School games: Chesamisi and Matiliku cruise to nationals semis

Transzoia County’s Andersen High School celebrate after beating Bukokholi Girls. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Novices Chesamisi Boys Senior School and Matiliku Boys yesterday stormed the semi-finals of the 2026 Kenya Secondary Schools National Term Two games currently on at the Mpesa Foundation Academy, Thika.

This is after they registered their second victories to snatch the top two spots in Group B thus marking the end of the road for 2023 national winners Ruthimitu Mixed and Moi Forces Academy. Western champions Chesamisi will today meet with their Eastern compatriots Maitliku with the winner toping the pool.

Chesamisi, who launched their campaign with and impressive straights win against Ruthimitu, proved that they are indeed frontrunners in the race to succeed Cheptil as they beat Moi Forces without dropping a set. They made light work of the Coastal champions sweeping them a side in sets of 25-13, 25-10 and 25-11. Matiliku on the other side sealed Ruthimitu’s fate with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-21 win. Ruthimitu will today take on Moi Forces in their last pool match as they seek to improve their final ranking.

In the girls’ title hunt, former national and East Africa champions Kesogon Mixed Senior School from Rift Valley advanced to the semi-finals after beating perennial rivals Soweto Academy in their second Group A match.

Kesogon, who are looking to reclaim the title they lost to Kwanthanze in 2024, exerted dominance on Soweto beating them in straight sets of 25-12, 25-19 and 25-19 to inch closer to the title.

An elated Kesogon captain Mary Cherotich said that they had achieved their first goal and they are now looking to end the preliminaries on a high so they can focus on the knockouts.

“We have been working very hard on preparations for this year’s games and I’m glad our efforts are gradually paying off. We have achieved our first target but we remained focused because we know that we still have a long way to go.”

In the second Group B match, newcomers St Cecilia Aluor from Nyanza bounced back from their opening defeat to Kesogon to beat Coast Region’s Mwanambeyu and revive their hopes of reaching the semis.

Aluor dismissed Mwanambeyu in straight sets of 25-6, 25-12 and 25-13. Aluor will today battle it out with Soweto in hunt for the remaining last four slot in the pool.

In Group A, Western’s St Martha’s Mwitoti cruised to the semi-finals after seeing off Wajir Girls from North Eastern 3-0 (25-7, 25-10, 25-15.

Champions Kwanthanze recovered from their shock defeat to beat homegirls Kahuro 25-13, 25-16, 25-16 in their second match and revive hopes of defending their title.

Today, Kwanthanze will have everything to play for when they meet Wajir Girls in their last pool match. A win will see them finish second in the pool to set an epic battle with bitter rivals Kesogon who are likely to top Group B.

In netball, former national champions Kaya Tiwi from Coast reached the semi-finals after dismissing home side Kinale Girls 48-24 in Group B.

Nairobi’s Raila Educational Centre (REC, who had suffered day one defeat to Kaya Tiwi recovered to beat North Eastern’s Hon DM Amin 120-11. Rift Valley’s Andersen held the nerve to beat St Monica Bukokholo from Western 44-43 and secure a semi-final slot in Group A.

Asumbi Girls from Nyanza also had a great day in office easing to a resounding 86-14 win against Moi Girls Kibwezi.