Barding, St. Anthony's out to recapture titles

Former champions Barding High open their Under 19 football title campaign against Dagoretti High tomorrow as the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association national games kick off in Kisumu.

Barding, the 2016 national and East Africa holders were last week given the nod to represent Nyanza Region at the national stage after the appeals committee quashed hosts Kisumu Day's petition that alleged the former fielded ineligible players.

The host Region's champions have been drawn in pool 'B' alongside KSSSA chairman Peter Orero-led Dagoretti High, Mbooni Boys (Eastern) and Cosmas Nabongolo's St. Peter's Mumias (Western).

The first group, on the other hand, comprises of former champions St. Anthony's Kitale (Rift Valley), 2018 surprise losing finalist Olbolsat (Central), Shimba Hills (Coastal) and North Eastern Region's winners.

In the girls' competition, host region's champions Nyakach are set to face the fast-rising Dagoretti Mixed from Nairobi, Karugwa (Eastern) and national stage returnees Itigo Girls of Rift Valley.

Dagoretti Mixed's coach Maurice Okumu said his charges have had an ample training regime since last December and they are charged up to claim the gong on their debut season.

“We had a camp in December where we concentrated on the girls’ physical and tactical and we have seen the fruits. Despite this being our first time at the nationals, we are gunning for the title. There is no room for complacency at all,” said Okumu. He has had to stagger his teams’ (both U16 and U19) training sessions because they share fields with Dagoretti High School who have also sent two football lineups to Kisumu.

Nyanza’s runners up Gesero who take up North Eastern’s place will have to contend with opposition from Arch Bishop Njenga (Western), defending champions Kwale Girls (Coastal) and Central Region’s winners in girls’ pool ‘B’ preliminary ties.