The departure of Tauranga Boys College and Rotorua Boys High School from the local secondary school competitions for Super Eight duty has signalled the start of the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Secondary Schools First Fifteen Rugby Competition.

The division one and two contenders kicked off their championship round assignments with a number of hard-fought encounters on Saturday.

Tauranga Boys' College took on Rotorua Boys' College on Saturday. Photo: Daniel Hines.

Taupo Nui A Tia, which along with Tauhara College represents the Great Lakes region, celebrated their promotion to the top echelon with a victory over Western Heights High School.

The Taupo representatives prevailed 34-28 in a match where both teams picked up a bonus point for scoring at least four tries.

The defeat of the defending division one champions suggests Taupo Nui A Tia will be a real force in this year's title race.

Otumoetai College, who finished runner-up in last year's division one championship final, were involved in a real thriller with fellow Western Bay school Bethlehem College.

The 13-12 win to Otumoetai reflected a contest that was up for grabs throughout the encounter.

Another game that went down to the wire was the match-up in the Eastern Bay between Opotiki College and Mount Maunganui College.

In another thriller, the Mount Maunganui boys got home to victory by a solitary point – 13-12.

Trident High School made a good start to the championship round getting past John Paul College 31-19.

A high scoring encounter in the extremities of the Western Bay of Plenty resulted in both sides grabbing a bonus point apiece.

Katikati College prevailed 46-31 over a game Edgecumbe College team, to lay down the gauntlet to the other division two contenders.

Te Puke High School made a winning start to the second half of its season by edging Aquinas College 19-15 in Te Puke.

Tauhara College made it double success for the Taupo region when it got passed near-neighbours Reporoa College, posting a 20-17 victory.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Secondary Schools First Fifteen Rugby Competition Results - 9 June 2012

Division one: Otumoetai College 13 Bethlehem College 12; Taupo Nui A Tia College 34 Western Heights HS 28; Trident HS 31 John Paul College 19; Mount Maunganui College 13 Opotiki College 12.

Division two: Te Puke HS 19 Aquinas College 15; Katikati College 46 Edgecumbe College 31; Tauhara College 20 Reporoa College 17.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Secondary Schools Rugby Draw, June 16, 2012

(Home Team Shown First)

Division One: JPC v Otumoetai; Mount Maunganui v Western Heights; Bethlehem v Trident, Taupo Nui A Tia v Opotiki.

Division Two: Aquinas v Katikati; Reporoa v Whakatane; Edgecumbe v Te Puke; Tauhara v Tauranga BC3.