DGC FAVOURITES AFTER BEATING PLUCKY DGHS

THE well drilled Durban Girls’ College (DGC) first hockey team marched inexorably into the Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, chalking up a 1-0 victory over a plucky Durban Girls’ High School (DGHS) team in the final of the Durban Central Regional tournament played at the 3 Schools Trust Astro a week ago.

The victory was significant for DGC as they have now won this regional title for the ninth year in succession and they will again start off as the favourites to win the overall KZN title on July 20-21 at St Mary’s DSG Kloof.

DGC are the fourth school so far to earn their ticket to this year’s Grand Finals where they will be joined so far by two Pietermaritzburg teams, St Anne’s College (PMB North) and Epworth School (PMB Central), and Crawford College La Lucia (Durban North).

DGC met St Henry’s in the first semi-final and were quick off the mark on their way to a 3-0 victory with goals from Amanda Holmes at a short corner, Bulelwa ‘BB’ Mzimela from a pass inside the circle and Pippa Meek making the most of a goalmouth scramble.

The second semi-final saw DGHS and Maris Stella in a wonderfully balanced yo-yo of a game, the ball swinging from end to end and chances created at both ends but the 0-0 scoreline at the end a tribute to both defences and the umpires signalling for a penalty shoot-out with each team to nominate three players to go head to head with their opponent’s goalkeeper.

Tamika Pillay, Latoya Boon and Tianna Anderson were all on target for DGHS as were Holly Chellin and Sarah Proctor for Maris Stella, leaving Kelsey Wassink to settle the issue for a place in the regional final.

Unfortunately for Maris Stella, Wassink’s parting flick rattled off the pads of DGHS goalkeeper Asanda Ncube, giving the host school DGHS a 3-2 win and the opportunity to meet DGC for the Durban Central regional title.

DGC did not have things all their own way in the final and had to work incredibly hard for their only goal against a DGHS defence who gave nothing away until midway through the game when that feisty “BB” Mzimela managed to slip the ball over the line for College when she found herself in the right spot at the right time to connect with a cross flying in from the right which she managed to connect with on her outstretched stick near the left hand post for a well deserved match winning goal which ensured the hardworking College team a place in the Grand Finals in July, the only team to have made an appearance there in every year in the nine year history of this tournament.

Stand-in Coach for Durban Girls College, Mike Cullen, said: “With only 20 minutes of play per game it is always a bit of a lottery because even one goal scored against you means you are under enormous pressure. But on the whole, I thought our girls played really well, we moved the ball around nicely and also managed to score lots of goals.”

Melissa Calitz from St Henry’s was awarded the Umpire of the Day award and will be invited to officiate at the two-day Grand Finals.

The next regional tournament is on April 7 at the 3 Schools Trust Astro for the Durban South Regional title which will be hosted by defending regional champions, Amanzimtoti High School.

Final standings of Durban Central Region: 1 Durban Girls’ College, 2 Durban Girls’ High School, 3 Maris Stella, 4 St Henry’s, 5 Port Natal High School, 6= Ridge Park College, 6= Inanda Seminary, 6= Inanda Ntumzuma KwaMashu (INK), 9 Brettonwood High School