Batemans Bay Primary runners up in the NSWPSSA touch football championships

Coach and assistant principal Sheree Meyn knew the boys in the team had loads of talent and the chemistry created by years of playing together in local competitions.

However, in a competition consisting of more than 400 schools across NSW, she could have never expected just how close the team would come to being champions.

PSSA touch football is a knock out competition. Schools play against each other, rising up through the levels and playing schools further afield as they win.

Batemans Bay Primary won the the south coast final to be crowned regional winners - something the school has never achieved before.

"Just to win the south coast area was big in itself," Ms Meyn said.

The team of grade six players travelled to Sydney on October 17 to play the winners of the other seven regions across NSW.

Game one was against winners of the Riverina region. Ms Meyn said the team expected a "super tough" game against top opposition.

Weather conditions meant the game was shortened and the format switched to 30 minutes of "touch down, turn around" where there is no breaks in play.

Just moments before the final buzzer, with the scores locked, Batemans Bay were awarded a penalty which they took quickly to score and win by one point.

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"Everyone was in disbelief - screaming, crying, shouting and jumping," Ms Meyn said. "It was unbelievable."

Ms Meyn hadn't organised lunch for the team at the ground because she expected to be back on the road, defeated, by lunch time.

The semi-final was a less tight game, and Batemans Bay progressed to the final against Wirreanda Public School, from near Newcastle.

Wirreanda had 14 players, Batemans Bay just nine, yet they fought valiantly.

It was not enough, and Wirreanda prevailed to win 7-3.

However Ms Meyn's highlight was the sportsmanship showed by the team.

During the grand final, twice the referee asked Batemans Bay players if they had touched the opposition before a try was scored.

On both occasions, Batemans Bay players said they had not made the crucial touch. Two tries were subsequently awarded.

During the awards presentation, the head of the referee association stopped the ceremony to tell the crowd about the sportsmanship displayed by the Batemans Bay players.

The grade six students will graduate to high school for 2023.