SCHOOLS: Champions Serani ready for title challenge

Dennis Kenga of Serani Boys School (left) with Brian Abuka of St. Anthony's Boys Kitale. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The stage is set for the Coast region secondary schools Term Two games that start on Wednesday.

For the first time, Tana River County will host counties that form Coast region for this year's games.

Defending champions and some of the unheralded schools will be out to headline the games as they fight to qualify for the national games.

This year's nationals will be held later this month in Kisii. Organisers of the regional games said all plans for the three-day championships are complete.

The main focus of the games will be boys' football, where Mombasa's Serani School will be out to retain the title they have been keeping in their school's cabinet for several years.

However, several schools including Serani's rivals Tononoka, also from Mombasa, will be salivating to have a feel of the trophy.

Serani beat Tononoka twice at the Mvita sub county and Mombasa county games (2-0 and 2-1 respectively) and will be looking forward to keep the winning tempo.

Serani's squad has been boosted with the return of their star player William Gitama, who jetted back last Thursday after his outing with Harambee Stars in the COSAFA Cup tournament, in South Africa.

Serani coach Swaleh 'Sunda' Abdalla is aware of what is at stake as any mistake might cost him the title.

His Tononoka counterpart Juma Kalato has vowed to revenge the defeat against Serani at the regional games.

Serani open their title defence against hosts Hola Boys in a pool A group that also has Lamu representatives.

The teams have been pooled in four groups of three teams each and a single win will be enough for a slot in the quarter finals.

Tononoka are in pool B that has Lamu's second team and Hola's two representatives.

Other teams from Kilifi, Taita Taveta and Kwale are pool in group C and D.

In girls' football, Kombani from Kwale county are back to defend the title they wrestled from former champions St John's Kaloleni.

In last year's final, Kombani defeated the then games surprise finalists Minhaj of Tana River County 2-1.

Minhaj are back once again to this year's gamese. Ndura Girls from Tana River County will be the second girls football team.

Mombasa will have new girls' football team Mwakirunge School, who dethroned the last year's winners Bomu school 5-4 on penalties during the Mombasa County games last week.