Lami High School is making headlines in the under-19 category of the Vodafone Super Deans competition as it prepares for the semi-finals this weekend. The team, considered underdogs, created a significant upset in the quarter-finals last Saturday by defeating the defending champions, Ratu Kadavulevu School, with a score of 11-5 in front of enthusiastic fans.
This marks the first time in 14 years that Lami High’s U19 team has progressed to the national quarter-finals, and now they are pushing even further. After a tough journey through the playoffs, the team secured its position as the third seed from the southern zone.
Team manager Adi Lina Rogacala expressed her pride in the team’s accomplishments, attributing their success to faith. “God is the pillar of this team. I was so emotional knowing that we won not through our strengths but through God who has been with us since the beginning,” she said.
The squad, consisting of vocational students, displayed determination, unity, and a strong desire to win against a traditionally powerful rugby school. Rogacala acknowledged RKS for their formidable performance, stating, “They were the champions, and the match was like a final for us.”
With their victory over the reigning champions, Lami High is now looking forward to the semi-finals against Ratu Navula College, which won its quarter-final match against Nasinu Secondary School decisively with a score of 30-7. In the second semi-final, Naitasiri Secondary School will face Queen Victoria School.