Four More Join KZN School Hockey Qualifiers

“Girls’ High School is on fire!” yelled their excited supporters from the sidelines, as the defenders of the PMB Central Regionals secured the regional title of the SPAR aQuellé School Girls’ Hockey Tournament for the third time in a hotly-contested day of hockey, hosted by Epworth on Saturday, 9 March, 2013.

Across the road at the UKZN Fields, a determined St Anne’s team snatched back their PMB Northern regional champ title from The Wykeham Collegiate to claim their place together with GHS in the ten top schools to play in the finals at St. Mary’s and Thomas More College in July.

The 2011 gold medalist, St Anne’s, used their strength in the short corners converting their tactical precision play into some well-earned goals.

Girls’ High, who met St Anne’s in the finals were the 2011 silver medalists and the 2012 bronze medalists, dominated in their games but when they played host school, Epworth, found themselves level in a goalless draw at the final whistle.

The game was fast with both team sharing possession but unable to get the ball into the goals. Calculating the scores at the end of the day, GHS advanced to the finals having scored more goals during the day than Epworth.

Some fine strategic games of hockey were played; under grey skies in comfortably cool conditions, in this third edition of the popular school girls’ competition which, for these regionals used the point system.

On Sunday, tournament defending champs, St Mary’s DSG, showed their winning mettle as they blasted their way through in the Durban Highway regionals on Sunday, 10 March 2013.

In sunny, warm and later overcast conditions six schools battled it out in short 15-minutes games at host school Westville Girls High using the point system – with St Mary’s keeping a 100% record, winning five out of five games to secure their appearance in the finals amongst the top 10 schools on homeground and Thomas More College in July.

Also on Sunday (March 10) DGHS won the Durban South Regionals, and on Saturday (March 9) Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High and St Anne’s took their respective honours in the Pietermaritzburg Central and Northern Regionals.

This weekend the Durban South and Highway regionals were won by Durban Girls High School and St Mary’s DSG respectively.

“The level of hockey has definitely improved from last year with some really tight games and good finishes.” says Les Galloway, former SA Women’s Hockey Manager and Tournament Director.

“Although it’s run on a festival basis, it is really great to see that the standard is so good and the players have managed to meld a great atmosphere with really strong hockey.”

“Hearing Les say that the level of hockey has improved since last year, is very encouraging,” says Managing Director for SPAR KZN, Rob Philipson. “It shows that there is a certain level of commitment by the schools and the players to develop their games and to be striving for greater heights.

“We trust that this tournament has had a positive impact on helping these teams raise the bar in this way.”

Ashley Dormehl (Hillcrest) was voted as the Most Promising Umpire for the Durban Highway region, while Anna Marie Maartens of Voortrekker and Jarred Christie for the Pietermaritzburg Central Region were also accorded the honour.

The regionals have already been played in Dundee (Northern KZN) and Port Shepstone (Sisonke and Ugu) with defending champions for both regions, Ferrum High and Creston making it again through to the finals in July. Still to play are the regionals in Richards Bay (North Coastals), Durban (North and Central), and Wartburg (Umvoti).

Visit the tournament page on its Facebook page, and follow the Twitter account, and check out photos of all the action from the regionals.