The school’s girls and boys open teams have both qualified for the State finals. 

Eight schools will be involved. 

This is the first time both Taree sides have qualified for the finals since 2012.

Taree’s girls team will be defending the championship. They’ve been in dominating form in the preliminary matches, thrashing Tuggarah Lakes 9-0 to move through to the quarter final.

However, coach Jordan Hardy, who took the reins of the side this year, warns their quarter final match will be a major test. Here Taree meets Westfield Sports, the school they downed in the dying seconds of last year’s final. Taree has only lost two players from last year’s champion team.

Jordan added the players aren’t fazed by being the title holders.

Kerrie Davy coaches the boys. While Taree’s march to the finals in the girl’s championship was expected, Kerrie concedes her team has defied expectations. Taree has never won a boy’s CHS hockey title.

The team clinched a berth at Lithgow when dominating an Albury side studded with representative players 6-3 in the last round. Kerrie admits some of the players were a bit overawed before the match, but once the game started they were right.

“We scored two goals in the first five minutes and didn’t look like losing from there,’’ Kerrie said.

Kerrie admits Taree won't be among the favourites at Lithgow.

“We’re going over there thinking that we can win it – that’s going to be our attitude,’’ she said.

Pictured: Back: Kerrie Davy (coach), Bree Pensini, Lara Watts, Tahni Walters, Tyler Williams, Hayley Manusu, Makayla Manusu, Taylah Clark, Jordyn McIntosh, Ryan Doherty, Georgia Tran, Chloe Neal, Kalani Cross, Brianna Williams, Phoebe Cause, Jordan Moscatt, Jordan Hardy (coach). Front: Griffin Coleman, Kayne Chester, Colbi Boyd, Taj Boyd, Bayden McIntosh, Conor Smith, Dane Hinton, Jayden Manusu, Cooper Murray, Drew Pensini, Thomas Neal, Brady Cross, Riley Davis.