School games: Clash of titans as last four fight for East Africa slots

Highway Secondary School’s Ryan Ehenzo jumps over Stephens Ouma of St Mary’s Yala during Kenya Secondary School Term 2 games at M-pesa Foundation Academy yesterday. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

After three days of gruelling encounters, the battle is now down to the last four as this year’s Secondary Schools National Term Team games enter the penalty stage today at the Mpesa Foundation Academy, Thika.

With tickets to the Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) and places in tomorrow’s finals at stake, there is no room for error, for a slight slip-up could crush dreams. The last four standing in football have everything to fight for, since only the finalists are assured of tickets to Morogoro, Tanzania, for the regional showpiece.

After knocking out 2024 national champions Highway Senior School on a head-to-head basis, 1971 winners Menengai will today face off with Kakamega School’s Green Commandos in a top-of-the-bill semis clash at 11 am. Menengai will be looking to end the Green Commandos’ good run and book a place in tomorrow’s final.

They finished second in Group A, which had the top three sides tied on six points. St Mary’s Yala, who will take on Takaba in the other last four duel, topped the pool thanks to their impressive goal difference. Unbeaten Kakamega led Group B with nine points while Takaba were second with six following their two wins against St Philip Baricho and Tumaini.

Yesterday, they edged out Tumaini 4-2 in their pool match to seal their place in the semis. Takaba coach Noah Thuranira said that achieving the feat of being the first team from the North East Region to reach the semi-finals was due to a process that required patience and dedication.

“I have built this team since 2023 and it is not a miracle that we are here because we have been steadily improving” Thuranira said.

Takaba captain Abdikarim Aliow Jiraw said that they were able to recover after their opening defeat to Kakamega because they were determined to make a good account of themselves. “We struggled in our first game because we didn’t know what to expect, and this was also the first time we played on a grass pitch. Even so, we were not discouraged since we had a bigger goal to achieve and with two matches at hand, we knew that it was doable,” Abdikarim said.

He added they were also motivated by the desire to make their region proud.

“We wanted to change the narrative that North Eastern teams are just participants and not strong contenders. We wanted to change that, and so we gave our best to make sure we leave the championship heads high.”

In the girls’ title chase, former national and East Africa champions Archbishop Njenga will lock horns with St Joseph’s Girls Senior School Kitale for a place in the semis. Archbishop, who eliminated 2025 winners at the Western Region games, will be looking to extend their good run after topping Group B with nine points. Unbeaten Nyakach Girls will take on Raila Educational Centre (REC) in the other girls’ last four tie.

In netball, last year’s bronze medallists St Monica Bukholo will square it out with home girls Kinale, who finished second in Group B after beating Nairobi’s REC 48-27 in their last Group B match.

Former national champions Kaya Tiwi will lock horns with Andersen. Kaya Tiwi will be out to stop Andersen and remain in the race, who are also unbeaten and remain on course to recapture the title that has eluded them for years.