It passed the previous highest team score of 73-7 over Wanganui in 2002, the record margin of 67 over West Coast in 2001 and Luke Herden's bag of five tries erased the names of the previous highest try scorers, who had all scored four tries.
The late Mort Fountain scored four tries against Ashburton County in 1947, Pila Fifita did it on two occasions against Poverty Bay in 2001 and against South Canterbury in 2002, while Scott Mayhew scored four tries against Buller in 2007.
But co-coach, Barry Matthews was not overly satisfied at the end of the game.
"I'm not a fan for records, only winning ones.
"I thought that although we scored eight tries in the first half, we probably missed scoring that many as well through players being too greedy," he said.
"The players got a good wind-up at halftime and I think they tightened up in the second half.
"I know it's particularly hard when the score is mounting as it was.
"The East Coast forwards were especially tough to play up here.
"They're big strong boys, but it's hard to gauge where we're at because we don't know how good the East Coast are either.
"It was a good performance from North Otago but we can do better.
"We'll be working on the draw and pass this week. Too many of our players were guilty of getting through the gap and then not drawing and passing ...
"We've got heaps to work on and I told our fitness trainer, Adam Keen, that he's got the team for [the] first 45 minutes on Tuesday night."
Big No 8 Tevita Fifita was outstanding while lock Dave Simpson won good lineout ball and was mobile around the paddock.
At halfback, Kilifi Fangupo was sharp behind the pack.
At fullback, Billy Guyton counterattacked with some superb vision.
When he took over the goalkicking, after Ben Patston was subbed off, he proved to be a more than able back up, kicking five from five, two from the sideline in the final quarter.
The bench was cleared with 22 minutes remaining and little changed on the paddock, an indication of the depth available to coaches Matthews and Shane Carter.
Standouts for East Coast were hooker Puri Hauti and lock Kerehama Blackman.
Patston opened the scoring with a 38m penalty in the first minute.
Herden then went in for his first try.
Left footer Patston, was not kicking confidently early on in the game and missed three kickable goals. Simpson had the second North Otago try in the ninth minute before East Coast first five-eighth Nathan Langsford kicked a long-range penalty.
Midway through the half, a quick tap penalty saw Herden in for his second which Patston converted to make it 20-3.
Right winger Greg Zampach then broke from inside North Otago's 22 and with Simpson in support, Fangupo touched down.
A Guyton counterattack sent left winger Sione Pangata in.
Herden then scored his third and fourth tries in the space of three minutes before Fangupo went in for his second with Patston adding the extras to give North Otago a healthy 53-3 lead at halftime.
North Otago added nine more tries in the second half.
Pangata got his second in the 46th minute.
Prop Ralph Darling galloped in after a long Patston kick had found space inside the opposition 22.
Herden then got his fifth and in the final 25 minutes Kasanova Soane (2), Josh Collier, Hamish McKenzie (2), and Fifita scored.
All second-half tries were converted, four by Patston and five by Guyton.
In other Pool B matches, Wairarapa-Bush beat Buller in Westport, 23-16, after leading 14-13 at halftime and Poverty Bay beat Mid Canterbury, 25-20, in Ashburton after leading 12-10 at halftime.
In Pool A games, Thames Valley beat West Coast, 36-18, after leading 14-7 at halftime, King Country downed Horowhenua-Kapiti, 17-12, after trailing 12-0 at halftime while Wanganui beat South Canterbury at home, 13-6, after leading 10-3 at the break.
North Otago's big win
The statistics
Biggest win: previously 67-0 v West Coast 2001Highest points score: previously 73 v Wanganui 2002.
Most tries in a match: previously four held by More Fountain, Pila Fifita twice, and Scott Mayhew.
Biggest defeat for East Coast: previously 109 v Auckland in 1997
Biggest points score against for East Coast: previously 115 v Auckland in 1997
North Otago v East Coast
The scores
North Otago 116 Luke Herden 5, Sione Pangata 3, Kasanova Soane 2, Hamish McKenzie 2, Dave Simpson, Palanapa Mafi, Josh Collier, Kilifi Fangupo, Ekeroma Sefo tries; Ben Patston 9 con, pen; Billy Guyton 5 con
East Coast 3 Nathan Langsford pen
Halftime: 53-3
- Terry O'Neill
