Judea and Te Puna still unbeaten in Baywide divisions

Braydon Pompey scored for Judea against Te Teko BTG 17May16 - DIVE: Braydon Pompey scores for Judea against Te Teko on Saturday. PHOTO/MERLE SEELING

Two Western Bay of Plenty rugby teams finished the Baywide Championship qualifying competitions with unbeaten records.

Judea defeated Edgecumbe 17-3 in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, to finish the Division One qualifying championship unbeaten as are Te Puna Development team.

The Maharaia Winiata Park-based Judea side scored over 200 points and picked up five bonus points on the way to defeating all Division One contenders. A home semifinal awaits Judea this weekend however their opponents are unclear, with Kahukura and Te Teko playing a catch-up match during the week to decide the final top four places.

Just a solitary loss (against Judea) has seen Rangiuru also grab a home semifinal.

On Saturday the Te Puke side proved too strong for Eastern Bay visitors Te Teko winning 22-15 at Centennial Park.

While Papamoa went down by two points to Kahukura, they can be well pleased with their second half of the season, finishing just outside the top four.

Katikati finished the regular season with a defeat to Ruatoki but there was good news with Edgecumbe's loss to Judea resulting in Katikati avoiding relegation by finishing in seventh place on the final standings.

Te Puna Development dispatched defending titleholders Te Puke Sports 32-20. The visitors to Murray Salt Stadium came from a nine point deficit at half time to stretch their unbeaten run to eleven on the trot.

Mount Maunganui finished second after demolishing Rotoiti 64-3, with Tauranga Sports also making the playoffs after a 48-17 win over Whakatane Marist in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Te Puna will host Tauranga Sports in one semifinal next Saturday with Mount Maunganui going head to head with Te Puke Sports at Blake Park.

The two Arataki teams will be on the road in Saturday's playoffs.

While the Premier Two side were beaten by Poroporo 24-13, they finished in fourth place and will play top qualifier Whakarewarewa in Rotorua while Arataki Development will travel to Opotiki.

It is likely that the Western Bay of Plenty will also be represented in the Division Two playoffs. No results were posted in the Eastern Districts match verses Eastern Pirates match, however ED entered the last round of qualifying in the top four and with fifth placed Te Teko going down to Waimana they should contest the semifinals.

Mount Maunganui and Greerton Colts had a battle royal in their fourth meeting of the season in the penultimate round of the Western Bay Senior Reserve competition. The Mount hit the early lead at 6-3, before Greerton came back with two tries to lead 17-6. Two second half converted tries gave Mount Maunganui a 20-17 win.

The Greerton second team kept their Colts side in second place behind Tauranga Sports, when they beat Te Puna 28-21 in another local rugby thriller.

Results, Saturday
Premier Two: Poroporo 24 Arataki 13
Points Table (Provisional) Whakarewarewa 35, Paroa 28, Poroporo 20, Arataki 20, Opotiki 15, Ngongotaha 12, Waikite 8, Marist St Michaels 4.

Division One: Judea 17 Edgecumbe 3, Rangiuru 22 Te Teko 15, Kahukura 17 Papamoa 15, Ruatoki 24 Katikati 0
Points Table (Provisional) Judea 33, Rangiuru 27, Kahukura 16, Papamoa 16 Ruatoki 16, Te Teko 13, Katikati 7, Edgecumbe 3.

Division Two: Eastern Districts v Eastern Piarates - no result posted
Development One: Tauranga Sports 48 Whakatane Marist 17, Te Puna 32 Te Puke Sports 20, Rangataua 14 Greerton Marist 12, Mount Maunganui 64 Rotoiti 3.
Points Table (Provisional) Te Puna 33, Mount Maunganui 28, Te Puke Sports 24, Tauranga Sports 22, Greerton Marist 12, Rangataua 11, Whakatane Marist 6, Rotoiti 4.

Development Two: Poroporo 17 Arataki 12
Points Table (Provisional) Opotiki 28, Poroporo 25, Waikite 23, Arataki 19, Whakarewarewa 18, Ngongotaha 14, Paroa 13, Marist St Michaels 5.

Western Bay of Plenty Senior Reserve: Mount Maunganui Colts 20 Greerton Marist Colts 17, Greerton Marist 28 Te Puna 21.
Points Table (Provisional) Tauranga Sports 22, Greerton Marist Colts 16, Mount Maunganui Colts 14, Te Puna 11, Greerton Marist 11, Matakana Island 7, Judea 1.