It's third time lucky for Largs Academy who have secured a place in the knock-out stages of the 2019 SP Energy Networks Warriors Championship after day four of qualifying on Wednesday, March 6.
Largs got the better of fellow Ayrshire schools Ayr Academy and Kyle Academy as well as Coatbridge High School and St Paul's RC High School to qualify for the Warriors Rugby Championship semi-finals, having narrowly missed out in the past two seasons.
Each school had three teams competing, an S1 and S2 boys' team and an under-15s girls' team, with Largs Academy losing just two of their 12 matches throughout the day and scoring 67 tries.
The 210 players taking part deserve enormous credit for braving the tough conditions at a damp Scotstoun Stadium, the home of Glasgow Warriors, and maintaining an attacking intent from the opening whistle.
Remarkably over the course of 30 matches, 242 tries were scored, the highest try count of any of the four qualifying rounds to date.
Largs Academy PE teacher Jamie Murchie said: "It was tricky to play rugby out there but well done to all the players for sticking at it until the end.
"It's a competition we enjoy and we're delighted to have qualified this year.
“I'm sure it will be a noisy coach journey back to Largs.
"We had a tough couple of games to begin with and our teams managed to win them.
"That helped their confidence grow for the rest of the day.
"If we had lost the first couple of games the weather may have become an issue but when you are winning games it really helps morale.
"Defensively our players were good which was key and they were all desperate to make tackles.
"They worked really hard and I'm glad to get through to the semi-finals. It's great for the kids and the school."
He continued: "Rugby is getting bigger at Largs Academy.
"There's 90 kids who are in the School of Rugby and we have seven teams from S1 to S3.
"So we are beginning to turn Largs Academy into a rugby school.
"It's all very positive and we have 16 girls now playing.
"They have all been going down to Ardrossan Accies RFC who have a strong girls section.
"That certainly aids their development."
Max Guthrie, who plays for Largs Academy’s S2 team, said: “I really enjoy this tournament, it is good fun.
“Most of the players in the team are my friends which is great for team spirit and we enjoy competing against other schools.
“I am small so I like to link up play with my passing. Hopefully I will play when I'm older. I have just started watched rugby on television so I can learn from the professionals.”