St Hilda’s Collegiate has matched its performance from last year on the national stage.
The side finished eighth at the national secondary school championships, which finished in Timaru yesterday.
It was beaten 39-32 by Hamilton Girls’ High School in the playoff for seventh.
The key match in reaching that placing came on day one, when the side beat South Island champion Villa Maria College 38-33.
The eighth-placed finish matched the school’s effort from 2017, particularly impressive given the majority of last year’s team were year 13 and have left school.
Columba College’s sixth in 2010 was the only other time an Otago school has made the top eight since the tournament expanded beyond eight teams in 1999.
Southland Girls’ High School finished 10th, beaten 36-24 by defending champion Howick College in the playoff for ninth.
Mount Albert Grammar captured the title by beating Westlake Girls’ High School 32-23 in the final.
It was MAGS’ sixth title, having won in 2010 and then four in a row from 2012 to 2015.
