SCHOOLS: St Mary's Yala dethrone Rangala Boys to win Siaya County handball title

St Mary's Yala handball team during a training session.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

St Mary’s School Yala are the 2024 Siaya County Secondary School handball boy’s champions.

Yala were crowned champions on Saturday after dethroning Rangala Boys High School 22-17 in the finals.

The win sees Yala return to the Nyanza Region Secondary School games after six years out.

Speaking after the win, Yala coach Francis Marange congratulated his boys saying the journey of St Mary’s dominance in handball has just begun.

St Mary's School Yala handball team and technical bench.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

Marange said he was impressed with how his boys adapted to the tough games especially after having to overcome a tough pool during the preliminary stages in Group A which had the ousted champions Rangala Boys, Usenge and Kambare.

“We are champions! We said it before the games that we were going for the title and I am very happy the boys believed in themselves and did it in style.

“To beat the champions twice and claim the top prize was something special and now we shift our gears to the regionals. We celebrate now but the work starts next week,” said Marange.

Yala begun the games on the front foot after seeing off Rangala Boys 27-26 in their opening Group A before sealing their spot in the last four after another narrow 31-30 win over Usenge High School.

Their final match of the pool saw Yala pick a 29-17 win over Kambare before humiliating Tuju 43-23 in the semifinals to get to the finals.