Kingsway wins the Spar Hockey Tournament Durban South Regional title
Kingsway High School put together a string of gritty performances on their way to lifting the title in the Durban South Regional of the Spar KZN Hockey Tournament.
They beat their local rivals, Amanzimtoti High School 2-1 in a penalty shootout to claim the silverware.
With the win, Kingsway became the fifth team to book a berth in the Spar KZN Tournament Grand Finals, to be hosted by St Mary’s Waverley Festival winners, St Mary’s DSG, Kloof, in July.
They join Maris Stella (Durban Central Regional), St Mary’s DSG (Highway Regional), Epworth School (Pietermaritzburg Central Regional), and St Anne’s Diocesan College (Pietermaritzburg North Regional) on the list of teams that have claimed their spot at the Grand Finals.
The Durban South Regional was the biggest of the regional finals, bringing together 10 teams, who were split into two groups. Kingsway joined the hosts, Werda, in Pool B, where they competed against New Forest High School, Port Natal Skool, and Rossburgh High School.
Last year’s winner, Amanzimtoti, was in Pool A, along with Durban Academy, Gelofte, Queensburgh Girls’ High School, and Kuswag Skool.
Kingsway found goal-scoring a challenge, but their defence was stiff. They failed to register a victory in any of their Pool B matches, but recorded three 0-0 draws, against Werda, New Forest, and Port Natal. They were awarded winners’ points for their abandoned match against Rossburgh and, ultimately, finished second in the group.
They met four-time Durban South Regional champions, Kuswag, in a cross-pool playoff match and scored their first goal of the tournament. However, the contest ended in a 1-1 draw, but Kingsway held their nerve to claim a 2-0 win in the penalty shootout.
That proved to be good preparation for the final against Amanzimtoti. The defending champions posted two wins and two draws in their pool and then faced the Pool B table-topping New Forest. They shared a 1-1 draw. That sent the contest to a shootout, which Amanzimtoti won with a golden goal.
Goals were in short supply in the final, too, with neither Kingsway nor Amanzimtoti scoring in regulation time. In the penalty shootout, though, Kingsway triumphed 2-1.
The regional finals continue with the Durban North Regionals on Sunday. Ashton International College will host Crawford International La Lucia, Danville Park Girls’ High, Northlands Girls’ High, Our Lady of Fatima, Crawford International North Coast, Curro Salt Rock, and Reddam House Umhlanga.
After a superb fifth-place finish at the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, Our Lady of Fatima goes into the event as the favourite.
