Te Puna winger Hunter Mokomoko. Photo/Andrew Warner
Hunting for tries is what the aptly named Hunter Mokomoko loves doing the most on the rugby field.
The Te Puna winger scored two tries in his side's impressive 35-15 win over Rangataua Sports, which continues Te Puna's unbeaten run to 10 games this season.
Mokomoko should have had a hat-trick of tries but late in the game he unselfishly passed to Steamers centre Terrence Hepetema, who was back in Te Puna after a spell with the Blues.
Mokomoko, who turns 21 tomorrow, is in his third year in the Bay of Plenty Academy after moving north after first making his name in the Gisborne Boys' 1st XV and playing for Poverty Bay in the 2015 Heartland Championship.
He and right winger Tana Tuhakaraina have been getting much of the spoils at the end of a dazzling backline but the powerful pack has been bettered by none this season so far.
"I have enjoyed this season a lot. It has been the best year so far especially how well the boys are going," Mokomoko said.
"We have pretty much had the same team so it has been good coming through with them. Playing with a bunch of mates really."
Mokomoko says captain and playmaker Te Aihe Toma deserves the accolades for setting the plays in motion and sniffing out try-scoring opportunities for the rest of the backs.
"It makes it a lot easier having someone like him turning the boys around. He has good chat out there so makes it easier to do your job."
Two of Te Puna's tries started deep in their own 22 after Rangataua turned the ball over. The best of them was a spectacular effort finished off by athletic Fijian lock Etonia Waqa after Toma took off from under his own posts on a 70m run.
While this has been a special season so far, no one in the blue and black Te Puna jersey is getting ahead of themselves. The season really starts when the Championship round kicks off in a fortnight.
Rangataua coach Aramahou Ririnui admitted his side was missing six frontline players but gave credit to Te Puna for their performance.
He said turning over possession was their main problem, which no side can afford to do against Te Puna.
"It is just the little things we need to get right like when you are attacking in the 22 there is no room for unforced errors. You make mistakes, you get punished by a good team and Te Puna are definitely a good team," Ririnui said.
"I was happy in terms of our go-forward. Our forwards made good ground but we need to be more consistent in holding the ball. Our kicking game also needs to be more accurate."
In other Premier matches, Whakarewarewa upset Tauranga Sports 30-29 at Tauranga Domain, Greerton Marist thrashed Arataki 79-0, Rotoiti overturned last year's grand final result in defeating Mount Maunganui 34-3, Te Puke Sports ran over Paroa 76-4 and Ngongotaha beat Whakatane 54-7.
In Division 1, Rangiuru showed they are clearly the best team by beating Opotiki 39-12 to go past the Eastern Bay side in to top spot.
Results
Baywide rugby
Premier: Whakarewarewa 30 Tauranga Sports 29, Greerton Marist 79 Arataki 0, Rotoiti 34 Mount Maunganui 3, Te Puna 35 Rangataua 15, Te Puke Sports 76 Paroa 14, Ngongotaha 54 Whakatane Marist 7.
Division One: Ruatoki 55 Waimana 12, Kahukura 20 Marist St Michaels 19, Rangiuru 39 Opotiki 12, Waikite 10 Te Teko 7, Judea 36 Poroporo 10, Papamoa v Murupara — result not supplied.
Development: Tauranga Sports 36 Whakarewarewa 22, Greerton Marist 51 Arataki 22, Mount Maunganui 18 Rotoiti 12, Te Puna 56 Rangataua 14, Te Puke Sports 34 Paroa 5, Ngongotaha 55 Whakatane Marist 0.
Toi Ohomai Baywide Secondary Schools
Division 1
Te Kani Shield: Western Heights High School 24 vs. Te Wharekura O Mauao 10
Rotorua Boys' High School II 32 vs. Tauranga Boys' College II 16
Trident High School 36 vs. Rotorua Boys High School Barbarians 17
Division 2
Otumoetai College win by default vs. Whakatane High School
Tauhara College 10 vs. Te Puke High School 20
Tauranga Boys' College III 24 vs. Papamoa College 17
Aquinas College 74 vs. Bethlehem College 0
Division 3
Tarawera College vs. Opotiki College win by default
Rotorua Boys' High School 15A 31 vs Rotorua Boys High School 4XV 0
Mount Maunganui College 12 vs. Katikati College 44
Reporoa College/John Paul College — Bye