Schools gear up for Regional showpiece

With most schools completing their County Term One Secondary Schools Games, focus now shifts to the regionals that run from Tuesday to Saturday.

Term One disciplines include rugby 15s, athletics, hockey, handball, basketball, swimming and cross country.

The vast Rift Valley regional competition will be held in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County from Tuesday.

Schools in Bomet, Narok and Kericho counties have upped their training with an eye on the next level of competition.

Coaches have been working around the clock to improve on the weak areas.

In Bomet, Kapkesosio Secondary School and Tebeswet Secondary School, who won girls’ hockey and boys’ handball titles, respectively, during the term one games at Longisa High School are aiming for top honours during the regional games.

When Nation Sport visited Kapkesisio Secondary School we found the players training in an open field. They were using logs as goal posts.

“We don't have otherwise as time for competition nears and we need to practice,” said coach Onesmus Koech.

The boys’ team's coach Silas Rotich, who doubles up as the games teacher, and two former students — Amos Bore and Brian Kiprotich have been incorporated into the team

Besides the coaches, other teachers led by Principal Bevon Monda have joined the team’s training to encourage the players.

“We borrowed these hockey sticks and other facilities we are using here because they are expensive and we cannot manage as a school because we are a day school,” said Rotich.

He called on the well-wishers including area MP for Chepalungu Victor Koech to support the team by purchasing the hockey equipment.

When asked why they decided to specialise in hockey competition, Rotich said they wanted to be identified with a particular sporting discipline.

Monda said that the main aim as an institution is to blend academic and extracurricular activities because they both go hand-in-hand.

To qualify for regional, Kapkesisio had defeated the favourites Mulot Girls 2-0.

Kapkesosio are in group D and they face Singore Girls from Elgeyo Marakwet and St Joseph's of Transnzoia.

On their part, little-known Tebeswet hopes to turn the table during regional shows with a clear message to the opponents that they are ready for them.

The new handball champions are motivated by the fact that they beat giants’ schools during county games.

The school was declared the champions after beating Kaplong Boys 20-14.

Tebeswet have been losing in the sub zonal level and this time they were lucky to win from sub zonal, zonal, sub county up to county level.

The school has been training under close supervision of Principal Fredrick Kasigane with the assistance of Coach Robert Rono.

What surprised many is that the players are training barefooted with the goal posts made of old curved wood.

“We are prepared for any opponent even though they will treat us as underdogs. We will take advantage of that and take every game seriously,” said Rono.

The team has been pooled alongside Nawoitorng of Turkana and Lemoru from Uasin Gishu in group B.

Nyanza Region 

Nyanza Regional Games will start on Tuesday and run until Saturday at Kisii High School, Cardinal Otunga High School Mosocho and Kisii University playing grounds in Kisii County.

Girls’ basketball defending champions Ototo Mixed Secondary School will renew their rivalry with last year’s finalists Barchando Girls Secondary School.

In last year’s regional games played at Asumbi Girls High School, Ototo beat Barchando 68-35 in a thrilling final.

Ototo (Homa Bay) have been grouped in pool B alongside their rivals Barchando (Siaya), Kisii County’s St Angela Sengera Girls Secondary School and Nyakach Girls High School from Kisumu County.

In pool A, Asumbi Girls High School from Homa Bay will headline the pool that also features Manga Girls High School (Nyamira), St Joseph Tuk Jowi Girls Secondary School from Migori County and Kisii County’s Kereri High School.

In the boys’ category, defending champions Onjiko High School will be hoping to retain the title when they face much improved Agoro Sare High School (Homa Bay), Migori Boys High School and Nyanchwa Boys High School from Kisii in pool A.

“We are going for nothing but a trophy and for sure we will come with it” said Nyanchwa head coach Kepha Mogire.

Hosts Kisii High School are in pool B with Nyamira County’s St Kizito Nyansiongo Boys High School, Usenge High School (Siaya) and Maseno School (Kisumu).

Girls’ handball regional defending champions Kakrao Secondary School (Migori) will face off with St Joseph Miranga Secondary School from Homa Bay County, Nyamira Girls High School (Siaya) and Omobera SDA Girls Secondary School from Kisii in pool A.

Pool B constitutes Kisii County's Ndonyo Mixed Secondary School neighbouring Ikonge PAGSsecondary School from Nyamira, Guu Mixed Secondary School (Kisumu) and St Albert’s Girls High School Ulanda from Migori.

Boys’ handball will see defending champions Manyatta High School (Homa Bay), Ndonyo Mixed Secondary School, Orero Boys High School (Homa Bay) and Menara High School (Kisumu) face off in pool A.

Kisii County champions Nduru Boys High School, Nyamira’s back-to-back winners St Paul’s Gekano Boys High School, last year's finalists St Francis Rang’ara Boys’ High School from Siaya and Kanyawanga Secondary School (Mgori) have been grouped together in pool B.

Girls’ hockey regional champions Nyamira Girls High School will have a hard task to defend the title when they face off with Sinyolo Girls High School (Kisumu) and Amaiko SDA Secondary School from Kisii in pool A.

In pool B, Kereri High School (Kisii), Agenga Secondary School (Migori), Ambrose Adeya Adongo Secondary School (Siaya) and St Mary’s Lwak Girls’ High School (Siaya) will battle it out in a tough group.

Maseno School (Kisumu), Kanyawanga High School (Migori) and Cardinal Otunga Mosocho (Kisii) will compete for the title in boys’ hockey in pool A.

Nduru Boys High School (Kisii), St Mary’s Yala Secondary School (Siaya), Ringa Boys High School (Homa Bay) will play with regional champions Kisumu Day in pool B.

Rugby 15s constitutes Maseno School, St Mary’s Yala Secondary School, Homa Bay High School and Nduru Boys High School who have been merged in pool A.

Pool B has Kisii High School, Rapogi Secondary School (Migori), St Paul’s Gekano Boys High School and Nyabondo High School (Kisumu).