Stanley Omondi of Upper Hill School scores a last minute try to give his team a 19-14 win over Friends School Anjego/ANGWENYI GICHANAUpper Hill School, Friends School Bokoli and Itigo Girls secured places in the rugby sevens quarter-finals at the ongoing KCB Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two Games at MPesa Academy in Thika on Monday.Upper Hill and debutants Bokoli each won their opening two matches to qualify for the last eight. Backed by Chief Principal Maurice Okumu, Upper Hill began with a hard-fought 7-0 victory over All Saints Embu before edging Friends School Anjego 19-14, courtesy of a late try.Upper Hill coach Eustace Sifuna praised his side's resilience.“The competition has been very stiff, but I’m happy we are already in the quarter-finals. We want to win our last group game so that we top our group,” he said.“Our target is to win this tournament and rewrite history by winning both the 15s and 7s national titles.”Western region champions Bokoli made an impressive national debut, beating Friends School Anjego 21-5 before cruising to a 28-5 victory over All Saints Embu.Coach Eliud Okwemba said:“I’m happy with the performance of the boys, especially considering it is their first time at this stage. We are now in the quarter-finals.”Elsewhere, Nyanza champions Cardinal Otunga High School Mosocho edged Kitondo School 7-5 in a closely contested match, while Butula High defeated Kamuiru 33-7. Rift Valley champions Laiser Hill Academy produced one of the day's biggest wins, hammering Tononoka 38-8.Cardinal Otunga coach Edwin Metomo admitted his side took time to settle.“We had a slow start because of inexperience, but I hope the boys will improve in the second game.”In the girls' competition, Itigo Girls made a strong statement with a 26-0 win over Nyanza champions Sigoti Complex before defeating Mwatate Senior School 20-7 to seal a quarter-final berth.Coach Joachim Melly said:“Being our second time at the nationals, our focus is to lift the title and qualify for the East Africa championships. The competition is tough, but we are equally well prepared.”Defending champions Kinale Girls and last year's runners-up St Joseph's Girls Kitale also progressed after winning both their opening matches.Kinale thrashed Muvuti 50-7 before blanking Gituamba 34-0, while St Joseph's Kitale beat Mwatate Senior School 36-0 and followed up with a 12-0 victory over Sigoti Complex.In other girls' matches, St Teresa's Kithimu edged Nyagichenche 17-10, while Kimoto defeated Muvuti 31-0.
