School Games: Dr Aggrey, Laiser to fight for supremacy in Eldoret

Defending boys’ basketball champions Dr Aggrey High School will renew their rivalry with former winners Laiser Hill Academy at the National Secondary Schools Term One Games in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County next week.

The two schools have been pooled together in Group “B” in the draws released by the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA).

Also in the pool are Onjiko Boys High School (Nyanza Region) and a school from North Eastern Region.

The games, which will also feature are rugby 15s, hockey, handball, cross country, athletics and swimming, will run from April 24-29.

Eight-time champions Laiser Hill Academy from Rift Valley Region lost their title to newcomers Dr Aggrey at last year’s championship at Nakuru Boys High School.

Ironically, Laiser Hill had beaten Coast Region’s Dr Aggrey 88-30 at the preliminary stage, but the latter went on to lift the title after a 70-64 win over Nairobi’s Dagoretti High School in the final.

Laiser Hill, who lost to Dagoretti in the semis, finished third and coach Anthony Kirimi says they want their title back.

“We were disappointed with the result last year and that has motivated us to work hard and try and get back our title. It won’t be easy because every team in the national is strong, but we have what it takes to wrestle back the title from Dr Aggrey,” said Kirimi, whose side qualified for the nationals after beating Menengai Boys High School from Nakuru County 61-32, in the Rift Valley Regional finals.

Dr Aggrey coach Kelvin Aran is also relishing the opportunity of going head on against Laiser Hill as they bid to retain their title.

“The pressure will be on us because we are the defending champions and my message to the other teams is that we are ready. We want to prove that last year’s win in Nakuru was not a fluke,” a confident Aran said.

Dr Aggrey had a memorable debut year, which also saw them reach the final of the East Africa Secondary Schools Games in Arusha, before losing to Uganda’s Buddo Secondary school.

In Pool “A”, Dagoretti will be favourites to sail into the semis, but they will have to overcome Friends School Kamusinga Boys High School, Central’s Thika High School and returnees Lukenya Academy (Eastern).

In the girls’ draw, defending champions Kaya Tiwi High School from Coast Region headline Pool “A” alongside Western’s Butere Girls High School, last year’s third placed finishers Ototo Mixed Secondary School (Nyanza) and a team from North Eastern.

Pool “B’ sees two debutantes in Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School (Nairobi) and Eastern’s Clay International School. They will battle Loreto Girls High School (Central) and St Joseph's Girls High School, Kitale.

Rugby 15s seems to be most open competition in the absence of national champions Kakamega High School. In Pool “A”, only Mangu High School from Central Region have been to the nationals, with Ofafa Jericho High School (Nairobi), All Saints Embu High School (Eastern) and St Patrick's High School, Iten (Rift Valley) set to debut.