After qualifying through the Bathurst Local Day in May, St Mary’s and Catherine McAuley both went through the Central West Finals Day on Tuesday undefeated before the latter produced a stunning performance to win 18-4 in the grand final.

Along with the Central West title, Catherine McAuley will now travel to Anne Clark Netball Centre in Sydney to compete with the best primary school netball sides in the state, for the NSW title, on Tuesday, September 16.

“Both teams played really well right up to the final,” Netball NSW regional coordinator Mardi Aplin.

“I was actually a bit surprised at how well they both did. Catherine McAuley have a few young rep players and thoroughly deserved the win, they’ll be a real chance down in Sydney.”

Aplin credited St Mary’s, Central West’s 2013 champions, and said she expects them to be title contenders again in 2015.

“I know they had a very young side,” she said.

“In fact they may have only had three or four year six students, so they will be a force to be reckoned with next year as well.

“They did a great job, and just came up against a better side in the final.

“From an Orange point of view, it is very encouraging to see both those schools in the final.”

In the other divisions, Oberon High School took out the boys’ years seven and eight competition, defeating Kelso High 10-5 in a nail-biting final, while St Raphael’s Catholic School, from Cowra, overcame Dubbo College South Campus 14-7 in the girls’ corresponding competition.

Oberon High and St Raphael’s will join Catherine McAuley at the State Finals.

“It really was just a fantastic day,” Aplin said.

“There were a heap of schools competing, they all did a job and we saw some really good netball played.”

St Mary’s finished fourth in the 2013 state finals.