evans was named Man of the Match for his exceptional work rate and commitment throughout the encounter.
Curro will play their final fixture against Durban Academy at 4.30pm tomorrow evening.
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