Kisumu ready for national secondary schools showpiece

The stage is set for the Kenya Secondary schools' Term 2 Games and Copa Coca Cola Championships in Kisumu starting this morning.

Yesterday, Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association secretary-general David Ngugi said all the teams have arrived in Kisumu for the annual showpiece which will be used to select teams to represent the country in the East Africa games next month.

“We are ready and set for the games. All the preparations have been completed,” said Ngugi when he spoke to journalists at Kisumu Boys.

Kisumu Boys and Moi Stadium in Kisumu will host football Under-20 while Kisumu Polytechnic will host Copa Coca Cola Under-16, netball and volleyball.

Other venues are Lions School and Kisumu Day. The teams are putting up at Kisumu Boys and Kisumu Girls.

Yesterday, last year's soccer Under-20 finalists Lake Olbolsat coach Francis Wanjohi said his team is ready to lift the title.

“We lost in the finals against Kakamega but this time around, we want to lift the trophy. We have had good preparations and the boys are motivated,” said Wanjohi after leading his team in light training at Kisumu Boys.

Olbolsat will start their campaign against Basina Mixed from the Northern region.

“We will take all our games seriously. We don't want to underrate or glorify any team,” Wanjohi added. Kisumu Day head coach Booker Odhiambo said: “We want to start with a win against Ebwali. We don't know a lot about the team but we want to start the championship positively,” he added.

Nyanza representatives Kisumu Day open their title hunt against Western region's representatives Ebwali with St Antony's playing Shimba Hills. Dagoretti will square it out with debutants Mbooni.

In girls' netball, defending champions Kaya Tiwi expect an easy ride in the group stage. Kaya Tiwi start their campaign against Central's Karuri with Western's Bukokholo opening against Cheptil.

]Kaya Tiwi coach Maryanne Obonyo said: “The girls are ready to defend their title,” she added. She, however, cited Nyanza champions Nyakach Girls, Bukhoholo from Western and Cheptil from Rift Valley as potential threats.

Bukokholo coach Mary Walubengo said: “We are the team to watch this year. Last year, we didn't manage to qualify to the knockout stage but this time, we hope to reach the semi-finals,” she said.

Kwathanze will be seeking the third straight girls' volleyball title. Coach Justine Kigwari was yesterday oozing with confidence. “We are determined to take the national trophy for keeps. However,  I am not underrating any team because they all deserve to be here,” he said.

They start their title defence against minnows Makaror from North Eastern while Nyanza champions St Anne's Sega will battle Bishop Sulimeti. Nairobi champions Soweto Academy have a tricky fixture against Cheptil. North-Eastern region KSSSA secretary Bashir Bontore yesterday said his teams are all set to represent the region. “We expect them to compete,” Bontore added.

Today's fixtures;

Girls' Under- 16 fixtures (football): Ugari vs Njabini, Wiyeta vs Dagoretti, Kobala vs Itaara and Maeni vs Waa; Boys Under-16 (football): Goseta vs Serani, Koyonzo vs Gatamaiyu, Agoro Sare Boys Town, Dagoretti vs Machakos; Girls Under 20 (football) : Nyakach vs Karugwa, Dagoretti vs Itigo, Gesero vs St John's Kaloleni, Arch Bishop Njenga vs Njabini; Boys under 20 (football): Basina Mixed vs Lake Olbolsat , St Antony's Kitale vs Shimba Hills, Dagoretti vs Mbooni, Kisumu Day vs Ebwali; Boys' volleyball: Tetu vs Shimoni, Lelmokwo vs Mogonga, Namwela vs Boys Town, Langata vs Mutewa; Girls Volleyball: Kwanthanze, vs St John's, Pasenga vs Makaror, Soweto vs Sulumeti and Sega vs Cheptil; Netball: Kaya Tiwi vs Karuru, Babadogo vs Volunteer Girls, Nyakach vs Syumile, and Bukokholo vs Cheptil.