Football: Top honour
Otumoetai, Tauranga's largest football club, has been recognised by the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Federation as club of the year at its annual meeting.
Otumoetai received the honour for its support of coach and referee education, support of the national Whole of Football Plan - specifically the junior framework where it was one of the region's trial clubs, their links to schools in the region and the development of new $1 million clubrooms at Fergusson Park.
Club rugby: Sports reach final
Tauranga Sports have staved off the threat of an upset to book a home final for Saturday's Seeka KI Western Bay of Plenty championship decider against Katikati.
Tauranga Sports went into the weekend clash with Papamoa needing to win to secure home advantage for the final.
The form book suggested they would have few problems beating Papamoa at Tauranga Domain, although Papamoa had other ideas and ripped into it from the opening whistle.
With time up on the clock, Tauranga Sports were in desperate trouble, trailing 19-17 but in a final roll of the dice, they scored a converted try to take the game 24-19 and book a return trip to the domain this Saturday for the final.
Katikati easily beat Te Puna 41-14, although they had to rely on a dominant performance in the final quarter at Maramatanga Park. The result kept them in second and they will now head to the domain to battle for the Combined Cup.
Arataki Black finished in third place and picked up the second Baywide division two berth when they defeated Rangiuru 50-5 at Grenada Park.
Mount Maunganui, who are also Baywide-bound in the senior reserve grade, overcame a game challenge from Judea, before posting a 30-10 win at Maharaia Winiata Park. Matakana Island got past Rangataua 34-15, while Greerton Marist, arguably the most improved side in the local competition, defeated Eastern Districts 40-10.
Seeka KI Western Bay club rugby scores:
Matakana Island 34 Rangataua 15, Katikati 41 Te Puna 14, Arataki Black 50 Rangiuru 5, Mount Maunganui 30 Judea 10, Tauranga Sports 24 Papamoa 19, Greerton Marist 40 Eastern Districts 10.
Points: Tauranga Sports 59, Katikati 57, Arataki Black 50, Mount Maunganui 49, Matakana Island 48, Papamoa 41, Greerton Marist 29, Te Puna 24, Rangataua 18, Judea 16, Eastern Districts 13, Te Puke Sports 12, Rangiuru 12.
Hockey: CMS impress
CMS Mt Maunganui have shrugged off a heavy weekend workload to finish their Intercity men's premier hockey double-header unbeaten, drawing 2-2 with Rotorua Aces at the Tauranga Hockey Centre before returning 24 hours later to beat Pukekohe Indians 4-1.
Aces travelled from Rotorua with a bare team of 11 players, which meant that they had no subs to join the fray.
The game kept the crowd engrossed with a high level of fast and skilful hockey, with Lincoln Churchill and Dan Rae scoring for Mount and Aces' goals coming from Tuterangi Raharuhi and Tatainga Dewes.
On Sunday, with all of the top six men's clubs in the trophy round backing up, Brad McKenzie (2), Churchill and Rae were on the scoresheet in a comfortable win over Indians.
Pukekohe conceded a goal inside the first two minutes when McKenzie received the ball in space in the circle and drilled it past the goalkeeper. Mount scored again before the turn and then extended their lead with another early in the second half. However, they then squandered a couple of open chances.
Their domination resulted in a fourth field goal after a nice display of passing among the forwards, before Indians pegged one back from a penalty corner as the game drew to a close.
Otumoetai men, playing in the second tier, were too strong for Waiau Pa, winning 7-2.
Thames Valley lead the competition with six points after a successful weekend, downing Waikato University 1-0, before edging Fraser Tech 3-2 on Sunday.
In the premier women's grade, Otumoetai were predictably too strong for Mt Maunganui, turning a 3-1 halftime buffer into a 6-1 victory, with excitement machine Dani Maunder banging in four goals, with Monique Eades and Raelene Miller getting the others. Pip Eyre scored for Mount.
Intercity hockey scores:
Premier men:
Mt Maunganui 2 (Lincoln Churchill, Dan Rae) Rotorua Aces 2 (Tuterangi Raharuhi, Tatainga Dewes).
