St. Anthony’s boys' Under-19 team will leave nothing to chance when they line up against hosts Lindi in the opening match and the only event of the day as the Federation of East African Secondary Schools Sports Associations gets underway today at Sheikh Abeid Stadium in Arusha, Tanzania.
The Kitale-based national champions, who finished third during the last year’s event held in Rwanda, believe this is their chance to make amends and finally bag the regional title that has remained elusive since they won in 2002.
Speaking at the Namanga border en route to the host City Arusha, team captain Tyson Kapchanga said they are in good form and mentally prepared.
“We are enjoying top form right now. We are glad that we will open the event with a match against the hosts but we are unmoved with their home advantage.
“We want to start the competition on high and go all the way as our aim is to reclaim the title we last won in 2002.
“Of course Lindi will be buoyed by home advantage but we will be buoyed by the fact that we are the national champions back at home,” noted the Form four student.
The Rift Valley region outfit is drawn in a tough Pool ‘A’ alongside defending champions and neighbouring Buddo and Stahiza both from Uganda and JKU from Zanzibar. However, the striker said they will take one match at a time.
“Our coach Peter Mayoyo lost his father and really we want to win these matches for the departed soul. We are aware we are in the same pool with defending champions. We haven’t played them before and that’s the beauty about it. We don’t know what to expect from them and vice versa. Let us just say it will be an interesting pool to look out for,” said Kapchanga.
He added: “We also want to wish our compatriots Dagoretti all the best. We have prepared well and we remain hopeful that Kenya will reclaim the U-19 title and defend the overall title.”
Pool ‘B’ will have Alliance High (Tz), Vwawa SS (Tz), Jinja (Ug) and LDK (Rw) while Pool C will feature Ruwuiko (Tz), Dagoretti High (Ke), St. Mary’s, Kitende (Ug) and Blantyre SS (Mal). Nairobi region champions Dagoretti under the tutelage of Joseph Makhoha are making their debut at the event and will be keen to have their presence felt.
