Debutantes Bukembe tough nut to crack

Dairus Jairo of Leiser Hill Academy in action against Passenga Secondary School, during their East Africa Secondary School Games football match at Hill School, Uasin Gishu County on August 29, 2016.[PHOTO:DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]

Debutants Friends School Bukembe of Kenya proved their mettle at the ongoing Brookside East Africa Secondary School games currently on in Eldoret. Going into the regional games as the fourth repsentatives behind national champions Laiser Hill, losing finalists Barding and third place finishers Passenga Bukembe were perceived as the weakest of them all.

However, the Kenyan boys have proved that they are no push-overs sending an early warning to opponents with their impressive performance. After holding 12-time champions St Mary‘s Kitende of Uganda to a 1-1 draw in their debut match they proved their worth with a resounding 3-1 win over LT St Basile of Burundi. Despite the Burundians going ahead in the 19th minute through Pascal Niyonguru, they pressed on in hunt of an equalizer.

Wycliffe Wanyonyi was on target in the 35th minute restoring parity for the first half to end at level. Bukembe were best side in the second half with Patrick Otieno netting a brace in the 46th and 70th minutes.

Skipper Mwanahalima Adams and Hellen Ochieng once again spearheaded St John‘s Kaloleni‘s campaign as Kenya‘s national queens hammered Tanzania‘s Alliance 3-0. Adams bagged a brace while Ochieng scored their third goal. Adams told Feverpitch that they are focused and determined to play in the finals. ‚‘We are here on a mission that we intend to accomplish. We have sealed a place in the last four which means that we have to up our game fight harder.“

In netball the Kenyan girls found the going tough against dominant Ugandans. National champions Kaya Tiwi succumbed to a 25-45 lose to London College while Obambo suffered a humiliating 21-55 defeat to perennial rivals and defending champions St Mary‘s Kitende. Kaya Tiwi had won their opening match against GS Gahini of Rwanda 32-17.