Secondary School Games enter penultimate stage at different venues in Machakos County
The limited ticket for the East Africa School Games scheduled for Mbale, Uganda in August has elicited intense rivalry at the on going Brookside Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association-(KSSSA) games, making today’s semi-final duels at Machakos High School and Machakos Stadium a must watch action.
Representatives in five disciplines and two pools a-piece were hard at work yesterday with all eyes on the Saturday finals. Big excitement and competition was witnessed in Rugby 15s,Basketball Men & Women and Athletics.
In Ladies Basketball, Nairobi’s Buruburu Girls saw off the spirited fight of Nyanza region representatives Nyakach Girls in a tense 65-57 finish to line up a semi-finals slot against Rift Valley’s Nasokol School.
Elsewhere, in the Boys Basketball preliminaries, Dr Aggrey of Coast Region oversaw Sigalame from Busia County 69-59 in an electric match with the 2022 national winners keen to replicate their form.It was a fairly evenly contest but the coastal side were more determined and made the fewer mistakes on the ball and also technically stood out. Dr. Aggrey Head Coach Kevin Aran praised his charges mindset in the win that took them to the semis.
“We made the opponents uncomfortable with press defense approach so that their guards cannot be comfortable. This worked well a d at the same time we did our best to utilize out chances effectively.I know we will encounter a different ball game in the semis but psychologically we are prepared.”
In Handball Boys,Nandi County’s Saniaki who won all preliminary matches are looking ahead to the semi-finals against Kimilili Boys of Bungoma County.The Rift Valley team that last year were losing regional semi-finalist are an improved lot according to their Coach Moses Tarus.
“Over the last three days we have seen great improvement but also tens are here to do battle and we are not surprised For us target is to win the title and represent Kenya in the East Africa games.We have the skills and tight psychology and the boys are rating to go so we look forward to a good contest.”
In Rugby 15s,rivalries were on full display with the much awaited battle between last year finalists All-Saints School of Eastern and Butula High School of Busia County ending on the latter’s advantage with a 12-9 win.The brutal and fast paced contest so a lot of power play in display.The winning coach knows full well the target but the job is not done yet.
“Obviously we want to win it all and defend our title but we must be wary. Still utmost two games to go.We played All Saints give times so we know each other very well and we had to utilize our chances.We have away some penalties which were not ideal and allowed them a lead but we had to regroup and come from behind so all credit to my boys led by the Captain,” stated coach Shimenga Livondo.
In other related Rugby results, Lenana School of Nairobi defeated traditional goes Mangu School of Central Region 14-6 in another epic thriller played in uneven conditions with lots of foul calls. At the same time,already dismissed Kisii School saw off At.Patricks Iten of Rift Valley 12-0 with Kitondo High School of Eastern dominating Marafa School of Coast in the 15s game 36-6 at close.
The Hockey Ladies affair was electric as well Thursday with Nyamira of Nyanza beating AIC Nyayo 1-0 while Tigoi of Kiambu beating Nairobi’s Pangani 9-0 while the Boys handball meets saw St. Antony Kitale of Western beat Katangi School of Eastern 6-0 comprehensively while Musingu School of Western saw off Muranga School 3-0.
The Athletics 10km men was fairly competitive as well with Rift Valley taking the first two podium slots for the Boys. Cornelius Kipkosgei (3:29:78) and Festus Kimutwo (31:31:16) led the group with Central region’s Calvin Muthii posting a time of 31:47:76).
