By TANIA PHILLIPS

CHAMPIONS come in all sizes ? just ask the kids from the small Crystal Creek Primary School near Murwillumbah.

Despite having less than 100 students, the school is achieving big things on the sporting field.

Taking on small schools from throughout the state in the NSW Small Schools Soccer Knockout competition the mighty Crystal Creek has finished second.

Teacher and coach Peter Bugler said the team of 10 boys and three girls made it through the six early rounds of the competition to feature in the final-four play-off in Sydney last Friday.

"We did really well beating Willawarren from near Kempsey in the semi-final and then going through to the grand final," he said.

"Because it is a small school the kids have all been playing for a few years. We had a lot of senior players. We will probably lose half of this team (to high school) next year, but we have always got kids coming through." The small school came up against Exeter from Shell Harbour in the final, but despite a hard-fought game went down 3-0.

But they are not complaining ... second in the state is certainly nothing to sneeze at and caps off a brilliant year for the school.

"We have taken part in seven different Primary School Sports Association knockout competitions this year against all of the much bigger schools in the region," Bugler said.

"In every one of those competitions we have got into the third round - not many other schools on the North Coast could say that.

"We have a lot of depth and all the kids get on really well together."

Crystal Creek's run of sporting success is expected to continue next week with three athletes off to the State PSSA Athletics titles in Sydney. Ruby Whittaker and the Marr twins Rebecca and Katrina, have made the North Coast athletics team to compete in Sydney on November 8.