Hero Tayla wins it for Hudson

Striker’s stunning goal sinks PE’s Alexander Road

Hudson Park High School have been crowned champions after beating Alexander Road High School in the SPAR Eastern Cape Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge provincial finals at Woodridge, near Port Elizabeth, over the weekend.

Both teams worked hard to win the game, but a stunning goal by Tayla Jade Marais saw Hudson emerge victorious with a 1-0 scoreline.

“We have had a fantastic time and we are really grateful to SPAR for the exposure this tournament gives us,” an ecstatic Hudson Park team manager, Rosanne De'ath, said.

“It gets our hockey to a good level early in the

‘We have had a fantastic time and we are really grateful to SPAR for the exposure this tournament gives us’

year and we have played against a number of teams during the tournament that we would not normally face.”

Her sentiments were shared by team captain Zimkhitha Weston.

Weston, who is in matric, played her last SPAR tournament.

“I want to thank all the girls who played because you guys are fantastic players. I am really proud of my team. Thank you everyone and I am going to miss you next year,” she said.

De'ath also congratulated their coach, Jerry Snyman, for his dedication in preparing the girls for the tournament.

SPAR EC sponsorship and events manager Alan Stapleton said that the tournament would remain a feature on the hockey calendar.

“We are definitely going to carry on with this sponsorship because it is one of our favourite events,” he said. “All of you players make it special. There is very keen competition but also a lot of camaraderie.”