SCHOOLS: It's Musingu verses Highway in national football finals

Musingu Boys players celebrate after scoring against St Joseph’s Kitale Boys at Gusii Stadium. They beat St Joseph’s 5:4 on penalties. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Musingu School will on Thursday fight for the vacant KSSSA National football throne when they face off with Highway High School in the finals to be played at Gusii Stadium in Kisii.

With defending champions St Anthony’s Boys Kitale watching from the sidelines after failing to make it to the nationals, a new king will be crowned in Kisii when the games come to an end.

Musingu School knocked out St Joseph Boys Kitale in the semis 5-4 on post-match penalties to qualify for the finals.

The two teams had played out to a 2-2 draw by the end of the full time and extra 30 minutes forcing the semifinal to be decided on spot kicks.

On the other hand, Highway dismissed Kirangari High School from Central 2-1 in the semis.

Mohammed Hassan and Humphrey Aroko netted for Highway who will be seeking to better their 2022 feat where they finished runners up.

Musingu meanwhile will be seeking to reclaim the title they last won in 1984.

Both Musingu and Highway have however booked their tickets to the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) games set for August 17 to 26 in Mbale Uganda.

Nyakach Girls in action against St Joseph Girls Kitale. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

While new champions will be crowned in boys’ football and volleyball, Butere Girls, Kesogon Secondary School and Oyugi Ogango will be out to extend their reign at the helm of girls’ football, volleyball and netball.

The three are the only surviving champions from last year’s games that still have a chance to successfully defend their trophies.

Butere’s Red Commandos survived an early scare to rally from two goals down to beat Coast’s Kombani Secondary School 3-2 and remain on course to retaining their title.

They will face off with Nyakach Girls from Nyanza in a repeat of their second Group B match. They will be out to avenge their 1-0 preliminary loss that dented their perfect run.

In volleyball, holders Kesogon will renew rivalry with reigning East Africa champions Kwanthanze in the girls final. Kesogon will be wary of Kwanthanze who will be out to recapture the title they lost last year.

Kwanthanze came from a set down to beat Nairobi’s Soweto Academy 3-1(21-25, 25-14, 25-14, 25-20) while Kesogon eliminated record national winners Lugulu Girls from Western in straight sets of 25-11, 25-16 and 25-6 to set the stage for the final.

In the boys contest, former national and East Africa champions Cheptil will lock horns with Friends Boys High School Namwela in the final. Cheptil from Rift Valley dismissed homeboys Nyabondo 3-0(25-20, 25-22, 25-22) while Namwala recovered from a slow start to seal a finals slot with a 3-1(22-25, 25-22, 25-9, 25-21) in the semis.

Netball defending champions Oyugi Ogango (Nyanza) will play Bumala AC (Western) in the final. Oyugi humbled Kinale from Central 99-20 while won 38-24 over Andersen from Rift Valley. 

Losing semi-finalists will be hoping to win their third-place playoffs matches and bag the remaining tickets to Mbale.