Back again, Wartburg Kirchdorf School successfully defended their title and hoisted the uMvoti and oThukela Regional trophy for the eighth time at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that Wembley College hosted on Saturday 30 May.

Wartburg met Greytown High School in a fiercely fought final where they managed to win the game 1 nil. 48 seconds into the game, Wartburg secured their first set play. The ball was sent to the top of the D, redirected to the player on the post who attempted to net their first goal. The result was a retake due to an unfortunate foul halting the shot.

Wartburg had to dig deep as Greytown’s defenders blooped four more times in the circle giving the defending champs five takes of their short corner set pieces. Nearing 4 minutes into the game, Iminathi Mnqayi finally broke the cycle and netted the tournament winning goal. The ball was sent up to Mnqayi, wasting no time she zapped a shot off, finding the back of the box.

A second before the final hooter sounded, Greytown kept everyone on the edge of their seats as they earned their second short corner of the game. In the all or nothing corner, Wartburg held their composure and managed to neatly clear the ball from danger, securing their eighth title.

There was no one team that dominated the day, with all teams having a mixed bag of results. At the conclusion of the pool games, both Hamilton College making their second appearance and Greytown High School were all squared up on points, goals for and goals against. A quick penalty shoot-out ensued where Greytown were victorious 1 nil to finish second in the pool.

In the first semi-final, first in pool A – Wembley College met second in pool B – Wartburg. At the blast of the final whistle, both teams were level on nil nil. The game decider moved to a penalty shootout. After the first round, both teams had slotted in two goals out of their three attempts. A sudden death followed. Wembley went first but were unable to convert while Wartburg’s Phiwo Ntobela charged into the circle, meeting Wembley’s keeper, Stacy Sims-Handcock, rolling off the convergence, Ntobela scooped the ball in just before the dreaded 8 second whistle claiming the first slot for the final.

Watching it go. Both Wartburg Kirchdorf School’ Shalom Matsika and Wembley College’s keeper, Stacy Sims-Handcock watch the ball roll dangerously close to the goals during the deciding 8 second penalty shootout in the uMvoti and oThukela Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that Wembley College hosted on Saturday 30 May,

In the second semi-final, first in pool B – Domino Servite School met second in pool A – Greytown. In similar fashion – the final whistle sounded with no goals being scored and the decided then proceeded to a penalty shootout. In a marathon, the longest in the sixteen years of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, Greytown eventually won in a riveting round of ten shootouts. Sbonga Ngwane netted the first of the third round of sudden death, taking her teams tally up to four. Ngwane charged in, balancing herself midway, attempting her first shot. Domino’s keeper, Emma Schobben defended easily but unfortunately, the ball rebounded in Ngwane’s favour, wasting no time to knock in the ball under Schobber. Domino’s Mayenzeke Mlaba bravely made a run with the ball but was greeted by a determined Sinothando Ngwenya who resolutely knocked the ball well out of play, obtaining their pass to the final.

Stand in umpire, Talia Kotze from Wembley College was acknowledged for her hard work with the whistle and was awarded the title of Umpire of the Day. She happily stood in for Ladysmith High School and oversaw the three penalty shootouts. Shalom Matsika from Wartburg could not contain her excitement when she won a Princess stick in the fun treasure hunt lucky draw.

Wartburg is the final team to advance to the Grand Finals being hosted by St Mary’s D.S.G. in Kloof in July. They will meet Our Lady of Fatima, (Durban North Regional); Amanzimtoti High School (Durban South Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (Pietermaritzburg Central Regional); St Anne’s Diocesan College (Pietermaritzburg North Regional) and St Mary’s D.S.G. (Highway Regional); Durban Girls’ College (Durban Central Regional); Grantleigh School (North Coast Regional); St Patrick’s College (Ugu and Sisonke Regional) and Ferrum High School (Northern KZN Regional).

Overrunning. Wembley College’s Ilse Duvenage gets reeled in by Wartburg Kirchdorf School Hlobokazi Manqele during the first semi-final in the uMvoti and oThukela Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge hosted by Wembley on Saturday 30 May.

Pic by Val Adamson

Results

Final

• Wartburg Kirchdorf School 1 vs Greytown High School 0
• Third place playoff
• Wembley College 1 vs Domino Servite School 0
• Fifth place playoff
• Hamilton College 3 vs Hermannsburg School 0
• Semi-Final
• Wartburg Kirchdorf School 0 (3) vs Wembley College 0 (2)
• Domino Servite School 0 (3) vs Greytown High School 0 (4)

Standings

1 Wartburg Kirchdorf School; 2 Greytown High School; 3 Wembley College; 4 Domino Servite School; 5 Hamilton College; 6 Hermannsburg School; 7 Estcourt High School