St Anthony's, Wiyeta seek to retain titles

Mildred Kuria of Eburru Girls (left) vies for the ball with Nasimiyu Cynthia of Wiyeta Girls from Trans Nzoia during their National Secondary Schools Term Two ‘A’ Games Girls' Under-16 football semi-finals match at Kan’garu Boys in Embu. Wiyeta won 2-0. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO |

What you need to know:

  • St Anthony’s Boys Kitale and Wiyeta Girls are favourites to retain the boys’ and girls’ under 16 football titles at this year’s National Secondary Schools Term Two A Games that start on Tuesday at Shimo la Tewa, Mombasa.
  • The two schools were crowned inaugural winners of the under-16 football competition which was introduced to the secondary schools calendar last year.
  • St Anthony’s beat Central Region’s Wahundura High School 1-0 in the boys’ final, while Wiyeta cruised to a 4-0 win over Abwao Secondary from Nyanza Region in the girls’ affair at Kangaru School, Embu County

St Anthony’s Boys Kitale and Wiyeta Girls are favourites to retain the boys’ and girls’ under 16 football titles at this year’s National Secondary Schools Term Two A Games that start on Tuesday at Shimo la Tewa, Mombasa.

The two schools were crowned inaugural winners of the under-16 football competition which was introduced to the secondary schools calendar last year.

St Anthony’s beat Central Region’s Wahundura High School 1-0 in the boys’ final, while Wiyeta cruised to a 4-0 win over Abwao Secondary from Nyanza Region in the girls’ affair at Kangaru School, Embu County.

The duo comfortably qualified for this year’s National showpiece after emerging victorious in the Rift Valley Region Term Two B Games held last month at Hill School, Eldoret.

Wiyeta beat their arch-rivals Tartar from West Pokot County 2-1 in the girls’ final. They had to come from behind to secure victory and book their spot in nationals.

Milicent Yanot had opened the scoring for Tartar but Wiyeta hit back with goals from Centrix Shikanga’s brace. In the boys’ final, St Anthony’s needed a Daniel Chepkwony goal to see off West Pokot’s Ortum.

The two schools have been handed tricky pools in Mombasa and will need to be at their best to be able to successful defend their titles.

St Anthony’s have been pitted against Western Region football power house Kakamega’s Green Commandoes, Coast Region’s Ramisi and a school from North Eastern Regionin Pool A.

St Anthony's coach Peter Mayoyo is confident his charges can repeat last year’s success in Mombasa.

“We have been working hard for this competition and the lads are fired up. All teams are strong in the competition and it will be a tough tourney but we believe we can do it,” Mayoyo said on Sunday.

Striker Elly Saenyi will lead the team’s attacking line alongside Chepkwony.

Attacking midfielder Ken Mwendwa and Lucas Maina will take charge at the centre, while Ramadhan Hamisi will marshal the defence.

In Pool B, Nairobi’s Upper Hill headline the Pool alongside Nyanza’s Kisumu Day, debutants Isiolo Boys from Eastern and Passenga from Central Region.

Wiyeta on the other hand have been drawn against hosts Kwale Girls, Nyanza queens Nyakach Girls and Eastern’s Utithi in Pool A.

Wiyeta coach Edgar Manyara is not underestimating any team but has oozed confidence ahead of the week-long competition.

“Every team will want to beat us and we therefore need to up our game and avoid any mistakes. The key will be to approach every match as a final,” he said.

The lethal Shikanga will be Wiyeta’s attacking threat in the Coastal City.