The Northland Secondary Schools rugby league competition kicked with 11 colleges from across Northland competing for the NorthTec Adam Blair Trophy and entry to the National Secondary Schools tournament in August.
Hosts Bream Bay College showed they will be competitive this year in the Southern Pool after a close match against Dargaville High School. There were plenty of tries in a fast-paced attacking game that saw the kids from Kaipara winning 36-32.
Meanwhile, newcomers Otamatea High School declared their intentions with a solid 12-all draw at home against Whangarei Boys' High School. Kamo High School crossed the bypass to defeat Tikipunga High School 40-10.
In the Northern Pool, Okaihau comfortably accounted for Whangaroa College 38-18, while Combined beat Northland College 24-14.
The Southern Pool features perennial finalists Whangarei Boys' High, coached by John Komene, with newcomers Otamatea's High School as a second team to come from Kaipara District alongside Dargaville High School. Tikipunga and Kamo High Schools represent north Whangarei with Bream Bay College making up the sixth team.