Border's Kaveni Dabonaise made it 20 tries for the season in the win over Kaierau in Waverley on Saturday.
Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau went down swinging at Dallison Park on Saturday but at the end of the day the spot in the Tasman Tanning Premier Top 4 which they held for 12 straight rounds was taken away at the last gasp.
Waverley Harvesting Border completed a dominant regular season with a 48-31 victory, scoring eight tries to five in an free-flowing match to set up their semifinal this weekend against McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu, who as expected signed off on a month of must-win games with an emphatic 68-5 hammering of Harvey Round Motors Ratana - locking away the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield for another summer.
Buoyed by the return of Ace Malo at fullback, Kaierau hung in there with the season's best statistical attacking and defending outfit, trailing 15-7 and then 22-14 at halftime, while still in striking distance at 36-26 in the final quarter.
However, Border pulled away with two more tries in the final minutes to finish with their 13th victory from 14 games and keep their home record pristine.
Centre Kaveni Dabonaise scored twice to set well on top of the tryscorers list with 20 for the season, while Kieran Hussey made a welcome comeback from concussion with a try from No8.
Kaierau's midfield pairing of Kameli Kuruyabaki and Hoani Pahi-Long scored two tries each.
After conceeding the opening try, Ruapehu did not take their foot off the gas at Rochfort Park - with former Highlander Craig Clare continuing to make big claims on the Steelform Wanganui No10 jersey with a 33 point haul from a hat trick and converting nine of the ten tries scored.
Centre Troy Brown scored twice to be second in the regular season lists with 14, having crossed the line six times in the last two games.
Hooker Roman Tutauha had a good match to finish tied for second on the MVP season list.
However, with Nick Harding being rested by Border, the door was open for Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist flanker Ryan Gill to finish top of the MVP standings with a good match against forward-orientated Utiku Old Boys, which he did despite his side flirting with disaster before prevailing 45-26.
Marist were down 14-5 in the early stages, with coach Jason Hamlin making it to the ground near halftime, and they took a narrow lead into the break before putting the match away with four more second half tries.
Winger Josiah Bogileka scored a hat trick.
Utiku never gave up, having been competitive with most teams in this run of home games, with flanker Vernon Rudolph getting a double and second five Hepa Payne having a good match.
Marist halfback Rory Gudsell was strong while first-five Sam Monaghan finished with 13 points to take his season tally to 132, second only to the dominant Harding (176).
The day was perfect buildup for Marist to now go back to Memorial Park this weekend for the semifinal with PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape.
In the Senior quarterfinals, Taihape, who had been hammered in their last three games, decided $1000 to hire a bus to go to South Taranaki for a 60+ point hiding was not worth it - giving Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri a straight run to the semifinals.
They will meet Marist Celtic, who just got home 18-15 in a thriller against Counties at Spriggens Park.
Down 10-8 at halftime, Celtic kicked a penalty to take a narrow lead into the last ten minutes and seemed to put the match away with a converted try, before Counties hit back immediately with a try to set up a knife-edge final few moments.
Celtic made desperate tackles deep in their half to save the match, the reward for which is they will now travel up to Ngamatapouri this Saturday.
The other semifinal will be Speirs Food Marton hosting near-neighbours Kelso Hunterville, after both negotiated their quarterfinal assignments as expected.
Hunterville disposed of Kaierau 29-6 on a tough day for the town club, while Marton improved on their last match with Border to beat them 49-10 at Marton Park.
The Ruapehu Seniors will probably take a dim view on Taihape defaulting their quarterfinal given they themselves only just missed out on eighth spot, but at least this gave them two home games for their supporters - starting with winning the Consolation semifinal with Utiku Old Boys 51-0.
Ruapehu will now meet Marist Buffalos in the final, as they advanced through Pirates having already defaulted the season