A victorious Danville Park Girls’ High School claimed their third title in the Durban North Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Sunday (2 May) at Crawford La Lucia.

 
In the concluding game of the regional finals, they met local rival Our Lady of Fatima in a close final. Danville got out of the starting blocks eagerly taking the play up to Fatima’s 22 a few times but were not able to find holes in the Fatima defence. Five minutes into the game a chance shot was a result from a run up the left for Fatima but the attempt met the determined gloved hand of the Danville keeper, Chelsea Steyn. With Fatima now in Danville’s danger zone, a second attempt got close to goals but whizzed past with no blue stick able to punch it goal-wards.
Mid-way through the final, Paige Horn from Fatima burst free of her defender and had a blistering dash into the circle but was unable to capitalise.  Danville managed an impressive passage of play up the left, with short sharp passes bouncing between open players but again they didn’t manage to penetrate the Fatima 22. 
Fatima’s response was a near fire by Sarah Bright who pounced on an opportunity on the line, right next to the post but was unable to avoid a diving Danville goalie.
At the final whistle the score was level at nil nil, resulting in the game going to the deciding penalty shoot out. Danville was first up but Savanah Ferrier was unable to find the back of the net. Fatima’s Sarah Bright netted the first goal, taking her team 1 nil up. Danni Mumford from Danville then comfortably equalised. Horn was the second player for Fatima and dragged the ball left falling to her favourite reverse stick, slotting the ball in neatly for Fatima’s 2nd goal. Sian Davies levelled the scores with a no-nonsense slap, sending the ball into the right corner of the box. With the pressure mounting, Chelsea Peterson from Fatima faded to her left, and released a superb reverse stick shot that flew wide of the goals. 
In sudden death, Horn went first for Fatima with her attempt running right this time getting smothered by the Danville keeper, resulting in a re-take. Horn then switched her attack and glided in to the circle, veering left and taking to her reverse stick shot that skidded unsuccessfully past the upright. Davies, in almost a repeat of her first attempt, cruised into the circle and sent the ball in to the right corner again for her second goal and earning her team the title.
Coach for Danville Park Girls’ High School, Calvin Price said after the game, “It is so good to be back. The objective of course is to win and today the luck went our way. One on ones are not our best but we managed to score when needed. The girls played so well the entire day and I am so proud of them with their win. And on behalf of our girls, I would like to say a big thank you to SPAR and Tournament Director Les Galloway for getting the tournament back on track this year.”

UPCOMING FIXTURES

This coming weekend sees the tournament gather momentum for its second and third regional taking place. The first on Saturday 8 May at Wembley College for the uMvoti, uThukela and uMzinyathi Regional and then the Highway Regional taking place on Sunday 9 May at Curro Hillcrest. 
 

RESULTS

 
1 Danville Park Girls’ High School
2 Our Lady of Fatima,
3= Crawford La Lucia, 3= Reddam House uMhlanga,
5= Ashton International College, 5= Northlands Girls High, 5= Curro Mt Richmore,
8 Crawford North Coast
9 Reddam House Ballito