New Plymouth Girls' High School produced an outstanding week of netball to finish as A Grade runner's up in the Lower North Island Secondary Schools Tournament.

Held in Palmerston North from September 3-7, teams contested in A grade and a B grade, with 32 teams in each. Seven teams from Taranaki were in action.

The top showing from New Plymouth Girls' High School also means they have qualified for the New Zealand Secondary School tournament, a feat which the school last achieved in 2013 when the team included now Silver Fern Kelly Jury. In 2017, the school missed out on qualification by a single goal, finishing sixth at the Lower North Island Secondary Schools and just outside of the top five placing needed.

New Plymouth Girls' High School played nine games over the five days, winning their first eight comfortably before losing narrowly to Manukura in the championship game.

Manukura started the final strongly, jumping out to a 10-4 lead after one quarter and leading by eight goals after three quarters. A superb finish from New Plymouth Girls' High School (winning the final quarter 7-1) wasn't quite enough and Manukura held on for a 22-20 win.

Isla Vink, Boston Falaniko, Parris Mason and Brooke Neilson were all named in the tournament team.

Taranaki's umpires also had a great week and were rewarded with appointments at the business end of the tournament. Karen Eliason and Araana Te Arikitana were given the B grade final, Paddy Leatherby and AJ Brown did the 3rd/4th playoff in the A Grade and Araana was the reserve unpire for the A grade final. Lara Honeyfield, Katelyn Bishop, Shontae Broughton-Malcolm, Alissa Plasmeyer and Jenni Busby also attended and umpired well.

New Plymouth Girls' High School Results

Vs Tawa College Won 44-10

Vs Horowhenua College Won 63-6

Vs Whanganui High School Won 36-27

Vs Inglewood High Won 29-11

Vs Wellington Girls Won 30-18

Vs Hastings Girls High School Won 37-19

Vs Palmerston North Girls High Won 27-19

Vs Wellington East Girls Won 37-23

Vs Manukura Lost 20-22

Other Team Placings

A Grade

Inglewood High School: 11th

Hawera High School: 20th

Waitara High School: 24th

Sacred Heart New Plymouth: 25th

B Grade

Stratford High School: 20th

St Mary's Diocesan: 30th

The full results from the tournament are available here. 

Article added: Tuesday 11 September 2018