School games: Will champions survive at nationals?

Musingu Boys' Alex Owino (left) and Adrian Simiyu of St Anthony Kitale Boys during Brookside national term one games at Shanzu Teachers training college. Sunday April 13, 2025. [Jonah Onyango, Standard] After weeks of grueling battles for survival, the stage is now set for the 2026 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term One games to be held from April 7-11 in Kisumu County. The air in Kisumu is thick with anticipation, but for some of the country's storied secondary schools' sports powerhouses, this year's national games ended before they even began. In days of high drama, nerve-wrecking duels and gut-wrenching upsets, three national champions found themselves on the wrong side of history as they were stripped off all their crowns with St Luke's Kimilili suffering the biggest loss as they surrendered their East Africa handball gong without a fight. With Kimilili, rugby 15s champions Vihiga High and boys' hockey holders Musingu High School out of the race, this year's national games will be defined as much by those who are missing as well as those present. While some giants fell, others crawled out of hibernation and will be making a comeback to the national stage. The return of hockey giants Friends School Kamusinga (FSK), who have been in the cold for three years, is the highlight of the 2026 games. The 12-time national champions who have also dominated on the East Africa stage have suffered at the hands of rivals Musingu who locked them out of the nationals since 2023. The boys' hockey lineup comprises national regulars, returnees as well as newcomers Mbooni Boys who will be out to prove that they are no pushovers. It will be a bitter-sweet reunion for FSK and their nemesis St Anthony's Boys High School Kitale. For close to two decades, the two hockey dynasties have traded the national title like a family heirloom with Narok High School disrupting the rhythm by snatching the 2014 and 2015 titles. FSK Cougars recaptured the national trophy in 2016 when they hosted the games but surrendered it to St Anthony's Les Titans who ruled until 2023 when they were dethroned by Musingu in Eldoret. FSK's comeback restores the traditional hierarchy of Kenyan schools' hockey with the two sides yearning to reclaim the national trophy. FSK coach Godfrey Muleyi said that they are ready for the national challenge. "We have been trying and failing for the past three years, we are ready and determined to make this opportunity count. We were humbled as Western celebrated our victory after the final and it has inspired us to give our best and make the region proud at the nationals," Muleyi said. The return of 2017 East Africa champions Kisumu Day who reclaimed their Nyanza Region title after beating Ringa Boys spices up the national contest by setting up high-stakes mouth-watering collisions. Tigoi who survived a scare from underdogs Shieywe Secondary School will be on a mission to retain their title. They will face off with reigning East Africa champions St Joseph's Kitale from Rift Valley and Nyanza champions Ng'iya Girls who will be out for an upgrade on last year's bronze medal. Nyamira Girls return to the big stage after a year as the number two team from Nyanza. Save for Nyamira the girls hockey lineup remains the same with Mwiki Secondary School representing Nairobi, St Charles Lwanga (Coast), Mpesa Foundation Academy (Central) and AIC Nyayo from Eastern Region. Amidst the regional carnage, the basketball national titles are still safe in the hands of Laiser Hill Academy and Butere Girls High School. The duo retained their Rift Valley and Western titles and will be in Kisumu to defend their honour. New champions will be crowned in rugby 15s following the exit of 2026 winners Vihiga and the inclusion of the girls' competition. Bungoma High will be hoping to bag their second national gong 10 years after they won in 2016. They carry the hopes of the Western Region for they must defend the title won by Vihiga last year. Former national and East Africa champions Upper Hill (Nairobi) and All Saints Embu from Eastern, national regulars Mang'u, returnees Menengai High from Rift Valley and Kwale High from Coast will all be eying the trophy that is now free for all. Moi Girls Kamusinga (MGK), who are among the last four standing champions, will be looking to defend their girls' handball title. They will clash with last year's finalist St Joseph's Kitale, St Claire Nembu from Nairobi, Mwatate Secondary School from Coast, Central's Karai Mixed, Nyanza's Nyakach Girls, Dr Charles from Eastern and a North Eastern side. The boys' handball title is up for grabs following the elimination of Kimilili. However, Western champions Kimilili, Coast champions Kenyatta High School Mwatate, who will be at the national stage under the guidance of former Kimilili coach Gerald Juma, and Nyanza's St Mary's Yala, are title favourites. Central's Handege will bank on their consistency this year while the Eastern representative will be decided after the hearing of a re-appeal by Mboono Boys who had won the title but their win was revoked following a successful appeal by finalists St Austin Matuu Day. The national lineup will be complete in basketball and handball after North Eastern hold their games from March 31 to April 2.

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