For Border, down 20-7 at halftime, Marist matched them score-for-score in the second stanza to deny a comeback.
Centre Zack Soqonakalou scored his fifth hat-trick this campaign, taking his strike rate to 19 tries in nine games.
Winger Beniamino Vota scored the opening try, converted by first-five Tyrone Albert, before reserve Silio Waqalevu took over for the last two conversions.
McCrea Scanning Counties started what they fully intend to be a three-match charge into the Top 4 with a 60-5 hammering of Silks Audit Rātana in the Pa.
The visitors dominated through the pack as hooker Jack Yarrall scored four tries to take his tally to seven in the last two matches, while his prop partner Jonty Bird powered over for a hat-trick.
Winger Tukere Puohotaua scored a double, his opposite Simi Tarogi also dotted down, while fullback Tim Goodwin added five conversions.
Rātana welcomed back fullback Rangi Kui to score their try.
In the Championship, the keenly anticipated game was at Spriggens Park and Challenge Shield holders Ruapehu did not disappoint, securing a 36-14 win over RockGas Whanganui Pirates.
Utiku Old Boys kept their run going with another tough win on the road, beating Kelso Hunterville 21-12.
Direct Connect Marist Celtic locked in their Top 4 spot with a big 51-3 win over the home side at Marton Park.
In the Minor Championship, Horizon Networks Taihape avenged their 42-10 defeat at the Country Club in Division 2 with a 29-22 turnaround win over Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau at Memorial Park.
Title favourites Border faced a resurgent Whanganui Can-Am Counties, coming off their first win of the season, and pulled away for a 41-29 victory at Dallison Park.
Byfords Construction Taihape grabbed the local bragging rights as the first WRFU club to reach the inaugural inter-district Tasman Tanning Te Awa Wāhine final, after beating AGC Marist Clovers 30-20 in the semifinal at Memorial Park on Friday night.
Freyberg shocked the undefeated Bush SC with a 27-24 upset at Bush Park on Saturday.
Inaugural Te Awa Wāhine champion to be decided
History could well beckon Byfords Construction Taihape under lights in Palmerston North on Friday as they break new ground in the inaugural final of the inter-district Tasman Tanning Te Awa Wāhine competition.
After just over two months of competition with games played from Memorial Park to Pahiatua and everywhere in between, Taihape will take on the red-hot Freyberg Wāhine at Central Energy Trust Arena, kicking off at 6.45pm.
Taihape defeated Freyberg 24-5 in April at Memorial Park; however, playing close to home, expect the Manawatū team to be a much stronger proposition, especially after they ended the undefeated run of Bush SC in the semifinals, 27-24.
Back in Whanganui on Saturday, the competitive four-team Minor Championship reached its last round to see which two teams will qualify for the final.
Border sit top of the table, with Whanganui Can-Am Counties and Horizon Networks Taihape four points behind and Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau a further four points back, meaning all sides mathematically still have the chance to finish in the Top 2.
Draw June 19-20
Premiership: 2.45pm kickoffs
Challenge Shield – Marist v Rātana, Spriggens Park; Counties v Kaierau, Macnab Domain; Border v Taihape, Dallison Park.
Championship: 1pm kickoffs
Challenge Shield – Ruapehu v Utiku Old Boys, Rochfort Park; Hunterville v Marist Celtic, Hunterville Domain; Pirates v Marton, Spriggens Park.
Minor Championship: 1pm kickoffs
Border v Taihape, Dallison Park; Counties v Kaierau, Macnab Domain.
Te Awa Wāhine
June 19: Taihape v Freyberg, 6.45pm, Central Energy Trust Arena.