Passenga, Laiser renew rivalry in ARS Games in Kisumu

What you need to know:

  • Passenga beat Laiser Hill 1-0 in last year’s final in Machakos.
  • In Pool A, 2013 champions Olympic Mixed Secondary School will lock with horns Nyakach Girls (Lake), Nginda (Aberdare) and Kirigara.
  • In volleyball, boys’ champions Malaba Boys have been pooled with finalists Hospital Hill.

Boys’ football champions Passenga High School from Aberdare Region will renew their rivalry with Laiser Hill School in next weeks’ Airtel Rising Stars National Secondary Schools Term Two B Games in Kisumu.

The two schools have been pooled together in Pool B according to the draw released on Tuesday. Other teams in the pool are Coastal Region champions Green Palm Academy and a yet to be identified school from Northern Region.

Pool A sees surprise package Bukembe Secondary School, who locked out four-time national champions St Anthony’s Boys Kitale from the nationals, tackle Lake Region’s Barding, Kathungi from Highlands Region and newcomers Cheptenye from Mau Region.

Passenga beat Laiser Hill 1-0 in last year’s final in Machakos to become the first school from Aberdare Region to win the boys’ football title since the inception of the school games.

Passenga coach Joram Mwangi is relishing the chance of locking horns with Laiser Hill once again as his team seeks to defend their title during the games which run from August 1-5.

“Our first target was to qualify for the nationals and since that is done, we are now working on defending the title. It is a tough pool, all teams there are formidable and it will be a great battle,” Mwangi told Daily Nation Sport on Tuesday.

Passenga beat Wahundura 1-0 to retain the Aberdare Region title on July 17. Laiser Hill coach Anthony Kirimi wants his charges to go one better this time after falling short in last year’s final.

“We have got another chance to set things right. Last year’s disappointment is what has motivated us and we seriously want to lift the crown,” he said. The two schools will be favourites to progress from the group.

BUKEMBE, BARDING IN POOL A

Pool A matches promise to be cracking with the four teams looking for the two semi-final slots.

Bukembe, who grabbed the Nzoia Region ticket, will be eager to show their win the regionals was not a fluke.

They will however need to overcome regulars Kathungi, who reached last year’s semi-finals, as well Barding, who will be banking on home advantage, to reign supreme.

In the girls’ draw, champions Wiyeta Girls, who are eyeing a seventh title, have been placed with rivals St John’s Kaloleni in Pool B that also has Sindo Girls from Lake Region and Mau’s Itigo Girls.

In Pool A, 2013 champions Olympic Mixed Secondary School will lock with horns Nyakach Girls (Lake), Nginda (Aberdare) and Kirigara.

In volleyball, boys’ champions Malaba Boys have been pooled with finalists Hospital Hill.