St Mary's School Yala players celebrate following their 1-0 win over Kisumu Boys/ANGWENYI GICHANANyanza champions set sights on KSSSA national games after regional triumphs Nyanza champions have turned their focus to the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two National Games, set for July 28 to August 1 at the MPesa Foundation Academy in Thika, Kiambu County.
Several new regional champions will represent Nyanza after last year’s winners fell by the wayside during the regional championships in Homa Bay.
St Mary’s School Yala were crowned the new boys’ football champions after edging Kisumu Boys 1-0 in a thrilling final played before thousands of fans at Raila Odinga Stadium.
Fidel Castro scored the decisive goal to hand the Black Saints sweet revenge after they lost to Kisumu Boys in last year’s semi-finals. Yala Chief Principal V.O. Makanda praised his players after they secured the elusive regional title.
“We have now shifted our focus to the national championships,” said Makanda. In the girls’ football final, Nyakach Girls reclaimed the regional crown with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Lwak Girls, courtesy of Joan Agola’s winner.
Coached by Chrispine Odindo, Nyakach returns to the national championships for the first time since 2019, when they won both the regional and national titles.
Defending champions Kobala were eliminated in the semi-finals after a 1-0 defeat to Lwak Girls. In boys’ volleyball, debutants Masara Mixed stunned perennial favourites St Mary’s School Yala 3-2 (19-25, 25-20, 25-19, 18-25, 15-11) in a gripping five-set final to claim the regional title.
Masara coach and principal Tom Achilla continued his impressive record after guiding Gogo Mixed to regional glory and East Africa qualification last year. Maseno School defeated Udira 3-1 (23-25, 25-14, 26-24, 25-17) to finish third.
St Cecilia Aluor lifted their maiden girls’ volleyball title after beating former champions Nyakach Girls 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-22). Coach John Duro added another milestone to his coaching career, having previously guided Sega Girls to six successive regional titles.
Asumbi Girls claimed third place with a 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 26-24, 28-26) victory over former champions Nyakongo. In boys’ basketball 3x3, Agoro Sare edged Homa Bay County rivals and 5x5 champions St Mary’s School Yala 13-12 in a thrilling final.
Asumbi Girls won the girls’ 3x3 basketball title after defeating Migori champions Tuk Jowi 22-20 in overtime following a 20-20 deadlock at the end of regulation time.
The biggest upset came in netball, where Asumbi Girls stunned three-time Nyanza and national champions Oyugi Ogango 34-31 in a closely contested final played at Homa Bay High School. In the third-place play-off, Kobala defeated Sota SDA 29-21.
