St Mary’s and Kakamega off to flying starts

By Joseph Ngure

It was a flying start for St Mary’s Nairobi and regional champions Kakamega High school in Rugby 15s as the national schools championship entered its second day yesterday.

St Mary’s, who last won the national title six years ago, jump started their title hunt by thrashing St Mary’s Yala 38-05 in pool B at Eldoret Sports Club to send strong signal they are not a push over.

Nairobi’s Saints led with a try, a conversion and a penalty going into half time and stormed back in the second half recording four conversions, four tries and a penalty.

St Mary’s, boasting the services of national under 20-team member David Ambuya had earlier drawn 7-7 with Mang’u from Central in their first match.

The Nairobians, however, will be wary of regional Kings Kakamega High school continued to record easy wins in the preliminaries.

Kakamega, anchored by their marksman Arnword Kipkorir, ran over disoriented Waa High School from Coast province, 94-03, in their opening match on Tuesday.

They went on to beat Rift Valley’s Nakuru High, 16-10, yesterday.

The champions, finalists in Dubai Sevens IRB this year, topped the score-sheet with 16-0 at break.

Terige were handed a rugby lesson following a 29-0 slaughter by Mang’u in their first match in pool B.

The victory for the two teams set the stage for today’s encounter where Kakamega take on Kangaru (Eastern) as St Marys go head over tail on host Terige in the last preliminary matches.

Nakuru will play Waa, while Yala will have a date with Mang’u in pool B.

The final match of the day will pit Waa (Coast) and Kangaru. In Handball, three-time national champions, Kimilili High beat Kabaa (Eastern) 49-29.

Kimilili champions scrapped a 32-31 win over Nyanza’s Sawagongo in pool B on Tuesday during their first match.

In the same pool, Sawagongo held Mang’u 33-31 and set a date for a repeat match today with their opponents.

Yesterday afternoon, Furaha mixed, who missed all the opening matches after arriving late, were scheduled to play host Laboret while Aquinas (Nairobi) were to play Changamwe in pool A.