Kabarnet, Olmoran to kick off Rift Valley knockout stage action
Part of the action between Mogotio (green) and Wiyeta during their Group D girls football match in the ongoing Rift Valley Regional Secondary Schools Term Two at the Nyahururu Stadium Laikipia County on July 20, 2023. Wiyeta won 7-0.
What you need to know:
- Falling Waters beat Nyiro 5-0, before they edged Mogotio 1-0. Their coach Emman Gullit Wafula however said all players are in perfect shape despite playing under protest as they had not been given lunch.
There will be no room for error as the Rift Valley Region Secondary School Games enter the knock-out stage on the third day of action to on Friday.
As expected, the big guns comfortably sealed their places after negotiating the preliminary stages. The quarter-finals will be played this morning with semis in the afternoon ahead of Saturday’s last day of action.
Boys’ football champions Kabarnet Boys’ High School get proceedings underway with their quarter-final clash against Olmoran High School, before last year’s beaten finalists St Anthony’s Boys’ High School, Kitale take on Menengai High School in the second quarter.
The final knock-out matches will see Mwiruti Secondary School up against Chemase Secondary School and Christ the King Secondary School versus Kaplong Boys’ High School.
Kabarnet coach Rueben Sengech believes they are well on course to defend their title and make another appearance at next month’s nationals in Kakamega High School having made their debut last year.
“We achieved the first target which was getting out of the group and now we have to be on high alert because there is no room for error in the knockout stages. We are the defending champions and therefore everyone wants to beat us,” the coach told Nation Sport yesterday.
In girls’ football, national and regional champions Wiyeta Girls’ Secondary School also made it to the last eight after a slow start in the preliminaries.
Change the team formation
Wiyeta coach Edgar Manyara has expressed optimism of retaining their regional title, despite injuries to three of his key players. “We are not in top notch form due to the three injuries. This has forced us to change the team formation,” said Manyara.
The Trans Nzoia County School crushed Mogotio High School of Baringo County 7-0 and Nyiro Girls’ Secondary School of Samburu County 4-1 to finish top of pool “D’ with seven points.
They had settled for a barren draw with Falling Waters Secondary School from Nyahururu in their opener on Wednesday. Falling Waters join Wiyeta in the last eight after also finishing on seven points, but an inferior goal difference to Wiyeta.
Falling Waters beat Nyiro 5-0, before they edged Mogotio 1-0. Their coach Emman Gullit Wafula however said all players are in perfect shape despite playing under protest as they had not been given lunch.
