AMANZIMTOTI High School will represent its region at the upcoming Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, at St Mary’s DSG astroturf on Saturday, 20 and Sunday, 21 July.
Each crowned regional champion will have the opportunity to go up against all the other regional winners in this magnificent two-day hockey festival.
The first two teams to qualify on the same day, were St Anne’s College and Epworth School. St Anne’s have represented the Pietermaritzburg North Regional for eight years, and have a string of gold, silver and bronze medals to their name. Epworth, representing the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional, make their second appearance at the finals, notching up an impressive bronze in last year’s tournament.
Third to qualify is the only newcomer to the 2019 Grand Finals, Crawford La Lucia, who will be flying the flag from the Durban North Regional.
The only team with a 100 per cent record participating at the finals, Durban Girls’ College representing the Durban Central Regional are the fourth team to advance to the finals, having made it to the medal games every year, with three golds (2013, 2014, 2015), three silvers (2012, 2016, 2017) and two fourths (2011, 2018) displayed alongside their tournament stats.
Amanzimtoti High School were the fifth team to secure a spot, making this their fifth appearance for the Durban South Regional. Last year was the first year that they moved up the final’s log from their usual tenth spot to an outstanding eighth. Returning after an absence of four years, Kokstad High School are back for their third time. They will be eager to better their seventh and eighth places they earned in 2011 and 2014 for the Southern KZN Regional.
Northern KZN’s Ferrum High School continue their domination of their region, as they travel down to the Grand Finals for the eighth time. Their overall stats include two fifths, two sixths, a ninth and two tenth places. Another team making a welcome return are Wartburg Kirchdorf School from the Umvoti, uThukela and Umzinyathi Regional, they were the eighth team to qualify. They have tallied up a fifth, a sixth, a seventh, an eighth and a ninth over the five years they have played.
Defending champs, St Mary’s were the ninth team to earn a berth. The Highway team have an impressive history with this tournament having raised the trophy for four years with gold in the years 2012, 2016, 2017 and of course last year. They also have two bronzes (2011 and 2013) and a fourth place in 2015.
The final team to qualify is the exciting, young team from the Northern KZN Coastal Regional, Felixton College who came ninth in their first Grand Finals last year and will be eager to improve in their second appearance.
In the nine year history of this tournament, a total of 90 regionals and eight Grand Finals have been played. This, the ninth Grand Final, will bring the total count to an impressive milestone of 99 tournaments.
For more information like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.
Ninth appearance
Durban Girls’ College – Durban Central Regional Winner – Gold (2013, 2014, 2015), Silver (2012, 2016, 2017), Fourth (2011, 2018)
Eighth appearance
St Anne’s College – Pietermaritzburg North Regional Winner – Gold (2011), Silver (2018), Bronze (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), Fourth (2013)
Ferrum High School – Northern KZN Regional Winner – Fifth (2012, 2015), Sixth (2011, 2018), Ninth (2017), Tenth (2013, 2014)
St Mary’s DSG – Highway Regional Winner – Gold (2012, 2016, 2017, 2018), Bronze (2011, 2013), Fourth (2015)
Sixth appearance
Wartburg Kirchdorf – Umvoti, uThukela and Umzinyathi Regional Winner – Fifth (2016), Sixth (2015), Seventh (2017), Eighth (2013), Ninth (2014)
Fifth appearance
Amanzimtoti High School – Durban South Regional Winner – Tenth (2015, 2016, 2017), Eighth (2018)
Third appearance
Kokstad High School – Southern KZN Regional Winner – Seventh (2011), Eighth (2014)
Second appearance
Epworth School – Pietermaritzburg Central Regional Winner – Bronze (2018)
Felixton College – North Coastal Regional Winner – Ninth (2018)
First appearance
Crawford La Lucia – Durban North Regional Winner
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