Fraser Tech 4 Pukekohe Indians 2.
Thames Valley 1 Waikato University 0.
Otumoetai 7 Waiau Pa 2.
Kohekohe 4 Suburbs Old Boys 0.
Varsity Reserves 2 Onewhero 1.
Rotorua Indians 4 Te Awamutu 2.
Sunday:
Mt Maunganui 4 (Brad McKenzie 2, Lincoln Churchill, Dan Rae) Pukekohe Indians 1 (Adam Rundle), HT 2-0.
Rotorua Aces 5 (Tuterangi Raharuhi 2, Granger Church, Leo Wells, Jury Herewini) Waikato University 1, HT 2-0.
Thames Valley 3 Fraser Tech 2.
Premier women:
Rotorua Aces 3 Hamilton Old Girls 1, HT 1-0.
Fraser Tech 6 Onewhero 1.
Otumoetai 6 (Dani Maunder 4, Monique Eades, Raelene Miller) Mt Maunganui 1 (Pip Eyre), HT 3-1.
Waikato University 9 Franklin 0.
Taupo 4 Te Awamutu 3.
Football: Taupo toppled
Otumoetai have become the first side to take points off unbeaten Waikato Bay of Plenty football league leaders, Taupo, with a memorable 1-0 win at Fergusson Park on Saturday.
While disappointed with the result, Taupo coach Paul Drake was philosophical. "We did enough to win but missed too many scoring opportunities but I was pleased with our general play. Take nothing away from Otumoetai though, they showed plenty of character and scored a very good goal."
Otumoetai player/coach Graeme Blissett said they adapted their formation and tactics for the game. "We know Taupo's game is based on keeping possession, and we were happy to let them play keep-ball in the middle of the park.
"We were patient, and while they dominated possession, we were able to nullify their attacking players."
Both teams had players missing, with Taupo having a 15 and 18-year-old on the bench, along with Drake. Otumoetai had to field players from their second and third teams. Daniel Miller scored the deciding goal.
After watching Rotorua United score eight goals last week, their supporters were optimistic they could register their second win of the season against Melville United at Neil Hunt Park, but from the kick-off, there was little to enthuse supporters of either team.
United were the first to apply any sustained pressure, with a series of corners, and in the 37th minute, a deep corner was headed back across the goal for Josh O'Sullivan to score and give the home side the lead.
Melville made it 1-1 late in the first half and then, a good save from the Melville goalkeeper, kept the scores tied at the break.
That was the way it stayed, despite Rotorua being reduced to 10 men for the last five minutes, when O'Sullivan was given an early shower.
At Gower Park, Ngongotaha scored early in the second half to make it 2-2 against Claudelands Rovers but any threat of an upset win by the Villagers was quickly snuffed out, as Rovers went on a scoring spree to run out 7-2 winners.
Old Blues bounced back from last week's 8-1 loss to share the points with Whakatane Town in a 2-2 draw.
Both coaches agreed it was a game that could have gone either way but Old Blues coach Andy Legget was probably the happiest. "We had to have a good look at ourselves this week and for us it was all about personal, team and club pride," he said.
In goal for Old Blues, Kane McGregor played well, while Andy Cooper and Hayden Fowke were their scorers. Waikato Unicol beat AFC Fury 4-2 to move into the top half of the table.
In division two, Tauranga City had a convincing 4-1 win over Cambridge in the top of the table clash at Links Ave, while the third and fourth placed teams, Clube Alegria and Katikati, fought out a 3-3 draw.
Elsewhere, Tokoroa beat Rotorua United 3-1, while bottom of the table, Matamata, drew 1-1 with West Hamilton.
Federation one points: Taupo 30, Claudelands 27, Melville 21, AFC Fury 18, Otumoetai 16, Waikato Unicol 15, Tauranga Boys' College 13, Old Blues 12, Whakatane 11, Ngongotaha 9, Rotorua United 8, Otorohanga 5.
Federation two: Tauranga City 27, Cambridge 24, HRFC Clube Alegria 21, Katikati 18, Te Awamutu 12, Tokoroa AFC 12, West Hamilton 8, Rotorua United 7, Matamata 4.
