St Anthony's end JOBO's reign in explosive county final

Trevor Nasasiro aka Zero celebrates after scoring the winning goal against St Joseph's. [Courtesy, St Anthony's School]

It was sweet revenge when St Anthony's Boys, popularly known as Solidarity, beat rivals St Joseph's Boys (JOBO) to the county soccer title.

The victory not only restored Solidarity’s dominance in county football but also denied JOBO a chance to defend the national title they won last year.

Coached by Peter Mayoyo, a former assistant coach of Kenya’s national junior teams, St Anthony’s entered the final determined to make amends after losing the county crown to JOBO last year in a competition held at Chebisas High School in Eldoret.

Their persistence paid off in the 52nd minute when striker Trevor Nasasiro produced a moment of brilliance, weaving past JOBO defenders before unleashing a powerful shot that found the back of the net.

St Anthony’s controlled much of the match and created several scoring opportunities in both halves before finally breaking the deadlock.

At the final whistle, jubilant Solidarity supporters erupted into song and dance as they celebrated the hard-fought victory.

The celebrations spilled beyond the stadium, with hundreds of fans escorting the team through Kitale in a convoy of boda bodas and vehicles. Traffic along the Kachibora-Kitale Road was temporarily disrupted as supporters marked the triumph.

Business activities in parts of Kitale also slowed as crowds poured into the streets to celebrate the team's success.

St Anthony Boys fans celebrate with the trophy after the team beat rivals St Joseph's Boys JOBO by 1-0 to win the Trans-Nzoia boys soccer title. [Osinde Obare, Standard

School principal Simon Masibo described the win as a well-deserved reward for the team's hard work and determination.

"The team was well prepared and focused on victory. We were determined to clinch the county title we lost to our rivals last year," said Masibo.

He expressed confidence that the team could replicate its success at the regional and national levels.

"Our eyes are on regional and national trophies after the victory at the county level," said Masibo.

St Anthony’s are former national champions, having won the title in 2023, and will now be seeking to reclaim national glory.

The rivalry between the two schools has produced some memorable encounters in recent years.

Last year, St Anthony’s appeared to have beaten JOBO 3-2 at Ndura Sports Complex before the match was halted with two minutes remaining. JOBO lodged a complaint alleging they had been denied a penalty following a foul.

The dispute was later heard by the local secondary schools sports association, which ordered a replay at a neutral venue outside the county, citing interference from local fans.

The replay was held at Chebisas High School, where JOBO turned the tables and thrashed St Anthony’s 5-0 to claim the county title.

St Anthony’s have also enjoyed success beyond Kenya, representing the country at the East and Central Africa Secondary Schools Games held in Rwanda in 2023.

The latest victory adds another chapter to the fierce rivalry between the two schools, whose battles extend beyond the football pitch into academics and other sporting disciplines.