Otumoetai College won the top of the table division one clash in the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Secondary Schools competition against Taupo-nui-a-Tia College by 31-10 at Otumoetai on Saturday.
Otumoetai got off to a good start and after five minutes of play put the first points on the board. Aidan Blair used his strength to pick and drive over the try line after several attacking raids made good ground in the dry conditions. Otumoetai College again made good use of the ball from a midfield scrum, Dylan Townsend created the overlap and drew the defence to put Isaiah Duncanson into a gap. The winger has a knack of scoring tries and was able to beat the cover defence and score in the corner.
The Taupo team showed patches of why they are a good side and were able to create several opportunities. Otumoetai's Tukuora Ngawhika was in a dominant mood and was a constant threat to the Taupo defence. The first of his two tries came as he linked with the backline and was able to step and weave his way to the try line. The No8 was strong with ball in hand.
Taupo were able to find success late in the first half to reduce the score to 19-7. But Otumoetai immediately went back on attack from the kick off and Jordan Tahere finished off after some excellent phase play. The big midfielder is difficult to stop and found space on the outside to score. Taupo kicked a penalty to make it 24-10 at the break.
Otumoetai started the second half the strongest and were able to extend the lead to 31-10 when Tukuroa again powered over the line. Keegan Long's conversion was successful and provided the final points of the game.
Cameron Ragg made some strong runs when he came into the game and David Irwin was strong on defence in the Otumoetai backline.
A good performance by the big forwards Troy Webber, Matt Ensor and Sam Redmayne ensured that Otumoetai dominated up front.
The win is the ninth in a row for Otumoetai and again the bonus point win allows some breathing room at the top of the Baywide competition.
Assistant coach Richard Brown says his players combined a physical and high-tempo approach to the game that resulted in a deserved win.
"Acknowledgment needs to be made of No8 Tukuora Ngawhikia, who was devastating with ball in hand, his defensive contribution was also significant and lethal. Keegan Long continued his form with being able to control games. The physicality, fitness, control and tempo were the catalysts for the win."
Otumoetai College 31 (Jordan Tahere 2, Aidan Blair, Isaiah Duncanson tries; Keegan Long 4 cons, pen) Taupo-nui-a-Tia College 10. Halftime 24-10.