Sacred Heart at nationals

New Plymouth Sacred Heart Girls' College have qualified for the national secondary schools' netball playoffs for the first time.

And it came at the expense of New Plymouth Girls' High School.

The sides clashed at the Lower North Island championships in Wanganui yesterday morning, with Sacred Heart winning to earn the right to play at the nationals in New Plymouth from October 5 to 8 at the TSB Stadium.

"The girls are pretty stoked," said Jodi Hikuroa, who shares the coaching duties at Sacred Heart with Tracey Wales.

"We started well and really pulled away in the second quarter. We were ahead by 10 or 11. Girls' High came back at us in the second half, but our defensive line slowed them down and they ran out of time."

When asked the score, Hikuroa said she was not sure.

"Tracey doesn't know either, but we won by four."

After the euphoria of qualifying for the nationals, Sacred Heart then lost their semifinal against Palmerston North's Tu Toa "by about 10", according to Hikuroa.

The loss means Sacred Heart will play for third place this morning against Palmerston North Girls' High School, with Tu Toa playing Wellington Girls' in the final.

New Plymouth Girls' High School will play for fifth against Wanganui High School. Waitara High School will play for seventh against St Mary's, of Wellington.

- © Fairfax NZ News