It will be a battle of the East and West when All Saints Embu from Eastern and Butula Boys from Western lock horns in rugby 15s finals of the 2023 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term One Games that end today in Eldoret.
Meeting for the first time, two sides will have everything to fight for as they seek to enter history books by winning the coveted trophy on their national debut. Butula who finished second in rugby 7s last year will be under pressure to ensure that they win the title last won by their Kakamega High compatriots so it can remain in their region.
All Saints on the other hand will be out to break the Western dominance and become the first Eastern region team to bag the trophy. All Saints saw off St Anthony’s Kitale from Rift Valley 18-5 while Butula thrashed Nairobi’s Ofafa Jericho 18-0 to set the final date. St Anthony’s and Ofafa will meet in the third place playoffs.
The finalists have been impressive throughout the competition winning all their matches and both are hoping to finish on a high. All Saints coach Benson Mwenda said that they want to win the title but whatever the outcome his boys had already made him proud. “School games are very competitive and reaching the final is not a mean achievement. My boys have played well, qualified for East Africa games and I believe that they will give their best,” Mwenda said.
In hockey boys defending champions St Anthony’s will go full throttle after surviving a scare that saw them win 4-3 in a penalty shootout. They had played to a one-all-draw with Mang’u High in regular time of their last four clash risking elimination from the contest. They will today take on Musingu School who beat Meru 2-0 in the other semis encounter.
Emotions will run high in the final as a player clashes with his former coach. St Anthony’s coach Kelvin Lugalia will be up against Musingu’s Michael Malungu, a man who taught him how to play hockey.
In the girls’ contest, former champions Nyamira from Nyanza will take on Tigoi from Western in the final. Nyamira will be looking to reclaim the title that has evaded them for many year’s while Tigoi will be eying their first ever national trophy. They have always fallen short despite reaching the national stage several times.
Nyamira drubbed off AIC Nyayo from Eastern 4-0 while Tigoi beat St Joseph’s Kitale 2-1 to set the final date. Mang’u will tackle Meru whereas St Joseph’s play AIC Nyayo in third place playoffs.
By Education News
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