Koyonzo shock Kakamega High to win Yala rugby 15s title

Koyonzo Secnodary School rugby players celebrate after winning the 2022 Yala rugby 15s title. [Washington Onyango,Standard]

Koyonzo Secondary School on Sunday evening shocked reigning East Africa rugby champions Kakamega High 12-3 to be crowned rugby 15s champions as the ninth edition of Yala Invitational annual school tournament came to an end at St Mary’s Yala, in Siaya County.

Mike Murithi scored a brace of tries and a conversion by Jackson Scatter saw Koyonzo end their losing streak against Kakamega High.

The 2019 East Africa and national champions have been beating Koyonzo in the Kakamega County and Western region games.

Koyonzo's captain Brian Kiptanui said belief and courage helped them in the victory against Kakamega High, who have been beating them in the Western region finals for a long time now.

His coach Oscar Okaron agreed with the statement saying their time has come to end their second fiddle tag people had given them.

“We dominated the finals from kick off and overpowered them in almost every sector. This is a sign of greater things and now we go back patiently waiting for school games,” said Okaron.

In rugby 7s, Misungu Boys were crowned winners after defeating Chianda Boys 17-15.

In basketball, United States International University-Africa (USIU-A), who were playing in the games as an invited club, were in fine form as they took home the tittle after defeating Maseno School 60-20.

Hosts St Mary’s Yala beat Maseno School 1-0 to win the hockey title, while St Paul’s Barkurwa Boys won the volleyball trophy after they saw off Mbale Boys.

Maseno School were lucky to win the handball title following a 10-9 win against Nyamninia Secondary School.