Two goals by Hannah Wilkinson earned Kamo High School a place in a national secondary schools premier soccer semifinal - for the first time - in Napier.
Wilkinson's double strike yesterday saw Kamo beat Westlake Girls' High School 2-0 - a win that has already assured them of the highest-placed finish
by a Northland team at a national secondary school tournament.
Kamo will face Epsom Girls' Grammar, the defending champions, for a place in tomorrow's final.
Kamo started their competition with wins over St Cuthberts (4-0), Marian College (5-3), Otumoetai College (3-2) and Avondale (5-2).
Wilkinson leads the scoring stakes with nine goals, while Katie Rood has five and VJ Hemara and Kelly Durham have a pair apiece.
Team manager Lisa Couling said there were "tears everywhere" after yesterday's quarterfinal win and there would be more if they could defeat Epsom. "The girls are confident after having watched Epsom yesterday, it looks as though it will be a fairly even match once again," she said.
Meanwhile, Whangarei Boys' High School has just missed out on a place in the semifinal of a New Zealand Secondary School satellite tournament in Whangarei after a 0-1 loss to Papatoetoe at Tikipunga Park, yesterday. Earlier in the day, they drew 0-0 with Hamilton's Hillcrest High School.
WBHS will now join Kamo High School in the competition for final placings in the middle of the draw.
