The ball took a wicked bounce and lobbed over the advancing goalkeeper into the goal.
Western Heights dominated after that moment but could not find an equaliser, despite strong performances from Danaya McKenzie, Emma Frame, Hayley Merriman and Monica Pu'e.
Striker Pu'e had the best chances to equalise, getting herself in good attacking positions, but could not find the back of the net.
A fantastic 35m free kick from Merriman also came close to levelling the scores but the goalkeeper pushed it wide.
Coach Phillip Parker said his team played well but that was finals football. He said Wairarapa took one opportunity and that was enough.
"[We showed] 15 minutes of lack of fight and 45 minutes of total fight.
"If it was a game of rugby or stats we probably would have won, but that is final footy."
Parker stood out like a sore thumb on the sidelines yesterday, sporting a blue mohawk.
"The girls said 'if we make a grand final can we turn you into an Avatar'. I agreed not thinking they would make it," he said with a laugh.
He said he forgot about it all together but the girls hit him up during the morning of the final.
"So that is a little lesson learned, when you make a promise you have to live up to it."
Parker said the girls could be proud of their achievements at the tournament, finishing second out of 24 teams.
He said it showed a lot of character especially after losing to John Paul College 5-0 in the final of the local competition, before the tournament.
The top-tier national tournament for secondary schools girls teams, the Lotto Premier Tournament, was held in Taupo this week.
Western Heights were the only Rotorua school to qualify for a final at a national football tournament this week. The John Paul College girls' team came close in Papamoa, but were knocked out in the semifinal stage at the Kathy Seaward Tournament.
