Woodford House was the "huge match" for the Havelock North High School girls at the squash nationals. It was their toughest, it was "must-win" and there was the issue of who was the best team in Hawke's Bay. Havelock North had been denied a place in the Bay final after a wrangleover whether Squash Eastern had their results. They were unbeaten in the competition. So the match against Woodford in Nelson at the team nationals assumed more than usual importance for the girls. First up against Woodford, Sara Bailey won her game, then Woodford struck back to win the second. Captain Kate Bailey won her match to put Havelock back in front before Woodford levelled terms in the fourth. The pressure came on Michelle Joyce to win the final game against Kate Bull and the tie. Not just on Michelle, either, as it was all too much for Ashleigh Drake and Kate Bailey who had to "hide in the bar", unable to watch. When Hannah Te Paea rushed down the corridor screaming that Michelle had won, the two were at last able to emerge and join in the celebrations. By comparison the team's final against Hawera High was straightforward, dismissing them 4-1. The win gave Havelock North the gleaming new Susan Devoy Plate for the win in their pool after the nationals were this year divided into two pools after a big jump in numbers over last year. Teams were placed in the first or second pool based on player ranking points, with the first pool competing for the national title and the Ross Norman Cup (for boys) and Susan Devoy Plate (for girls). The Havelock North girls first saw the plate, and learned that they had also won Rebel Sport product vouchers, when Kate brought them along for a photo shoot. Having to miss the prizegiving to make their ferry crossing, Havelock left the job of bringing home the booty to their neighbours, Napier Boys' High School.
