Curtain comes down on schools sports action

Upper Hill were on Saturday crowned the rugby 15 champions as the curtain fell on the 2018 Brookside Term One National Secondary School Games at Kangaru School, Embu.

The Nairobi-based side came from behind to edge newcomers Menengai High School from Rift Valley region 15-12 in the final, with Daniel Katerega kicking in the drop goal to win his side their maiden title in sudden death. 

Laiser Hill and Kaya Tiwi successful retained their boys’ and girls’ basketball titles after seeing off debutantes Sigalame and Butere Girls in their respective finals.

Laiser overpowered Sigalame 65-48 for their seventh national title, as Kaya beat Butere 36-31 to make it three crowns in a row.

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In hockey, St Anthony’s Boys Kitale and Trans Nzoia were crowned winners after seeing off Upper Hill and Tigoi Girls in identical 2-1 wins. Western Region’s Moi Girls Kamusinga and Kimilili Boys reclaimed their handball crowns after defeating the Nyanza duo of Sega Girls and Kanyawanga respectively in the finals. 

Said Upper Hill skipper Smith Rolf: “It feels good to finally win the national title. We refused to stop believing and even when trailing we knew we would come back,” the skipper said.

Menengai, who has ousted last year’s winners Kakamega in the semis,  landed two penalties from Britton Maluki for a 6-0 lead in the opening exchanges.

Upper Hill hit back as John Junior raced clear to land the try and Menengai carried a 6-5 lead at the breather.

Two more penalties from Maluki increased their lead to 12-5 but Upper Hill hit back with a try from Cedric Onyango and Katerega converting to send the game to sudden death.

Both teams missed penalty conversions in the opening period of sudden death but Katerega held his nerve to kick in a pin point drop goal to seal the title minutes later.

In basketball, Laiser Hill recovered from slow starts in the first two quarters to finally overcome a fighting Sigalame in a charged encounter. Laiser led 12-11 in the opening encounter but were outscored 17-8 in the second quarter to trail 28-20 at halftime.

Laiser trailed by 13 points at one point in the third quarter but recovered to lead 20-12 at the end of the period to bring the scores to 40-40. Laiser led by guard James Malek, who led the offense with 28 points, turned on the style in the last quarter to outscore Sigalame 25-8.

“We were under pressure at some point but I think the experience in the team is what made the difference and we’re able to see out the contest,” Laiser Hill skipper Sheldon Ouma said. 

Sigalame’s Isaac Wafula scored 24 points for his side. In the girls’ final, Kaya exacted revenge on Butere who had beaten them earlier in the preliminary stage. The Coast school triumphed thanks to Teresa Othuol’s 18 points and Yvonne Atieno (nine points).