City champs Moi begin title chase

The Defenders and 2016 Hockey Girls Champions Moi Girls celebrate after beating Parklands Arya during a match with Upper Hill, Nairobi county during Metropolitan games held at Laiser Hill on Saturday, March 26, 2016. PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD.

Nairobi County girls' hockey champions Moi Girls Nairobi will begin this year’s campaign to grab the Dagoreti Sub-County gong at Lenana School today.

Unlike past editions that hockey was played in a county league, this year, they start at the Sub-County level and good performers proceed to sub-region. Thereafter, teams that excel will lock horns at the regional games in the hunt for a ticket to the nationals.

The Dagoreti County trophy will be contested in a round-robin format due to the small number of schools that play hockey.

Moi Girls have only one foe in Precious Blood Riruta while the fight for top honours in the boys’ category will involve hosts Lenana, Dagoreti High and Upper Hill.

Lenana will take on Dagoreti in their opening match before facing Upper Hill in their second match.

Moi coach Olubai Amai told Feverpitch that playing one team only was not enough to prepare his charges for stiffer competition at the higher levels.

“We are only two teams in our Sub-County which means that we will play fewer matches and it is not good for my girls because they need more play time. However, all is not lost because we will try to play in tournaments so as to gauge our abilities going forward.”

It will be same script different cast at Nairobi School when hosts take on Hospital Hill in the Westlands Sub-County contest. They are the only two schools with hockey teams in the Sub-County.

Last year’s county girls’ losing finalists Parklands Arya together with five other schools will battle it out in the hunt for a maiden Westlands title. Arya are in Pool A alongside Statehouse and St Georges whereas Kianda, Kenya High and Loreto Convent Msongari are in Pool B.

Arya play their first match against St Georges while Msongari will play Kianda in their opener. Kenya High and State House will play their opening matches against Msongari and St Georges respectively.

In the girls' basketball challenge titleholders Parklands Arya will be seeking to extend their unbeaten run and seal a semi-finals slot today.

The boys’ title is open for the best side after reigning champions St Austin’s opted out of this year’s competition.