The Trident High School girls touch team can be proud of their recent efforts at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Touch Nationals in Rotorua last week.

With a sixth placing at last year’s event, the team were hoping for a similar finish, which they achieved with an eighth place.

The girls have shown impressive form on the touch paddock the past couple of years and this season they started well with a 10-2 victory over Christchurch’s Villa Maria, backing that up with a 5-2 win over Motueka High School.

Their third match on day one was set to be against Mahurangi College, but wild weather saw the last round of games cancelled and points shared.

It meant on day two Trident faced Christchurch Girls’ High School and secured a tense 5-3 victory, while their winning run continued in their next game as they defeated North Shore’s Westlake Girls’ High School, 8-3.

In their final match on the second day in what was a new pool play phase this year because of the number of teams, Trident fell to Manukura, 3-2.

They defeated Hamilton’s Sacred Heart Girls’, 4-2, before losing to finalists Columba College, 8-4.

Another match against Manukura awaited and again the Manawatu school came out victors with a 7-6 win.

The final match was a 5-4 defeat to Marlborough Girls’, which saw them place eighth overall.

Trident’s coach, Rahera Rauwhero-Stainton, said it was disappointing that pool play was washed out but, overall, it was an enjoyable tournament with quality opposition.

“We’re super proud of the girls. We overcame lots of obstacles this season, with our netball girls going longer than usual due to them qualifying for NZSS netball nationals, and also our junior volleyball girls qualifying for their nationals and having to work around all these schedules during touch season.

“With everything that went on, we were able to find a solid game plan that allowed us to place in the top eight once again.

“We came eighth out of 28 teams – the most teams they’ve had at NZSS touch nationals.

“The pool play was different from what we’re used to, so we had to adapt on the fly.

Rauwhero-Stainton said of the team of 14, eight girls were juniors. Another three were year 12.

The other three are year 13 students playing their last season for Trident, Lysahn Collier, Jayd Hunia and Llakiesha Twe Riini .

“Super sad to see those ones go, but it’s also exciting with the number of juniors who are looking to stay on the waka next season.”

The Trident boys’ touch team didn’t fair quite as well on the paddock, finishing well down the pack.

Other than a 7-all draw with Te Puke High School and a washed-out clash against Hutt International, they found the going tough, losing five of their seven pool games.

In the post play section, they managed an 11-8 win over Rangitoto College before backing that up with a 6-4 win over St Bernards College.

In their playoff for 25th and 26th place, they lost to Mahurangi College.

Meanwhile, Whakatāne High School also found the weekend challenging, finishing 32nd in the 40 mixed teams.

Off their 11 matches, Whakatāne’s sole victory was an entertaining 5-4 win over Coromandel Area School and Te Wharekura o Manaia.