So close for Suidies at hockey tourney

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

St Patrick’s is the fifth team to be crowned in this region since the tournament’s inception in 2011, having defeated defending champions Hoërskool Suid-Natal 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 Port Shepstone High, 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, while the second semi-final was an inland derby, with King Edward taking on St Patrick’s.

Suidies beat Sheppie in a penalty shootout after scores were level at 1-1.
St Patrick’s defeated King Edward to progress.

In the final, St Patrick’s were the first to score 14 minutes into the game, when Courtney 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 team’s 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 opponent’s defence to get the challenge-winning goal.

At the final whistle, the score was 1-1, with both teams gearing up for the penalty shootout.
In the final, young Rayne Kitching scored the only goal in the shootout to give the hosts the win.
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 at St Mary’s DSG in July.

The seven other teams that have secured their spot already are Durban Girls’ College, The Wykeham Collegiate, St John’s DSG, Our Lady of Fatima, St Mary’s DSG, Amanzimtoti High and Grantleigh School.

Results: 1 St Patrick’s College, 2 Hoërskool Suid-Natal, 3 King Edward High, 4 Port Shepstone High, 5 Southcity Christian School, 6 Kokstad College, 7 Creston College, 8 St Monica’s Diocesan, 9 Ixopo High, 10 Bergview College.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram