Kaya Tiwi, Kwale Girls prepare to defend titles
Elsa Ndong’ (left) of Kaya Tiwi attempts to score against Mwakitawa Secondary during their girls’ netball preliminaries of last year’s Coast Region Secondary School Term 2A Games at Malindi High School on May 20, 2016. PHOTO | KEVIN ODITI |
What you need to know:
- Kakamega, Samburu counties hold championships starting Thursday.
- More than 1000 students converge on Samburu Secondary for Term 2A games
Reigning national netball champions Kaya Tiwi and Coast Under-16 football champions Kwale Girls will be in action when Kwale County Secondary Schools Term Two ‘A’ games get underway at Samburu Secondary on Thursday.
At the same time, fireworks are expected during the Kakamega County games which kick off Thursday at various venues.
Focus will be on girls’ handball where champions Mukumu are expected to put up a strong fight against opponents.
Last year, Mukumu hammered Bishop Njenga Girls’ 32-7 in a one-sided final match that was held at Mukumu Boys’ Secondary School grounds.
Mukumu, who reached the nationals in 2009 and 2010, have never won the title again.
The games will also see sevens rugby champions Chavakali come up against former national kings Kakamega High and St Peter’s Mumias.
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 students drawn from Samburu County converge on Samburu Secondary today for the three-day event which kicks off today with referees’ clinic and runs through to Saturday.
Kaya Tiwi principal, Robert Aran Maima, believes it will be another good performance after his charges successfully defended the basketball title in Nairobi in April.
“We are all set for the championships. The heavy rains currently being witnessed will not dampen the spirit of the girls who have trained well,” Aran, who is also Kaya Tiwi’s technical director, said as his team prepares to play Franz Joseph Mamba from Msambweni Sub-county.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Kwale Girls’ U-16 football coach Mukasa Amboko ahead of his team’s opener against Mnyenzeni.
Elsewhere, new winners emerged in U-16 football and handball as Taita Taveta County games concluded at Kenyatta High School, Mwatate, on Sunday.
New kids on the block White House Academy won boys’ and girls’ handball titles while Kajire Secondary and Moi Kasigau won girls’ and boys’ football titles as Taita Taveta named teams for regional championships set for Mombasa next week.
Mghallu Secondary continued their dominance in sevens rugby, winning a their matches with a lot of ease, including a 14-0 routing of St Mary’s Lushangoni in the final.
In girls’ Under-16 football, Kasawo Faith Mwende scored the lone goal to help her team beat Cannon Kituri 2-0. Ndau Justine Samba of Kajire emerge the top scorer with eight goals.
Brian Kisombe (two) and Johnstone Kirigara scored as Moi Kasigau beat Kenyatta High school 3-0.
In handball, Whitehouse Academy won boys’ and girls’ titles after beating Kenyatta High 25-13 and Mlamba Secondary 32-09 respectively in the final.
Both will be for the first time represent Taita Taveta county at the regional games where they are highly tipped to make an impression.
In Netball, as expected, Mwakitawa Girls won the title for the third straight year thus winning the trophy for keeps.
They beat Bura Girls 68-5 in a lop-sided final to maintain their Cinderella run at the championships.
Mghallu Secondary and St Mary’s Secondary will carry the county flag in Rugby Sevens. Mghallu beat St Mary’s 14-0 in the finals.
The semi finals matches saw St Mary’s beat Kenyatta 5-0 while Mghallu beat Dr Aggrey 26-0 in the other last four encounter.
County games secretary Joseph Ndalo expressed confidence that Taita will make a strong statement at this year’s regional games if the performance at the county level was be anything to go by.
