Kasarani Primary school's Goalkeeper Asamoah Gyan dive to save ball in their match against Riruta Satellite Junior Secondary School's (JSS) during the Nairobi Regional Ball Games Football JSS schools finals at The Nairobi School on Friday, July 19, 2024. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Highway Secondary School from Nairobi will be looking to improve on their 2022 second-place finish. Homeboys Koderobara, Coast champions Dr Aggrey, Eastern's Machakos Boys and St Joseph's Kitale will also be eying the national trophy.

In the girls' contest, national champions Butere Girls will be up against St Joseph's Kitale from Rift Valley, home girls St Alfred Alara and Nyakach Girls, Kombani from Coast, Kinale from Central, Kibauni from Eastern and Nairobi region's Dagoretti High will be battling for national glory.

With new champions set to be crowned following the elimination of last year's winners Ruthimitu Mixed Secondary School from Nairobi, the boys' volleyball contest will be a spectacle to watch.

Interestingly, this year's games will see the return of former titleholders Cheptil Secondary School from Rift Valley and Hospital Hill from Nairobi as well as rookies Milalilu Secondary School from Coast.

Cheptil, who secured their return to the national games with a 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 18-25, 25-14) win over last year's winners Andersen Secondary School, will be looking to recapture the title they last won in 2022.

Having failed to reach the nationals last year, Cheptil will be out to salvage their pride.

Cheptil captain Justus Keino said they want to make the best out of this year's competition.

"Last year was not good for us as we relinquished all our titles early in the competition, but we are determined to make up for last year's missed opportunities. Our main objective is to reclaim our lost glory," Keino said.

He, however, added that based on competition from other regions, they will have to work harder.

"Going by the results from different regions, the level of competition is very tough because most of the teams that were at the nationals last year have been eliminated. This means that we must work very hard."

 Parklands Arya's Caisey Atieno (left) and Belinda Auma of Mbagathi Girls during Nairobi Region Secondary schools' football final match term two games at Jamhuri High school. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Reigning East Africa champions Friends Boys High School Namwela from Western will also be eying their maiden national gong.

Namwela, who finished third last year, extended their reign at the helm of Western volleyball after beating Butula Boys in straight sets. Matiliku of Eastern, Nyabondo High School from Nyanza and Kiaguthu from Central will also be looking to bag the title.

The girls' contest will see the return of record national and East Africa winners Lugulu Girls from Western. Lugulu, who last featured at the national games in 2017, were overshadowed by Bishop Sulemeti who dethroned them in 2018 and also won the 2019 regional trophy.

They were forced to wait much longer when St Martha Mwitoti, who they dethroned on Saturday, took over the reins in 2022.

National defending champions Kesogon Secondary School from Rift Valley will face an acid test in the high stakes competition that also has East Africa holders Kwanthanze from Eastern who will be out to recapture their crown.

Nyakongo Girls will be looking to impress on home soil, Nairobi's Soweto Academy, Vyambani Secondary School from Coast, Mpesa Academy from Central and a North Eastern representative will also be in hunt for the trophy.

In netball, defending champions Oyugi Ogango Secondary School continue to wait with bated breath the hearing and determination of an appeal filed against them by their Nyanza compatriots Nyakach.

Should they be cleared, they will be up against former national winners Kaya Tiwi from Coast, newly-crowned Western champions Bumala AC, Nairobi's Mbagathi Secondary School, Andersen, Syumile from Eastern and Kinale from Central.

The teams will also be battling for glory in rugby 7s, basketball 3X3, tennis, badminton and table tennis. St Joseph's Kitale will be looking to dominate boys table tennis.