All set for national school games in Machakos

Machakos comes alive Tuesday as the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) national term one game gets underway across various venues in Eastern Kenya.

The five-day championships will feature basketball, rugby 15s, hockey, handball, swimming, athletics and cross-country

The girl’s rugby 15s will be included in the program, though under the sponsorship of Kenya Rugby Union, in a bid to nurture new talents for the girls’ discipline.

Teams arrived on Sunday and held light training at the venue ahead of the games, which will officially be opened by Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang, while the match officials have going through their paces since Saturday.

Teams from Nairobi, Western Nyanza, hosts Eastern, Coast, Rift Valley and North Eastern will battle for titles and tickets to the East Africa games set for Uganda in various categories.

The focus will be on the boy’s rugby 15s, where fireworks are expected with defending champions Butula High School out to reclaim the title they won last year in Eldoret but will have to upset giants Kisii School in the group stages before dreaming of a back-to-back gold.

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In Pool A, reigning champions Butula, who are making a second appearance at the national stage, will face stiff competition from debutants All Saints Embu from Eastern, and Nyanza Region winners Kisii School in a group that also contains national regulars St. Patrick’s Iten from Rift Valley.

In Pool B, three-time champions Mang’u High School from central will have an uphill task against Lenana School which is making a return to the stage after a 19-year hiatus following the triumph over Ofafa Jericho in the Nairobi region games. The duo will be against debutants Marafa School from Coast and Eastern region runners up Kitondo High School.

“We’ve worked tirelessly to reclaim our position on the national stage. The boys have shown remarkable resilience and skill, and we’re determined to make a statement at the upcoming finals," said Nicholas Abok after sealing a ticket to the nationals two weeks ago.

In handball, Hospital Hill from Nairobi will be looking to secure a third consecutive title when they take to the court but have to deal with Western champions St. Luke Kimilili and Handege from Central and North Eastern ambassadors Sabunley High School in Pool A.

Last year's runners-up, Mbooni High School, will be keen to capitalize on home advantage and bag a trophy that elapsed them in Eldoret due to the rains. They are grouped alongside stubborn Manyatta School from Nyanza, Coast’s Mwangea and Rift Valley representative Saniak.

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In the girl’s category, a new champion will be crowned after defending champions St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale failed to make it to the big stage. Last year’s runners-up, Moi Girls Kamusinga, head to the podium as the favourites and are pooled in Group A against Moi Girls Forces from Coast, Nairobi’s Dagoretti Mixed, and Kwanthanze from Eastern.

In Pool B, Ulanda Girls faces Mirunduko from Rift Valley, Nyathuna from Central and Hon DM Amin of North Eastern.

In Basketball, a fierce battle is expected in Pool A between defending champions Laiser Hill Academy and final loser Dagoretti High School, who will be keen to reclaim the title they lost to Laiser in Eldoret. Also in the pool are Sabunley and Lukenya.

In Group B, the Nyanza champions who are making a return to the stage, Agoro Sare, highlights the pool that includes Pioneer High School, Sigalame High, and Dr. Aggrey from Coast.

In the girls’ discipline, Butere Girls start title defence in Pool, which also has Mpesa Academy, Buruburu Girls, and Nyakach Girls, while record champion Kaya Tiwi is in Group B alongside Hon. DM Amin. Nasokol Girls and Ikutha Girls.

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Tuesday Fixtures

Basketball

Boys

Lukenya vs Laiser Hill

Dagoretti High vs Sabunley

Agoro Sare vs Sigalame

Pioneer vs Dr. Aggrey

Girls

Mpesa Academy vs Buruburu Girls

Butere Girls vs Nyakach Girls

Nasokol vs Kaya Tiwi.

Hon DM Amin vs Ikutha

Handball

Girls

Moi Forces Academy vs Kwanthanze

Moi Kamusinga vs Dagoretti Mixed

Ulanda Girls vs Nyathuna Sec

Mirunduko vs Hon DM Amin

Boys

Handege vs Kimilili

Sabunley vs Hospital Hill

Mbooni vs Manyatta

Mwangea vs Saniak