Newcomers eye titles in national games

Debutantes dominate the line-up of teams that will take part in the Secondary Schools Term One National Games that start Tuesday in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.

Half of the teams will be making their maiden appearances at the championships that will feature basketball, rugby 15s, hockey, handball, swimming, athletics and cross country.

Some of the bigwigs that will miss out on the nationals include rugby 15s champions Kakamega High School, girls’ hockey champions St Mary’s Tachasis Girls Secondary School, eight times national boys’ handball champions St Luke’s Kimilili Boys High School and former national rugby 15s champions Upper Hill School.

Their places have been taken up by the likes of Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School, Ofafa Jericho High School, Clay International School, Afraha Secondary School and Kisii High School among others.

The upsets witnessed at the regional games underlined the level of competition at these games and more surprises should be expected at the five-day competition.

Our Lady of Mercy, who upset the odds to clinch the girls’ basketball final at the Nairobi Region Games, are in Eldoret to continue with their giant-killing acts.

The South B based school beat Raila Educational Centre School 32-28 in the Nairobi final. On their way to the final, they eliminated holders Olympic High School in the last four.

In Eldoret, they will come up against fellow debutantes Clay International School (Eastern), as well as regulars Loreto High School, Limuru (Central) and Rift Valley Region’s St Joseph’s Girls High School, Kitale in pool “B”.

Our Lady coach Mark Otieno believes they will do well in Eldoret and wants his charges to savour every moment.

“It is a great achievement to reach the nationals after many years of heartbreak. We want to continue with our fairytale run and hopefully even qualify for the East Africa Games,” Otieno said yesterday.

“No team is easy at this level and that means we also need to be at our best so that we can get a chance of progressing to the semis,” he added.

Coach Otieno will bank on point guard Stella Akoth and Daisy Awino, who were instrumental in their win against Raila Educational Centre in the Nairobi final. Akoth scored 12 points and was also named Most Valuable Player, while Awino added 10 points.

In rugby 15, six of the eight teams are also set bow at the competition looking to succeed Kakamega High School as champions.

In Pool “A”, only Mangu High School from the Central Region and Rift Valley’s St Patrick's High School, Iten have been to the nationals. Ofafa Jericho High School (Nairobi) and All Saints Embu High School (Eastern), who complete the pool, will be making their bow.

However, Ofafa and All Saints made their debuts at the nationals last year in Nakuru, but in rugby sevens. Three-time champions Mangu are regulars at this stage, while St Joseph’s last featured in 2009.