Saint Kentigern College are the second-best secondary netball side in New Zealand after a thrilling final at the NZSS Netball Championships.
Sixteen of the best netball schools from across the country made the trip to Auckland’s Trusts Arena for the tournament from October 3 to October 6.
After going through the tournament unbeaten, St Kents progressed to the final against Avondale College. It was a rematch of the Auckland netball final in August, in which Avondale prevailed 37-36.
St Kents had the upper hand at half-time, leading 23-18, but a strong third quarter and an evenly matched fourth gave Avondale the win by one point. Final score 38-37 to Avondale.
It’s the side’s third time falling short of a first place finish this season after previously reaching finals for the Auckland netball competition and Upper North Island Secondary Schools (UNISS).
Meanwhile, after winning the UNISS tournament last month, Howick College also qualified for the NZSS champs.
They too went through pool play unbeaten but suffered two losses late in the tournament to qualify for the fifth-place playoff.
Howick faced Christchurch’s St Margaret’s College and prevailed 41-16 to claim fifth place.
St Kentigern College NZSS Netball Championships Results
- VS Villa Maria College (W 53-32)
- VS Columba College (W 36-25)
- VS Tawa College (W 50-32)
- VS St Margaret’s College (W 42-26)
- VS Mount Albert Grammar School (W 53-32)
- VS St Mary’s College, Wellington (W 37-31)
- Final VS Avondale College (L 37-38)
Howick College NZSS Netball Championships Results
- VS Mount Albert Grammar School (W 47-37)
- VS St Andrew’s College (W 63-19)
- VS New Plymouth Girls’ High School (W 44-18)
- VS Hamilton Girls’ High School (W 28-21)
- VS Columba College (L 23-27)
- VS Avondale College (L 27-36)
- Fifth Place Final VS St Margaret’s College (W 41-16)
