A couple of hidings and a huge upset are the main talking points of round seven of the premier Baywide competition.
Mount Maunganui and Tauranga Sports both went on scoring sprees, but it was Opotiki's close win over Te Puke at Murray Salt Stadium that does the most to alter the competition landscape.
The 25-21 win to the visitors, which came at the end of a tough week for the defending champions, means only three sides - Rotoiti, Paroa and Rangataua - lie more than one win outside the top four.
Opotiki's shock win and Greerton Marist's 22-21 win over Whakarewarewa means the Greerton-based side sit in outright second place - three points clear of Te Puke Sports - with Te Puna and Whakarewarewa locked in joint fourth a further two points back.
Mount's 67-25 crushing of Paroa and Sports' seemingly routine 53-13 drubbing of Te Puna, as well as Rotoiti's narrow 12-8 win over Rangataua, reinforces just how tight the competition is for positions two through seven.
With the competition's halfway mark looming, the results set up a tantalising weekend's action in round eight, with all games apart from one to be between sides with no more than four between them.
Promoted Paroa and struggling Rangataua will meet at Lawson Park in what is shaping as a precursor to a possible wooden spoon showdown later in the year, while second-placed Greerton Marist will hope to make another statement away from home against third-placed Te Puke Sports.
The defending champions have dropped two on the trot and will be wary of an opposition that last lost in late-March.
Fifth-placed Whakarewarewa, fresh off a one-point loss to Marist, will tangle with the sixth-placed Mount Maunganui side coming off a big win over Paroa. A win from either side could see them climb into the top four, with a buoyant Opotiki side, fresh off a four-point win over the defending champions, to host fourth-placed Te Puna at Princess Street Reserve.
Tauranga Sports, kicking out to lead the competition by 10 points after seven rounds, put their undefeated record on the line at home against Rotoiti.
Premier:
Mount Maunganui 67 (T. Elvin 2, M. Hodson, C. Oates, S. Hughes, Z. Lawrence, C. Jacob, S. Gavigan, D. Walker, S. Mayes, Z. Butler tries; T. Elvin 5 cons, M. Golding 1 con) beat Paroa 25 (K. Waterson, J. Rerite, W. Hall tries; M. McGougan 2 pen 2 con)) - HT: 41-13.
Rotoiti 12 (W. Ormond, J. Tewake tries; W. Ripia con) beat Rangataua 8 (T. Gardiner try; D. Groot pen) - HT: 7-0.
Opotiki 25 (Te Amo Wibore 2, Te Hata Wibore tries; Te Amo Wilbore 2 pens, 2 cons) beat Te Puke Sports 21 (N. Harris 2, J. Tofa Va'a tries; S. Rolleston 3 cons).
Tauranga Sports 53 (N. Evemy 3, P. Morris, J. Hall, N. Thomson, D. Thomas, P. Togotogorua tries; P. Morris 5 cons, pen) beat Te Puna 13 (D. Houia, A. Kuka tries; T. Aihe Toma pen) - HT 26-8.
Greerton Marist 22 (A. Jessop 2, M. Ropoana, J. Tupe tries; A. Jessop con) beat Whakarewarewa 21 (B. Kairaoi, C. Miller, J. O'Neill tries; M. Stone 3 cons) - HT 7-14.
Points ladder: Tauranga Sports 34, Greerton Marist 25, Te Puke Sports 22, Te Puna 20, Whakarewarewa 20, Mount Maunganui 17, Opotiki 16, Rotoiti 13, Paroa 5, Rangataua 4.
Division one:
Katikati 39, Ruatoki 8, Kahukura 28 Ngongotaha 6, Rangiuru 28 Poroporo 15, Te Teko 40 Marist St Michael's 12, Waikite 19 Whakatane Marist 5.