PERTHVILLE Public School is far from the biggest school in the Bathurst region, let alone the state.
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But the school's girls cricket team has had a year to remember, as it clawed its way to the semi-finals of the NSW PSSA girls cricket knockout.
To qualify for the final four of the state-wide public school competition, they had to overcome Gunnedah South Public School at Mudgee last week.
It was a tough ask, considering Perthville lost its best player in Charlotte Shoemark for a duck, a rare dismissal for exceptional talent.
But it allowed the likes of Jesse Moorhead and Taylah Bonham to step up and put together a 70-run partnership to chase down Gunnedah South and progress to the state semi-finals.
And those semi-finals landed in Bathurst on Tuesday, November 21.
They were up against Eleebana Public School, from Lake Macquarie, a school that has more students in year six than Perthville has in its entire school.
Up against last year's semi-finalists, Perthville fought hard in its semi-final at George Park 1, with Shoemark hitting an unbeaten score of 40 with the bat, before the locals were dismissed for 72.
In the chase, Eleebana lost just two wickets and had five overs to spare by the time they had caught Perthville.
Despite the defeat, Perthville principal Kurt Dickson said the girls enjoyed a incredible run, something that they should be proud of.
"All in all, I'm super stoked with their effort," he said.
"Talking with the people here today, I think Eleebana has as many as we have in year six.
"It was really lovely to have this event in Bathurst, which meant our school could come and watch, which was really lovely."
Dickson had big wraps on Shoemark, a player that he excepts to play professionally one day.
It was also her, as well as a number of other students, last game for Perthville, before they head off to high school.
"I think we're only going to carry probably four or five girls into next year," he said.
"It'll be a rebuilding phase and we'll lose some of those quality older girls that we've got.
"We'll rebuild again next year and have another go. Whether we can make this far is yet to be known."
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