SCHOOL: Kenyan teams reign supreme in Mbale

Musingu High hockey team players celebrate during a past game. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Kenya on Sunday showed that form is temporary but class is permanent after demolishing their hosts Uganda to snatch two of the hockey medals on the penultimate day of this year’s Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) games here in Mbale, Uganda.

Musingu High School crowned a very successful year with the boys’ hockey title after beating compatriots St Charles Lwanga 2-0 in an all-Kenyan final. However, former holders St Anthony’s Boys High School Kitale lost 1-0 to Ntare Secondary School from Uganda in a third-place playoff match.

Two first half goals from Beres Muigai and Daniel Omondi were enough to help Musingu upgrade from silver they won last year when they lost Kakungulu in the final to gold.

An elated Musingu captain Hillary Angairwa lauded his teammates saying that their months of hard work and dedication have finally paid off.

“We have worked very hard this trophy didn’t not come easy. Our victory is a reward for long ours of hard work and dedication from the entire team and our coaches,” Angairwa said.

Despite not bagging the title, Kenyans heaped praises on St Charles who were a major pain for the Ugandans who were looking to extend their reign at the helm of boys’ hockey for a third year in a row.

Coming to the championship as Kenya’s number three team, St Charles shook off the underdogs tag to shove all Ugandans out of the way and anchor Kenya a one-two-three finish.

They bounced back from a 1-2 loss to St Anthony’s to beat 2023 champions Kakungulu Memorial 1-0 in their second Group B match. They hammered Uganda’s Kyadondo Secondary School 4-0 to top their pool and secure a semis date with another Ugandan side Ntare.

Having gained confidence from their wins against Kakungulu and Kyadondo, St Charles rallied from two goals down to beat Ntare 2-0 in a penalty shootout and set an all-Kenyan final against Musingu who had beaten St Anthony’s 2-1 in the other semi-final tie.

St Charles’ exploits against the Ugandans helped Kenya salvage the boys' title that had eluded the country for the past two years.

In the girls' contest, St Joseph’s Kitale are a match away from winning their first-ever East Africa crown. After many years of setting for bronze medals, St Joseph’s now just need a draw against Uganda’s Sacred Heart Mushanga to lift the East Africa gong. They are second on the standings with 13 points same as defending champions Nyamira Girls who are on top but have played all their matches.

National champions Tigoi Girls will have to make do with bronze since they can only garner 12 points if they win their last tie against home girls Bweranyangi. Former winners Kakungulu will for a second year in a row miss the podium.

In girls' football, Butere Girls saw off their Kenyan rivals Nyakach 1-0 to qualify for the finals as Musingu High fell by an identical scoreline to St Mary's Kitende in boys' semi-final match yesterday.

At the Mbale Rugby Union grounds, All Saints, Vihiga Boys and St Joseph’s Girls High School Kitale were crowned.

All Saints dethroned last year’s winners St Mary’s Kisubi from Uganda after beating them 9-3 in the final. In rugby 7s, Vihiga exerted revenge on national champions Friends School Bwake trashing them 26-0 in the final. St Joseph’s forced an 8-5 win against Kinale girls in sudden death to win the inaugural girls; rugby 7s trophy. Their match had ended in a 5-5 stalemate in regular time.  

In basketball, seven-time East Africa boys champions Laiser Hill beat Rwanda’s ITS Gasogi 84-76 in the semis to reach the finals for the first time since 2012. Laiser Hill who are the region’s most successful boys’ basketball side are looking to recapture the title they last won that same year. They will today take on hosts Amus College who beat last year’s winners Buddo Secondary School 62-59 in the other semis encounter.