Two tries apiece to Ryan Lambert and Jack Wilson keep Te Puke Sports at the top of the Baywide rugby competition.
Te Puke were too strong for Greerton Marist at Greerton Park at the weekend. The defending premier champions extended their lead in this year's title race, running in seven touchdowns as they defeated the home side 41-22.
Holding a 29-point advantage at half time, Te Puke had to repel a spirited Greerton finish, as they ran in two tries in the dying moments of the encounter. Greerton's four-try bonus point provided welcome relief and moved the Tauranga team a little further from the bottom of the standings.
The Western Bay battle of the bridge was taken out by Tauranga Sports who got past Mount Maunganui 18-11 at Blake Park.
Tauranga Sports made the early running and led 15-3 at half time, before the Mount came back in the second spell, to turn the dour encounter into a relatively close contest. Phillip Togo Togo Rua dotted down twice for the winners, with Nick Evemy booting home two penalties and a conversion. Sam Hughes crossed for the home side with Ben Lloyd contributing two penalty goals.
Whakarewarewa continued their roller coaster season, with a solid 30-3 win in a Rotorua local derby with Waikite, at Waikite headquarters.
The Whaka touchdowns were awarded to Darrell Tereara, Aliki Kisina. Doug Edwards and Rawiri Tapiata with Maurice Stone contributing two penalties and two conversions.
Rotoiti and Te Puna swapped third and fourth place on the points ladder, when the Rotorua lakesiders held off the Western Bay representatives by just two points, to take out the match 23-21 at Emery Park.
Opotiki bounced back into the top four when they beat Rangataua 28-10 in the Western Bay. While the home side were in the match for much of the encounter, defensive errors and dropped balls, cost them dearly
Rangiuru continued their steamroller approach to the Division One competition, when they ran over cellar-dwellers Ruatoki, at the Western Bay clubs new ground at Centennial Park in Te Puke. The 57-8 victory reflected the attitude of the team who are desperate to return to the premier ranks next season.
Kahukura posted their eighth straight win but it came after a desperate battle of attrition with Eastern Bays Te Teko, the Rotorua unit scraping home 30-29. Paroa cemented their second place in the standings with a strong performance, beating Marist St Michael's 51-5 in the Eastern Bay. Other Division One teams to post victories were Whakatane Marist who downed Poroporo 30-23 with Ngongotaha running away from Reporoa 55-5.
Mount Maunganui Colts had little trouble cementing their place at the top of the leader board, with a comprehensive 65-7 win against Whakarewarewa at Blake Park. Fellow Western Bay championship contenders Tauranga Sports waltzed away from Opotiki 95-0, with Te Puna proving too strong for Kahukura posting a 63-0 victory in Rotorua. Te Puke Sports continued their climb up the standing by defeating Ruatoki 31-15, with Marist St Michael's and Rangataua posting a win apiece.