Africa-Press – Kenya. New champions will be crowned in boys’ handball, rugby 15s and boys’ hockey at the upcoming KSSSA Term One Games after a dramatic shake-up at the Western Region championships.
Defending champions St Luke’s Kimilili (handball), Vihiga Boys High School (rugby 15s) and Musingu High School (hockey) all failed to qualify for the national showpiece following upsets at Chavakali High School.
In hockey, Musingu’s dominance came to an end after a dramatic 3-1 loss on flicks to Friends School Kamusinga, marking a strong comeback for the former national champions after three years out of the spotlight.
Despite the setback, Musingu had earlier shown their quality by beating St Luke’s Kimilili 20-15 to claim the regional title. Rugby 15s also witnessed a major shift, with Vihiga Boys falling 7-0 to Kakamega High School in the semi-finals.
Their exit opens the door for returning sides such as Bungoma High School, the 2016 champions, who are back at the nationals after several years away. While some giants fell, others return to defend their crowns.
Laiser Hill Academy (boys’ basketball), Butere Girls (girls’ basketball), Tigoi Girls High School (girls’ hockey) and Moi Girls Kamusinga (handball) will all be aiming to retain titles they won last year in Mombasa.
The national championships will be staged in Kisumu from April 5-11, setting the stage for a highly competitive tournament. Butere Girls, chasing a fourth consecutive basketball title, are bracing for a tough campaign. Head coach Chris Odeke remains confident despite a challenging pool that includes Nyanza champions Asumbi Girls.
“We have won the national trophy three times; we are going for the fourth consecutive title,” said Odeke. “It’s a tough pool, but we expect to emerge as winners so that we face the second-placed team in the other pool.”
In handball, Godfrey Simiyu of Moi Girls Kamusinga anticipates a high level of competition as his side seeks to defend its crown.
“The levels of handball are too high. To defend the trophy, we must raise the bar higher. I want to use the next week to polish some weak areas before the nationals,” he said.
Kamusinga headline Pool A alongside Nembu High, Kyeni Girls and Nyakach Girls, while Pool B features St Joseph’s Girls Kitale, Mwatate, Karai and a representative from North Eastern. The boys’ rugby 15s competition is shaping up as one of the most open in recent years.
With no clear favourite, traditional powerhouses such as Bungoma High, St Mary’s School, Yala and Upper Hill School will battle alongside FEASSA champions Kisii School for top honours.
Yala head coach George Kerima says his side is determined to reclaim the national title they last won eight years ago, while Kisii School, under coach Edwin Morara, is chasing history.
“The national title is the only trophy we have not won. We narrowly lost the regional title, but we have now turned our attention to the nationals. We want to lift our maiden national title,” said Morara. With former champions already out and new contenders emerging, this year’s games promise a shift in the balance of school sports power—setting up a national championship where opportunity, rather than legacy, may define the winners.
