School Games: Upsets mark championships
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa presenting trophy to winning team Shanderema High School during the Western Region Secondary Schools Sports Association Term Two Games at Bukhungu Stadium on July 22, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The turnout, particularly in Kakamega, which will host the nationals, was impressive giving a huge boost to the organisers. There was barely an empty seat at Bukhungu Stadium during the Western Region boys’ football final pitting Shanderema Secondary School and Musingu Boys’ High School.
- “There is no denying that our games have a huge following and I hope the relevant authorities are seeing their worth,” said Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Secretary-General David Ngugi.
Upsets, huge crowds and emergence of new stars characterised the Secondary Schools Term Two Games which came to a close at the regions on Saturday.
Nairobi, Central, Eastern, Western, Rift Valley and Coast regions have selected teams that will represent them at the national championships set for August 7-12 at Kakamega High School.
Nyanza regional games will end on Tuesday at Maranda High School, while North Eastern will hold their championships this weekend.
Schools in the six regions competed in football, volleyball, rugby sevens, netball, 3x3 basketball and racquet games and after the dust settled, giants fell by the wayside as new stars were born.
Football and volleyball witnessed the greatest shocks with the biggest casualties, national boys’ volleyball holders Cheptil Secondary School losing at the semi-final stage of the Rift Valley event, meaning new winners will be crowned at the nationals.
Their slayers, Andersen High School from Trans Nzoia County, went on to win the title after a five-set thriller against Olmoran High School of Laikipia County.
The match was switched to three different venues due to crowd trouble. Andersen eventually triumphed 25-17, 25-16, 24-26,23-25, 16-14 at Ndururumo High School ground to qualify for the nationals.
In boys’ football, only Serani Secondary from Coast Region retained their title to seal a return to the nationals. Other regional winners were all unsuccessful in their attempts.
Highway Secondary School (Nairobi), Mbooni Boys’ Secondary School (Eastern), Olbolosat Secondary School (Central), Kabarnet Boys Secondary School (Rift Valley) and Ebwali Boys Secondary (Western) were all dethroned.
Ebwali, who are the boys’ football national champions, did not even make it to the Western region finals after being eliminated at the Luanda Sub-County championships. Five-time national champions St Anthony’s Boys High School, Kitale and 2019 losing finalists Dagoretti High School are among the sides that will make their return to the nationals.
“The disappointment of missing out on last year’s nationals fueled our campaign this year and that is why the boys displayed good football, St Anthony’s coach Peter Mayoyo said after their 3-1 win over Christ the King Secondary School in the Rift Valley region boys’ football final.
Fans waiting to see record champions Kakamega High School will also be disappointed for the second straight year as the “Green Commandos” again missed out on the regional championships. The mammoth crowds witnessed at the different venues was impressive as fans turned out to catch a glimpse of future stars.
The turnout, particularly in Kakamega, which will host the nationals, was impressive giving a huge boost to the organisers. There was barely an empty seat at Bukhungu Stadium during the Western Region boys’ football final pitting Shanderema Secondary School and Musingu Boys’ High School.
“There is no denying that our games have a huge following and I hope the relevant authorities are seeing their worth,” said Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Secretary-General David Ngugi.
