Anani magic inspires Toti
AMANZIMTOTI High School made it five titles at the Durban South Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that took place on Sunday at the 3 Schools Trust Astro.
The defending champs met the surprise package of the tournament, New Forest High, who were making not only their first semi-final appearance but also progressing all the way to the regional final. The game ended 3-0 in favour of Amanzimtoti but not after a valiant and enthusiastic tussle from New Forest.
It took Toti 40 seconds to reveal their hand as they charged down field, displaying their pure determination to keep possession of the ball and the game up in New Forest’s half.
Just shy of eight minute, feisty forward, Anani Xozwa scored a killer goal, balancing herself a few feet out from the box, and rocketed a solid shot that deflected off a defenders stick, not giving keeper Tamia Wilde any possibility of stopping the ball.
Back in the thick of things, Xozwa teased the defence as she pulled and weaved her way to the edge of the field, knocking the ball goal-wards. The soft attempt got lost in the scramble, the ball brushing Xozwa’s stick on its way to a crowded goal mouth as an unsighted Wilde diverted the ball as it hit the back of her leg, giving Toti their second goal.
With the clock winding down, Toti earned a short corner. Injecting from the left side of the field, the ball was rolled out to Tayla Potgieter, who wasted no time in settling the ball and quickly firing in a shot that pummelled the right side of the box.
Finishing third was the hard-working team from Kingsway High. From the get-go, Kingsway’s defence was out of the top drawer, backed by fearless keeper, Keisha Tsouros who wasn’t afraid to charge down the ball, saving countless goals.
Kingsway met Werda in the bronze medal game where the majority of the game was played between the two 22s. At full time with the score at 0-0, the game progressed to a penalty shoot out, which went 2-0 in Kingsway’s favour.
In Pool A the teams were decided easily as Toti topped the log followed by Werda.
In Pool B three teams were level, forcing a penalty shoot out. Lining up first was three players each from New Forest and Kuswag with New Forest taking it 2-1. The second round saw Kuswag lose 2-1 to Kingsway, and in the final round Kingsway beat New Forest 2-1, with both teams advancing.
Coach for New Forest, Rene Haynes said, “I have no idea what we have done differently to previous years, but everything worked for us today. We also have a lot of young, new players who have never played before but have taken to the game superbly. It really all came together.”
Amanzimtoti High School is the fifth team to secure a spot at the Grand Finals that will take place at St Mary’s DSG in Kloof. They join St Anne’s (PMB North Regional), Epworth School (PMB Central Regional), Crawford La Lucia (DBN North Regional) and Durban Girls’ College (DBN Central Regional).
The next regional is this weekend with teams converging for the Southern KZN Regional taking place at Creston College.
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