Kenyans now shift focus to East Africa school games

National Term Two games. [Photo, Standard] After days of fierce battles, song, dance, tears of joy and heartbreak marked the end of the 2025 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term Two games on Saturday in Kakamega. While the victors celebrated their conquests, their peers endured not only the pain of having lost but also the end of their 2025 journey. As their peers joined the team Kenya camp for the upcoming Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) games, they embarked on a long journey home, satisfied that they did their best and with the hope that they will perform better next year. The Kenyans, who excelled in both Term One and Two games, have now shifted focus to the East Africa games that the country will host from August 14 to 23 at the same venues. Rift Valley Region won the overall 2025 trophy after garnering 201 points cumulative from their Term One and Two effort. Western Region finished second with 176 while Nyanza was third with 153. Nairobi was ranked fourth with 148, Central fifth with 112, Eastern sixth with 108, while Coast and North Eastern finished seventh and eighth with 107 and 20 points respectively. The 2002 Kamukunji Secondary School record remained intact as new champions were crowned in boys' football. St Joseph's High School Kitale edged out hosts Musingu High School 1-0 in a hotly contested final to win their maiden national gong. Last year's winners Highway Secondary School from Nairobi failed to break the over two decades jinx that has seen no champion successfully defend their crown. Kamukunji then captained by current Football Kenya Federation (FKF) vice president Macdonald Mariga was the last school to achieve the feat in 2002. Since then, a new champion has been crowned in the contest. Butere Girls Red Commandos proved that they are without doubt the queens of secondary school football when they dismissed rivals Madira Girls High School 1-0 in the final. Metrin Kitiavi scored Butere's winning goal, giving them a third straight national gong and a fourth overall. Kitiavi, christened TVS a motorcycle brand by her teammates, was voted the girls' Most Valuable Player (MVP) while St Joseph's goalkeeper Delvin Vurachi took the boys' accolade. Butere skipper Halima Imbachi said they are looking to wrestle to East Africa trophy from the Ugandans. "We are playing at home and so we want to capitalise on the immense support we have to win the East Africa trophy. We came close last year but fell short and I think we have a better chance this year," Imbachi said. However, the Junior Starlets captain said they don't expect to have it easy because the Ugandans will be out to ensure they retain the title. Butere lost 1-0 to Uganda's St Noa Girls Secondary School in last year's final played in Mbale, Uganda. Butere will lead Madira, Nasokol Girls and Kobala Mixed in hunt for the East Africa title whike St Joseph's Musingu, Highway and Agai Mixed will be chasing the boys' gong. There were no upsets in volleyball as Cheptil High School from Rift Valley and Kwanthanze Secondary School successfully defended their boys' and girls' titles. Cheptil beat rivals Malava Boys High School, who returned to the national stage for the first time since 2018 in straight sets 3-0(25-25, 25-14, 25-22) to retain their gong. Kwanthanze silenced perennial rivals Kesogon Secondary School 3-0 (25-17, 25-6, 25-16) to extend their national reign. Kwanthanze, who lost their East Africa title to Kesogon last year, are determined to recapture it. Coach Justin Kigwari said it is a tough call but they are keen to give their best not just against Kenyan teams but teams from other countries because they are also a threat to their ambitions. "It takes a lot of hard work to maintain good results but my girls are giving their best in training and in competition. We have achieved our first goal and now face a tougher task at the East Africa games. We want to do better than last year and hopefully we will reclaim our title," Kigwari said. Kwanthanze, defending champions Kesogon, bronze medalists Bishop Sulumeti and Soweto Academy will represent Kenya in the girls' contest. Cheptil, Malava, Term Two games top revelation Mwaluphamba Secondary School from Coast, who excelled on their debut to take bronze and Gogo Mixed, will be out to grab the title from the Burundians who snatched it last year. Friends Secondary School Namwela won the title in 2023 in Huye, Rwanda but failed to defend it in Uganda last year. Cheptil's Justus Kibet and Kwanthanze's Mercyline Nabwire were voted MVPs. Boys' rugby 7s was a Western affair as they registered a clean sweep. Former East Africa champions St Peter's Mumias returns returned to the national stage with a bang beating their compatriots Koyonzo Secondary School 14-12 to recapture their trophy. Bungoma High completed the podium after humbling last year's champions Bwake in third-place play-offs. The Rough Machines of Mumias have now set their sights on the East Africa gong. "We want to reclaim the East Africa trophy also that is why we will focus on the preparations with the aim strengthening areas that we struggled and also correcting the mistakes we made," St Peter's coach Nelson Jaika said. Kinale Girls from Central entered the KSSSA history books after beating St Joseph's Girls High School Kitale to 17-5 to snatch the trophy. St Theresa's Kithimu from Eastern and Paul Harris from Coast completed the girls East Africa rugby 7s lineup. St Peter's Clinton Njenga and Kinale's Rose Waithera bagged the MVP awards. Oyugi Ogango proved that the tides have changed when they successfully defended their netball title with a convincing 57-29 victory against newbies St Joseph's Girls High School Kitale. Former champions Kaya Tiwi finished a distant fourth after falling to homegirls St Monica Bukokholo 25-50 in their third-place duel. Debora Akoth of Oyugi Ogango was named the MVP in netball.

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