Columba College fought right until the very end.
The Dunedin school put in a gutsy effort against Manukura School only just falling 7-6 in a double overtime final at the national secondary school touch tournament in Rotorua yesterday.
After being tied 5-5 at the end of regulation time, both teams dropped down to four players for two minutes of additional time to find a winner.
Columba started strongly, scoring first through Meg Adams in the corner, but Manukura came back to score through Hera Maihi.
It locked the scores 6-6 again, forcing both sides to drop another player and continue to find the winner.
Columba, which was strong defensively all tournament, stood up to the test, but Manukura made the breakthrough when as Keighley-rein Araia slipped through to score the winner.
Columba were strong all game and pressured Manukura throughout the game.
Manukura scored through Terina Larsen, but Columba hit back through Zara Pratley to level the score 1-1 in the opening three minutes.
Maia Davis dived low between two Columba players to push Manukura out 2-1.
But Columba came back again through Milla Cashmore.
Asha Murphy then got underneath Manukura’s defence to score and push Columba out to a 3-2 lead.
Manukura fired again when Taylah Seng scored, but Columba was strong defensively to keep Manukura out again before the break to head into halftime 3-3.
Manukura came out of the break the better side, scoring through Araia, who made a lovely break down the sideline.
Columba found their flow again and Murphy gave a lovely inside ball to Kiana Brown to score.
Larsen added another for Manukura, as did Neve Graamans for Columba to level the scores once more.
Columba were dealt a massive blow when Murphy, who was a standout her side, suffered what looked to be a serious knee injury halfway through the second half.
It stunted the flow of the game for both sides and ended tied 5-5 at the end.
St Hilda’s Collegiate finished fourth in the girls grade.
King’s High School finished third, Otago Boys’ High School placed fifth and Southland Boys’ High School came sixth.
In the mixed grade, South Otago finished seventh.
