Debutantes Bukembe and Barding storm quarters

Minnows Bukembe and Barding upset the form book when they became the first Kenyan sides to qualify for the quarter-finals of the ongoing Brookside East Africa Secondary School games currently on in Eldoret. Bukembe extended their unbeaten run with a 2-1 victory over College Gisenyi of Rwanda.

Barding on the other hand maintained a clean sheet edging Kibuli of Uganda 1-0 to book their last-eight slot. Barding are the only side yet to concede a goal having beaten Rwanda’s Hanika 2-0 in their opening match. Making their second appearance on the regional scene national champions Laiser Hill and Passenga have won one, lost one match and drew one.

Bukembe coach David Kalamu said that he was confident his boys will pull a surprise and make the cut to the semis. “My boys are fighters and I believe that they will make the country proud. They have played well this far and am confident their best is yet to come,” Kalamu said.

National queens St John’s, Wiyeta, Nginda and Nyakach all qualified for the quarters in the girls battle. St John’s and Wiyeta remain unbeaten while Nginda and Nyakach have won two and lost one match each.

There will be no love lost when Kenyan champions AIC Kosirai meet East Africa defending champions GS Indagaburezi of Rwanda in the girls’ volleyball semi-finals. Debutants Soweto meet six-time East Africa champions Lugulu in the second girls last four tie.

The national queens will shoulder the burden of eliminating the Rwandans and setting an all-Kenyan final. Kosirai beat Kinawa of Uganda 3-0 (25-13, 25-17 and 25-23) in their last pool A tie. Despite losing to St Alloys Soweto finished second in pool A.

Kosirai coach Richard Soi told Feverpitch that they are ready to end the Rwandans reign at the helm of girls’ volleyball in the region. “We have high chances of beating them despite the fact that they were stronger than us last year. We lost to them but having watched them play at the group stage I believe that we are stronger because they have lost key players especially in attack while we have gained better players,” Soi said. Indagaburezi beat Kosirai 3-1 at the preliminaries in the games Rwanda hosted last year.

In basketball boys 2013 champions Upper Hill will face off with Rwanda’s APE Rugunga in a quest to seal the finals slot. Upper Hill thrashed PS Baptiste of Rwanda 63-37 in their last pool B match to top the group. In the second semis match defending champions ETG Nyakabiga of Burundi will take on PS Baptiste.

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