To be only 30 points down at three-quarter time was as good an effort as any side has achieved this season.
But then the scoring floodgates were blown open by the unbeaten visitors.
In a deluge of last quarter goals, Congupna kicked 10.7 while restricting the home side to 0.2 in a crushing 105-point loss.
Tongala was powerless to resist the Congupna machine when it went into top gear, but there were some good signs out of the wreckage.
Skipper Kyle Fitzgerald held his own against class rivals, and another experienced campaigner in on-baller Jordan Souter, was a solid contributor all game.
Jack Hammond, who started on a wing, was able to hold rampant Congupna spearhead Kyle Mueller to two goals in the second half after the noted goal-kicker had booted five goals and as many behind points in a scintillating first half.
Tristan Watson also ran hard on a wing for four quarters, and Baily Waasdorp and Mitch Heywood also battled gamely against the odds for the losers.
There is a general bye in the league this Saturday before Tongala tackles struggler Barooga at Barooga on July 13 and hosts Echuca United the following week in winnable games.
While the Tongala reserves danced to a similar tune as their senior counterparts, the under-17s got a huge win against Congupna on Saturday.
The reserves didn’t suffer the same crushing defeat as the seniors, but the unit was still beaten comfortably 11.9 (75) to 3.5 (23).
Sam Tyler was the pick of the litter for the Blues in the 52-point loss with Levi Taylor, Mark Watson, Angus Harrington, William Pickles and Bailey Marsh rounding out the best-on list.
Meanwhile, the under-17 Blues laid waste to Congupna, holding them scoreless while piling on 22.15 (147).
Lachlan Nevill’s four-goal performance earned him best-on-ground honours with Archer Woods, Jedd Turpin, Logan Milnes, Elijah Swiggs and Bryce Kay also being honoured.
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