Concluding this year’s ten KZN regionals, Grantleigh College hosts the final SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Saturday 21 May. In the North Coast Regional, Grantleigh College welcomes schools from Empangeni High School, Eshowe High School, Felixton College, John Ross College, Richards Bay Christian School and St Catherine’s School. The seven schools will take to the turf in a round robin format where the games will last 18 minutes, with play running only one way. After the 21 scheduled games, the top two teams on the leaderboard will meet each other in the regional decider. The final will be 20 minutes one way. If the game ends on a draw, three players from each team will head to the spot for a riveting penalty shoot-out.

For each of the winning teams in the 21 rounds, they will earn 4 points on the leaderboard, if the teams draw with both netting goals, they get 2 points each, a goalless draw will see a single point being added to each of the teams’ scorecards, and a loss amounting to zero points. Three teams proudly have their names engraved on the North Coast Regional trophy, with Grantleigh being the defending champions, and winning on three previous occasions, equalling Empangeni High School record from the early days when they dominated this region with four wins in succession. Felixton College have lifted the trophy twice and featured in the regional final last year against the hosts.

Excited to be back, the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge heads to Grantleigh College for the North Coast Regional this Saturday. Pictured here are last year’s first team from Grantleigh after their victory in the final.

At the conclusion of the ten KZN regionals, the top team representing their area heads to the Grand Finals that takes place at St Mary’s D.S.G. in Kloof on 23 and 24 July. The winner of this region will join nine victorious teams that have already earned their spot, they are Pionier Hoërskool (Northern KZN Regional); St Anne’s College (PMB North Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional); Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional); St Mary’s D.S.G. (Highway Regional); Kuswag Hoërskool (DBN South Regional); King Edward High School (Ugu and Sisonke Regional); Domino Servite (uMvoti and oThukela Regional) and the most recently crowned team Durban Girls’ College from last weekend’s Durban Central Regional.

If you are unable to get to the sidelines at Grantleigh this weekend, you can watch all the action on the SuperSport Schools mobile App or on their website. For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.