Rotoiti and Mount book spots in Baywide premier final

As the dust settles on two epic semifinals, it is Rotoiti and Mount Maunganui who emerge victorious.

Rotoiti beat defending champions Rangataua 18-17, while Mount Maunganui beat Te Puke 20-16 and both games went down to the wire.

Rangataua looked to have booked a return to the final when they kicked a penalty in the dying minutes to go ahead 17-14.

However, Rotoiti had one last roll of the dice. They got the ball back from the kick-off and, on the back of consecutive penalties worked their way into the Rangataua 22.

Rotoiti players celebrate the win. Photo/Ben Fraser

The 80 minutes was up but they kept the ball in hand and eventually drew a penalty, just outside the 22 and near the left-hand sideline.

Step up first five-eighth Whakataki Cunningham.

Every single person at Emery Park held their breath as he took his time setting up the kick, but when he struck the ball it never looked like missing.

Image 1 of 13: Baywide premier semi-final between Rotoiti and Rangataua at Emery Park on Saturday. Photo/Ben Fraser

The ball sailed between the posts and sparked scenes of jubilation from the Rotoiti players and the vocal home crowd - they were heading to the final.

Speaking after the game, Cunningham said when he stepped up to take the kick he thought about all the hard work he and his teammates had put in this season.

"I just went through my same routine - some kicks today I was nervous but that one I knew I just had to stick to my routine.

"I actually thought I'd missed it. It didn't really hit me until everyone jumped on me.

"It means a lot, we've been working hard all year, the blood, the sweat, the tears, the sacrifices we make with our families, to put it all out there we were pretty happy.

"Every week the crowd motivate us, so we give it our all," Cunningham said.

Rotoiti took a 3-0 lead early in the game when they kicked a penalty. They were dominant in the first 20 minutes but struggled to turn the dominance into points.

Rangataua worked their way into the game and converted tries to flanker Matt Clutterbuck and winger Ross Taurima saw them lead 14-3 at the break.

Rotoiti didn't help themselves as they played the end of the first with 13 men, after two players were sin-binned.

Despite still being a man down at the beginning of the second half, Rotoiti came out firing and looked the more enthusiastic side.

Five minutes into the half, centre Loni Fisi'ihoi made a break down the left-hand side and produced a beautiful offload to lock Stevie Coffin who galloped over the try line to get Rotoiti back in the game.

They continued to look good with the ball in hand and with 20 minutes to go Rotoiti took 15-14 lead through a try to reserve winger Shilo-Anzac Cullen in the corner.

FINAL BOUND: Rotoiti players and supporters celebrate after the final whistle. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

Rangataua began to re-assert some dominance and the two sides went toe-to-toe for the final 10 minutes, setting up that dramatic finish.

Rotoiti coach Willie Royal described the game as "titanic" and said the way his side hung in there was testament to their attitude all season.

"I thought we were gone when they kicked that penalty but the boys all year have had a never-say-die attitude.

"It was always going to be a big ask to knock over the defending champions. The first half they never let us have the ball, we were chasing them.

"In the second half we focused on securing the ball and playing our own game," Royal said.

Meanwhile, a piece of individual brilliance from Mount Maunganui first five-eighth Matt Golding secured a 20-16 win over Te Puke.

Down 16-10 with five minutes left on the clock the Mount side were piling the pressure on their opposition.

Golding got the ball in the middle of the field, dummied to pass, stepped a defender, went inside two others and scored next to the posts.

He stepped up to convert his own try and give Mount Maunganui a 17-16 lead.

He then kicked a penalty goal to further secure the win and finish with 15 out of his side's 20 points.

Manager John Wolk said it was "a very good game".

"Both sides had chances to win it and we were the lucky ones to come out on top.

"Aaron Carroll, our skipper, was our player of the day - he played an outstanding game, yet again as he has done all season.

"I thought Te Puke were very good, in the second half especially they really put us under the pump, they played exceedingly well in the second half," Wolk said.

The final will be played at in Mount Maunganui on Saturday, July 29.

Results:
Baywide Premier 1 Semifinal Results:
Rotoiti 18 v Rangataua 17
Mount Maunganui 20 v Te Puke Sports 16

Baywide Premier 1 Development Semifinal Results:
Te Puna 21 v Tauranga Sports 20
Te Puke Sports 18 v Greerton Marist 13

Baywide Premier 2 Results:
Whakatane Marist 34 v Marist St Michael's 22
Opotiki 21 v Poroporo 13
Paroa 23 v Arataki 22
Ngongotaha 28 v Waikite 10

Baywide Premier 2 Development Results:
Marist St Michael's 26 v Whakatane Marist 20
Opotiki 24 v Poroporo 23
Paroa 32 v Arataki 22
Waikite 33 v Ngongotaha 22

Baywide Division 1 Results:
Judea 39 v Katikati 12
Te Teko 20 v Papamoa 13
Ruatoki 55 v Rangiuru 7
Kahukura 22 v Waimana 7

Baywide Division 2 Final Result:
Murupara 30 v Edgecumbe 5

Next Week's Draw:
Baywide Premier 1 Final:
Mount Maunganui v Rotoiti at Blake Park

Baywide Premier 1 Development Final:
Te Puna v Te Puke at Maramatanga Park

Baywide Premier 2 Semifinals:
Paroa v Whakatane Marist at Lawson Park
Arataki v Ngongotaha at Arataki Park

Baywide Premier 2 Development Semifinals:
Waikite v Whakatane Marist at Bellvue Rd
Opotiki v Ngongotaha at Princess Street Reserve

Baywide Division 1 Semifinals:
Te Teko v Kahukura at Dunderdale Park
Ruatoki v Papamoa at Tuhoe Park