Friends School Kamusinga dethrone St Anthony’s Kitale

Jimmy Weboli (left) of St Luke Kimilili and Sam Mugabo of College Gisenyi, Uganda during18th edition of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Games at the St Constantines International School in Arusha, Tanzania on Thursday, 22 Aug 19, 2019. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Friends School Kamusinga are the 2019 Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association boys hockey champions. 

Kamusinga edged out arch-rivals St Anthony’s Kitale 1-0 to reclaim the crown they last won in 2016. Captain Shadrack Kipkoech’s 57th-minute goal sealed Kamusinga’s sixth East Africa regional title.

Kipkoech, who avenged his team’s loss at the national finals, said they were not ready to fall to St Anthony’s Kitale for the second time in one year.

“We were motivated to work harder because we had missed the national title and were not ready to play second fiddle to them again.”

The Kenyan girls were, however, unlucky as Uganda’s Kakungulu Memorial upset St Cecelia Misikhu 2-1 in the finals at the Twiga Club. It is the first time Kenyans have lost the title since the inception of the games. St John’s Kaloleni completed the podium after beating compatriots Nyamira 1-0 in play-offs.

Kenya also surrendered the girls’ football and hockey crowns yesterday. Kenyan champions Nyakach Girls High School and Itigo Girls High School lost their respective football semi-finals yesterday on post-match penalties to Ugandan opposition.

Nyakach went down 4-3 to Kawempe Muslim Secondary School as Itigo lost 9-8 to Mukono High School in the other last-four clash.

Itigo had played to a barren draw against Mukono High while Nyakach were held to a 2-2 stalemate in regular time, setting the stage for spot-kicks.

Kenya won the title last year through Kwale Girls Secondary School, who failed to reach the regional games. The two schools will battle for the bronze medal today as the Ugandans play for the title.

In the girls’ primary schools contest, Kenya’s Nyanza select team bagged the trophy after overcoming three other teams to top the standings in the round-robin format.

The Kenyan girls who were making their East African debut won all their matches.