Rugby League: Whalers close call
Tauranga Whalers almost caused the boilover of the Waicoa Bay combined premier rugby league championship in round two on Saturday at Waipuna Park, coming within a whisker of knocking over powerful Waikato side Turangawaewae.
The outstanding Floy Te Kani narrowly missed a drop kick on the final hooter in the 32-32 draw.
Te Kani was outstanding at half, creating many opportunities and keeping the visitors guessing on what his next move would be. Alongside him, captain and loose forward Willie Rutene tackled himself to a standstill.
In Ngaruawahia, the Bay Sprint Couriers Otumoetai Eels' charge came to an abrupt halt as they were beaten by the Panthers 26-10. It was an indifferent performance by the visitors who struggled to find any momentum.
Eels scored within three minutes as Josh Weeden carved through the gap to feed winger Owen Rhind, who opened the scoring. From then, until halftime, they continued to drop ball and fall off tackles, with Ngaruawahia capitalising to jump to a 20-3 halftime lead.
With dubious refereeing decisions going against them and with two certain tries disallowed in the second half, the lead became too much to chase.
In Hamilton, Tokoroa's Pacific Sharks offered a stern challenge to Waikato champions Hamilton City Tigers, only to taste defeat 34-24. Rotorua's Pikiao hammered a weak Hamilton Hornets 66-14 and in Taupo, Taniwharau came away with a hard-fought 40-30 win over hosts Taupo Phoenix
This weekend sees the battle of the bridge when the Eels host Tauranga Whalers, with Whalers still chasing their first win over their cross-town rivals.
Their task has been made considerably easier with news that the Eels have lost brilliant playmaker, Mikaere October to England. Prop Rosser Hayes and fullback Mike Johnston have also quit for the rest of the season. With two other injuries to the top side, the Eels are looking vulnerable to a hungry Whalers outfit.
Saturday's game at Mitchell Park kicks off at 2.30pm.
In the match of the round, Waikato grand finalists Hamilton City Tigers and Taniwharau meet in Hamilton, with Pikiao hosting Turangawaewae in Rotorua.
Waicoa Bays round two:
Taupo Phoenix 30, Taniwharau 40; Hamilton City Tigers 34, Pacific Sharks 24; Pikiao Warriors 66, Hamilton Hornets 14; Tauranga Whalers 32, Turangawaewae 32; Ngaruawahia Panthers 26, Otumoetai Eels 10.
Points:
Black section: Taniwharau 6, Pacific Sharks 3, Hamilton City Tigers 2, Taupo Phoenix 2, Hukanui 1. Blue section: Pikiao Warriors 6, Ngaruawahia 6, Otumoetai Eels 4, Turangawaewae 3, Tauranga Whalers 3, Hamilton Hornets 2.
Taekwondo: Club's huge haul
Te Puke's Aotearoa Taekwondo club has had an impressive haul at the New Zealand United open championships, with 14 fighters winning 17 medals.
Training fortnightly proved key to the team's success.
Highlights of the tournament were first-time fighters Maanauri Wilson and Faith Waterman and Moana Gauld, Aotearoa Taekwondo's women's team manager.
Wilson went into his bouts with skill and focus, showing that sticking to the basics and practising what he had been taught would pay off, as he won both bouts with a comfortable 12-point margin to win gold.
Waterman's determination boosted her to two opening wins and eventual silver after she lost to a more experienced fighter.
Gauld won silver up against an opponent, almost 30kg heavier and 30cm taller.
Overall, the team performed impressively and to a standard that was expected of them, with their next tournament at Tauranga Boys' College expected to be good practice for the Australian open nationals this year.
Te Puke Aotearoa Taekwondo club medallists:
Gold: Kayne Jackson-Gilmour, Emily Bristow, Merrissa Shipton, Christopher Hart, Maanauri Wilson. Silver: Michael Button, Kayne Jackson-Gilmore, Leigh Stuart, Moana Gauld, Mahinarangi Wirihana, Faith Waterman, Blake Ward. Bronze: James Tanner, Orion Thomas, Seth Hudson, Mahinarangi Wirihana (2).