Champions Musingu arrive with bags full of surprises

Musingu Boys High School hockey players after a match during Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Term One Games in Machakos County, on April 11, 2024. [File, Standard]

After two years of dominating hockey at the Brookside National Secondary Schools Term One Games, Musingu Boys High School are not done yet.

They are fired up and on a mission to extend their reign to three years in a row. Musingu will put their title on the line when this year's games begin on Tuesday at Shanzu Teachers College.

They denied perennial rivals and record national titleholders Friends School Kamusinga a chance to return to the nationals in a fiercely contested Western Region final that ended 1-0 in their favour.

Musingu, who are also the current East Africa champions, must first overcome the national hurdle for a chance to defend their Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) crown in August.

Team captain Elvis Shigunzi said their preparations were on track, though they had shifted their focus to examinations.

"Our preparations are good and we are now fully focused on the training because we had slowed down to focus on our end of term exams," Shigunzi said.

Shigunzi added that they are ready for the tough task ahead because every team wants to wrestle the trophy from them.

"We have been working very hard and with the help of our coaches. I believe we are ready. We know it will not be easy for us because as defending champions, we are the target of every team because we have what they are all fighting for," he added.

Musingu begin their title quest in Group B alongside newcomers Matiliku Secondary School from Eastern, Mpesa Foundation Academy from Central and homeboys Mnyenzeni Secondary School.

Though on paper it seems they will have it easy at the preliminaries, their biggest test will be their Group A opponents should they advance to the semis.

They will face stiff competition from the top two sides in Group A, which is the event's pool of death.

The group has former champions St Anthony's Kitale from Rift Valley, Hospital Hill from Nairobi and Nyanza's Our Lady of Mercy Ringa Boys.