John Paul College girls net fifth place at NZ's schools champs

NETBALL CHAMPS: The John Paul College netball team (pictured) has finished fifth at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championships. PHOTO/BEN FRASER 160913BF1

John Paul College has earned the ranking of fifth best netball school in the country, following an impressive run at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championships.

The championships in Auckland saw the top 16 schools in the country competing this week.

This was the first year John Paul College qualified for the tournament, finishing with a record of four wins and three losses.

Captain Samantha Sinclair, 18, said the girls were absolutely rapt with the result after facing some of the best players in the country.

She said their best game was the match for fifth spot against Pukekohe High School.

"Our last game we came up against Pukekohe we lost to them at the Upper North Island Secondary School Champs," she said.

"It went into double extra time before we lost that one so we were like 'no that is not going to happen again'."

They defeated Pukekohe 34-29 yesterday to claim fifth. The side also defeated Waimea College, Palmerston North Girls' High School, and Westlake Girls' High School.

The winning side at the national champs was Mt Albert Grammar, who defeated St Mary's Wellington in the final.

Sinclair said her team faced both finalists during the week. "We got a bit of a fright in the first quarter in both of those games. But I think we put up a good fight."

Sinclair ended a stellar individual year on the court by being named in the tournament team.