After a Saturday afternoon of drama the final two semifinalists emerged to join Te Puke Sports and Tauranga Sports in this weekend's Baywide playoffs.
Rotoiti leapfrogged Te Puna and Opotiki to grab third place when they posted a bonus point 41-19 victory against Greerton Marist at Emery Park.
Opotiki snatched a 25-all draw with Tauranga Sports at home to grab fourth spot, with Te Puna's 64-22 drubbing at the hands of defending champions Te Puke Sports at Maramatanga Park consigning them to the scrapheap.
The encounter between Opotiki and Tauranga Sports was a torrid and tense affair, with the Eastern Bay side desperate to take points from the match in order to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Tauranga Sports led 15-12 at halftime, but with a minute remaining Opotiki were in front 25-20.
A Tauranga penalty saw the ball kicked into touch and from the ensuing lineout flanker Matt Biu crashed over to tie up the match. The Opotiki spectators watched in trepidation as the conversion attempt missed by a fraction, which saw the game deadlocked and their semifinal berth confirmed.
At Maramatanga Park in the Western Bay, Te Puna were also desperate for victory against competition leaders Te Puke Sports.
A halftime 23-15 lead to Te Puke saw the home side in contention, however Te Puke cut loose after the break, slicing through the gaps for six second-half touchdowns. Jamie Nutbrown and Ben Ward, who was playing his 50th game for the club, grabbed two tries each, with Nathan Harris, Sipa Moimoi, Isaac Takai and Andy Lee also dotting down.
Ace Te Puke kicker Nick McCashin slotted six conversions and four penalties, with the Te Puna points coming from tries to Chad Tuoro, Aiden Kuka and Daniel Quate, with Darrell Houia kicking two conversions and a penalty. The game was marred by a kinghit that knocked Te Puke's Simon Chisholm unconscious, putting him in serious doubt for the playoffs.
While Opotiki and Te Puna finished the round-robin on 52 points, Opotiki picked up the fourth spot courtesy of beating Te Puna in the second round.
Rotoiti ran in five tries as they grabbed third with a solid 41-19 win over Greerton Marist. Joe Tuvake led the way with two tries, with Wayne Ormond, Matt Landers and Kevin Guptil also grabbing tries.
Top qualifiers Te Puke Sports have the trickiest assignment in their semifinal when they host Opotiki, with Tauranga Sports at home to Rotoiti, a side they put 70 points on eight days ago.
In other premier clashes, Mount Maunganui got home 21-15 against Whakarewarewa and Rangataua pipped Waikite 31-28.
The division one semifinals will see Rangiuru host Te Teko and Paroa taking on Kahukura in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
On Saturday Rangiuru took their winning streak to 17 when they beat Whakatane Marist 59-17 at Centennial Park in Te Puke. Kahukura won the Rotorua local derby beating Marist St Michaels 19-6, with Te Teko having a battle with Reporoa before winning 24-17. Paroa cemented a home semifinal, defeating Ngongotaha 36-18.
There was bad news for Reporoa when Ruatoki, who had held last place all season, got up to beat Poroporo 30-5, which means Reporoa will be relegated to local rugby next season.
The colts championship will be decided between Tauranga Sports, Mount Maunganui, Te Puna and defending champions Te Puke Sports.
PGG Wrightson Baywide Rugby scores:
Premier: Te Puke Sports 64 (Jamie Nutbrown 2, Ben Ward 2, Nathan Harris, Sipa Moimoi, Isaac Takai, Andy Lee tries; Nick McCashin 6 cons, 4 pen) Te Puna 22 (Chad Tuoro, Aiden Kuka, Daniel Quate tries; Darrell Houia 2 cons, pen) HT 23-15
Mount Maunganui 21 (Sam Mayes, Greg Pleasant Tate, Malaki Kisina tries; Scott Bradley 2 con, Matt Golding con) Whakarewarewa 15 (Aleki Kisina, Chance Ritete-Perham tries; Maurice Stone pen, con) HT 0-3
Opotiki 25 (Kiwi Biddle try; Te Amo Wilbore 6 pen, con) Tauranga Sports 25 *Dwayne Burrows 2, Kane Hames, Matt Biu tries; Nick Evemy pen, con) HT 15-12.
Rangataua 31 (Nathaniel Walker 3, Adam McGarvey 2 tries; McGarvey 2 con, Walker con) Waikite 28 (Jason Puddles 2, Hamu Hudson, T Thompson tries; Scott Thompson 4 con)
Rotoiti 41 (Joe Tavake 2, Wayne Ormond, Matt Landers, Kevin Guptil tries; Whakataki Cunningham 5 cons, 2 pen) Greerton Marist 19 (Ignacio Silva, Alex Jessop, Brendan McKeown tries; Blair Tristram con, McKeown con).
Points: Te Puke Sports 80, Tauranga Sports 69, Rotoiti 54, Opotiki 52, Te Puna 52, Mount Maunganui 47, Whakarewarewa 43, Greerton Marist 25, Rangataua 24, Waikite 9.
Division one: Rangiuru 59 Whakatane Marist 17, Ruatoki 30 Poroporo 5, Paroa 36 Ngongotaha 18, Te Teko 24 Reporoa 17, Kahukura 19 Marist St Michaels 6.
Division two: Kawerau 20 Eastern Pirates 0, Katikati 82 Murupara 7, Arataki 21 Edgecumbe 18.
Colts section one: Tauranga Sports 29 Te Puke Sports 17, Mount Maunganui 48 Greerton Marist 22, Te Puna 11 Marist St Michaels 6. Section two: Rangataua 50 Opotiki 12, Waikite 52 Kahukura 10.
Senior reserve: Ngongotaha 26 Paroa 0, Tauranga Sports 29 Whakarewarewa 12, Mount Maunganui 52 Whakatane Marist 0.