Winger Kaiah Hansell scored a hat-trick as Ipswich State High School proved too strong for Hills State High School, posting a 28-6 win to claim the NRL National Schoolgirls title.
Despite losing a player early with injury, Ipswich were on the board first in an exciting and seesawing first half, with lock Shalom Sauaso powering her way over the tryline in the opening moments of the match after her side had gained a scrum feed.
Sauaso - who led from the front for her side and claimed player of the match honours - converted her own try for a 6-0 lead, but it didn’t take Hills Sports High long to hit back however with an impressive try that ended with centre Danielle Seckold diving over on the right corner.
Seckold scores a screamer for Hills
Manua Moleka converted the try to lock the scores up 6-6 and there was plenty of intensity from both sides with physical defence on show.
However, Ipswich regained their lead after Hansell was in the right place at the right time after some good lead-up play in the middle of the field, before the ball found her on her left edge in front of an open try line.
With Sauaso’s successful conversion, Ipswich were out to a 12-6 lead which they held to the halftime break.
The second half again showed the evenness of the two teams with some impressive line breaks shut down by some equally impressive defence and it took until mid-way through the half for more points to be scored, with Hansell getting her double as Hills defence finally broke.
Again, it took some good lead-up play in the middle of the field with the ball going from one edge to the other before the winger again put her head down and charged towards the line to get the ball down.
Ipswich fullback Emily Jackwitz played a big part in getting Ipswich into good positions to attack was impressive through both halves as well, often putting her side on the front foot with some strong returns from the back.
Hansell has a hat-trick!
Hansell however was the star of the afternoon with her third try wrapping up the win for her side, before Lishainah Ulugia put the icing on the cake – again on their left edge – to keep the title in Queensland for another year.
Ipswich State High coach Alex Nicholson said despite the tight opening half, he knew his side would come back and perform strongly in the second.
"This is how they've always been these girls, whatever their first half is, they always come back and have a way better second half, and they've been doing it all season," Nicholson said.
"This win, it's their own doing. We coaches, we say what we need to say, we do what we need to do, but in the end, their mentality and their connection as a group is what takes them there.
"We as an Ipswich community are just so proud of them and how far they've come."
The result saw Queensland post a double, with Palm Beach Currumbin securing the Schoolboys title earlier in the afternoon.
Player of the match: Shalom Sauaso
Player of the tournament: Shalom Sauaso
