St Mary’s DSG solidified their champion status when they claimed their seventh title at the Grand Finals of the Spar KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Sunday, 27 July 2025.
They met St Anne’s Diocesan College for the third time in the concluding game of the Grand Finals since the tournament’s inception in 2011. It was St Mary’s who had the upper hand as they won both previous encounters in 2018 and 2019.
Setting the pace from the whistle, the hosts dominated in the early stages, piercing the visitor’s circle on several occasions before knocking in their goal. Giving keeper St Anne’s keeper a scare just after three minutes of play, Kgabiso Marafo from St Anne’s was lurking on the edge of her circle when a magnificent St Mary’s break caught her scrambling. A rogue St Mary’s shot from near the top of the D flew well wide of the goals, giving Marafo much relief.
Less than two minutes later, another surge, this time a play coming from the right, found St Mary’s Tayte Stewart rushing goal-wards along the baseline. Nearing a wall of defence, she threaded her pass parallel to the line, watching frustratedly as the near-perfect pass bisected not only the first defender’s legs, but then rolled directly through the keepers’ legs and finally her own player’s legs, who was waiting next to the far post.
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A few seconds later, St Mary’s Georgia Short was gifted the ball right in front of the goals. She wasted no time calmly scooping the ball into the net, going one up after a phenomenal build-up of pressure by the home team.
As half time neared, St Anne’s earned a short corner and the ball flew to the top of the D before rocketing towards the goals, only to be stopped by the first defensive wave. Given a second chance, St Anne’s moved the ball right, beyond the first wave. Their attempt was blocked, and when a follow-up opportunity was presented to the attacking team, a determined St Mary’s keeper, Ziyanda Mchunu, kept it out.
Mchunu, who hadn’t seen much action throughout the weekend, was called into work to face a penalty stroke awarded to St Anne’s’ Holly Hofmeyer in the third minute of the second half. Hofmeyer boldly stepped up to the spot, but unfortunately her attempt to equalise stalled, disappointingly flying directly at Mchunu, who snuffed the shot out easily.
Spurred by their attacking play, St Anne’s mounted several more weaving attacks, but a firm defence by St Mary’s didn’t allow their opponents the leveller they so desperately were searching for. St Anne’s, who were victorious in the very first Grand Finals, were denied a second victory in their fifth run for the trophy by a team who were completely on song from the get-go, defending their title valiantly.
Placing third was a determined team representing the Durban North Region. Ashton International College, returning after nine years, had a fairytale return, meeting Epworth School in the third-place game.
This is the most successful run by a team representing the Durban North area in the fifteen years of the tournament. Ashton fired in a missile just before half-time during a short corner, whizzing left of the keeper, giving them the edge over an excellent Epworth performance.
In Ashton’s three previous Grand Finals appearances, they have finished seventh twice in 2015 and 2016, and ninth in their first appearance in 2013. Epworth had a third place to their name in 2018 and a fourth place in 2019, and had to settle for another fourth place finish in their third appearance.
The tournament goes into hibernation now, with the sixteenth year of the Spar KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge starting early next year.
Final Results of the Spar KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Sunday, 27 July 2025
1. St Mary’s DSG
2. St Anne’s Diocesan College
3. Ashton International College
4. Epworth School
5. Maris Stella
6. Ferrum High School
7. St Patrick’s College
8. Felixton College
9. Kingsway High School
10. Wartburg Kirchdorf School
Group Stage Standings
Pool A
1. St Mary’s DSG (Highway Regional) 16pts
2. Epworth School (Pietermaritzburg Central Regional) 12pts
3. St Patrick’s College (Southern KZN Regional) 5pts
4. Ferrum High School (Northern KZN Regional) 5pts
5. Kingsway High School (Durban South Regional) 0pts
Pool B
1. St Anne’s Diocesan College (Pietermaritzburg North Regional) 10pts
2. Ashton International College (Durban North Regional) 10pts
3. Maris Stella (Durban Central Regional) 10pts
4. Felixton College (North Coast Regional) 4pts
5. Wartburg Kirchdorf School (uMvoti and oThukela Regional) 0pts
Main Photo Caption: St Mary’s DSG solidified their champion status when they claimed their seventh title at the Grand Finals of the Spar KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Sunday, 27 July 2025. All Photos: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: St Mary’s met St Anne’s Diocesan College for the third time in the Grand Finals since the tournament’s inception in 2011.
