St Joseph’s Regional College 9/10 girls and MacKillop College 9/10 boys’ teams have returned from the National Schools Touch Football Finals on the Sunshine Coast with a fifth-place result.

Coached by Damien Kelly, the Regional College outfit played six games in three days where they finished with a respectable three win, three loss record.

The only four teams to progress further into the tournament were all from north of the border.

“The girls didn’t play perfectly all the time because if they did they would have been number one or two, but that’s touch footy,” Kelly said.

“I’m really happy with the performance of the girls to back up their success from last year.”

Twelve months ago, the school finished in fourth position.

Ironically, the Port Macquarie school faced Taree High School in the fifth-place playoff and they proved too good in a 4-0 win.

“It was funny because we travelled 10 hours to play a team who are only 40 minutes down the road,” Kelly said.

“They had beaten us the last two times we played them so there was a bit of revenge there.”

The girls claimed wins over Chancellor State High (9-5), Monte Saint Angelo (5-1) and Taree High School (4-0) while Cavendish Road State High (3-5), Helensvale State High (2-8) and Brisbane State High (3-6) proved too good.

Kelly was impressed with their overall performance playing in a different game format to what they were used to.

“They played two 20 minute halves with a five minute break at halftime whereas they’re used to just playing 20 minute games where you turn around after you score,” Kelly said.

“It’s hard to single any of the girls out, but if I had to, Chloe Eichmann did not have a bad game.

“All the girls played well at various times and would have learned a lot about playing at that level.”

MacKillop boys coach Warren Lorger was also satisfied with his team’s fifth-place result.

“I wouldn’t say the boys surprised me because I knew what they were capable of,” he said.

A 14-3 defeat at the hands of eventual winners Coombabah State High School was their only blow-out scoreline.

“They were just outstanding and won the final by a similar scoreline,” Lorger said.

MacKillop finished with two wins, three losses and a draw from their six matches.

A 4-3 win over Helensvale State High School in the play-off for fifth avenged a 6-5 defeat to the same opponent earlier in the tournament.

Lorger said MacKillop’s result from their first-ever appearance at national level had set an “exceptional bar” for future teams.

“They changed the way they played against every team because if you don’t, teams just break you down,” he said.

Hayden Ryan was strong on day one, while Cooper Gallagher was “great all week.”

“Cody Fisher was our captain and leader, was unable to train before the tournament, but still scored the winner in the qualifying final against Helensvale,” Lorger said.