Te Puke Sports, came form a nine point deficit at the half way stage of the Bartercard Baywide Premier Championship Final played on Saturday (6 August 2011), to grab the title in the dying minutes of the match.

Whakarewarewa took control early in the game, with Hayden Beard running in a try after just nine minutes. Ten minutes later it was the turn of Harold Koia to barge over the line for Whaka’s second touch down. The Rotorua team, who made most of the running in the first half took a 12-3 lead into the break.

The Whaka advantage was further stretched, when Kelly Haimona kicked a penalty goal early in the second spell. A Nick McCashin penalty, was just the entrée to the Te Puke comeback in the encounter. Two tries to Te Puke hooker Simon Chisholm within four minutes with McCashin nailing the second conversion, saw the Western Bay side hit the lead for the first time in the match.

A further Haimona penalty goal for Whaka locked the score up at 18 all. As the clock ticked down and the prospect of extra time loomed, Simon Rolleston grabbed the match for Te Puke with magnificent field gold, Standing just outside the half way mark, Rolleston steadied and drop kicked the ball and with the referee tracking the flight of the attempt - the ball sailed between the upright with just three minutes remaining in the encounter.

In spite of urgent attempts by the Rotorua team to score, Te Puke Sports held on to take out the Baywide Premier title 21-18. What made the achievement even more meritorious, was that this was first Te Puke Premier title, after playing in four previous Baywide Premier Finals over the last twelve years.

The Division One title decider was also taken out by a Western Bay side, when Greerton Marist defeated Te Teko from the Eastern Bay. Te Teko controlled the early action with John Puutu scoring a try, before Greerton ran in two tries courtesy of touchdowns awarded to Josh Evemy and Kaha Lind.

While Greerton held a17-7 advantage at the break, Te Teko roared back after two minutes in the second half with a Kris O’Brien try. The Eastern Bay team hit the lead after former Steamers forward Dan Godbold crossed for his side’s third touchdown.

The best try of finals day came when Greerton forward Josh Goodwin pushed bullocked his way over the line from ten metres out. A further Greerton touchdown late in the match by Andrew Boyd, saw Greerton Marist take out the Division One Championship winning 31-21.

It was double celebrations for Te Puke Sports after the Te Puke Colts team led all the way, defending the McIntosh Shield that they won for the first time last year. Facing Greerton Marist in the first game of the Baywide Finals, kicks at goal dominated the match, where each side scored a try apiece. The Te Puke touchdown was awarded to Jeremy Featherston, with Ken Tupuola scoring the Greerton five pointer.

Te Puke kicker Logan Walsh slotted six penalties and a conversion in his side’s 25-14 victory, with Ben Dodd adding three penalties to the Greerton tally. 

The Division Two Championship, where the winner returns to the Baywide ranks next season, was an absolute thriller with the lead changing hands several times. After eighty minutes of pulsating rugby, Poroporo narrowly took out the game posting a paper-thin 19-18 victory. Mount Maunganui defended their Senior Reserve Baywide title with a 30-19 win over Ngongotaha.

BOPRU Bartercard Baywide Finals Results 6 August 2011
Premier: Te Puke Sports 21 (Simon Chisholm 2 tries; Nick McCashin 2 pen con, Simon Rolleston dg) Whakarewarewa 18 (Hayden Baird, Harold Koia tries; Kelly Haimona 2 pen con) HT 3-12.

Division One: Greerton Marist 31 (Josh Evemy, Kaha Lind, Dan Goodwin, Andrew Boyd tries; Boyd 4 con pen) Te Teko 21 (John Puutu, Kris O’Brien, Dan Gobold tries; Junior Stovold 3 con) HT 17-7.

Colts: Te Puke Sports 25 (Jeremy Featherston try; Logan Walsh 6 pen con) Greerton Marist 14 (Ken Tupuola try; Ben Dodd 3 pen) HT 19-11.

Division Two: Poroporo 19 Arataki 18.
Senior Reserve: Mount Maunganui 30 Ngongotaha 19.