Thrilling Finale Sees St Mary’s DSG Kloof Crowned Champions at St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival!
The final of the St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival was nothing short of electrifying, as two powerhouse teams—St Mary’s DSG Kloof, captained by the ever-composed Nicola Forbes, and HMS Bloemhof, led by the dynamic Elré Oosthuizen—went head-to-head in a showdown for the ages.
Having already crossed paths earlier in the tournament in a nail-biting draw (with Kloof edging through in a tense penalty shootout), this clash promised fireworks—and it delivered in spades! Both teams had defied the odds in the knockout stages, toppling higher-ranked opponents with sheer grit and determination.
A massive shoutout must go to St Mary’s goalkeeper Ziyanda Mchunu, who stood tall and fearless throughout the tournament. Her heroics in the semi-final shootout were the stuff of legend, and her commanding presence in goal was a key reason why Kloof earned their shot at glory.
The stage was perfectly set for a blockbuster finale—and the match more than lived up to the hype. The intensity was relentless, with play surging from one end to the other in a dazzling display of top-tier schoolgirl hockey. Bloemhof dug deep, throwing everything into defence to keep the determined St Mary’s attack at bay.
Minutes left on the clock
But with just nine minutes left on the clock, the breakthrough finally came. Enter Jamie Da Silva—already a standout performer in St. Mary’s DSG Kloof’s big win over Paarl Gim—who coolly unleashed a precision tomahawk strike that sliced through Bloemhof’s backline and bulged the back of the net. It was a moment of pure brilliance and one that would ultimately decide the outcome of the match.
Just a minute later, drama struck again as St Mary’s were shown a green card, temporarily reducing them to ten players. It was a golden chance for Bloemhof to pounce—but Kloof stayed composed, absorbing the pressure like seasoned pros and managing the clock with poise and discipline.
One minute left to play
In a bold final roll of the dice, Bloemhof subbed off their keeper for an extra outfield player with a minute to play, desperate to find that equaliser. But St Mary’s held their nerve, controlling possession and locking down their third title with ice-cold focus.
And just like that, history was made!
With this incredible win, St Mary’s DSG Kloof joined the elite ranks of three-time champions, adding 2025 to their past triumphs in 2018 and 2007. It was a heart-stopping finale that could have gone either way, but in the end, it was St Mary’s who walked away with the glory—and they’ll be rocketing up the SA School Sports Rankings in style!
What. A. Game.
