Nairobi champions remain on course for nationals tickets

Highway Secondary School players lift the trophy after winning the Nairobi Region Secondary School Term Two Games football title.[Jonah Onyango, Standard]

After days of intense action, regional champions the Highway Senior School, Ruthimitu and Soweto Academy have set their sights on defending their Nairobi Region titles at the Term Two games set for July 8-11 at Jamhuri Senior School.

The trio triumphed in their respective Sub-Region games that ended at different venues across Nairobi on Saturday.

Former national boys' football champions Highway beat Starehe Boys Centre 3-0 in the final to lift the Nairobi North Trophy.

Denilson Otonglo, Wayne Omondi and Bob Sam were on target for the 2024 national winners who are keen to extend their Nairobi reign to three years in a row.

Starehe Girls Centre bagged the Nairobi North girls' football title after seeing off Pumwani Girls 2-0 in the final.

In volleyball, Ruaraka Senior School and Ngara Girls were crowned champions, while Highway carried the day in basketball 3X3. Pangani Girls won the netball and basketball 3X3 titles.

Holders Ruthimitu and Soweto exerted volleyball dominance in Nairobi West to make their intentions of retaining their regional titles known.

Ruthmitu rallied from a set down to dismiss perennial rivals Hospital Hill 3-1 (17-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-23) to be crowned champions.

Soweto, who have ruled Nairobi since 2016, made light work of State House Girls, dismissing them 25-4, 25-2 and 25-13 in the final.

Ruthimitu coach Francis Nzioki said they will focus on preparations for the regional games as they look to successfully defend their title and qualify for the nationals.

“Our work is not done because we still have a long way to go. This game was a repeat of last year’s regional final, which we also won, but we aim to remain consistent and play at the nationals this year,” Nzioki said.

With Nairobi West being the most competitive sub-region, Raila Educational Centre (REC) and Soweto Academy yearned to succeed St Dorcas and Dagoretti Mixed, who relinquished their netball and girls' football titles.

REC beat State House Girls 49-37 to win the netball title. Soweto, on the other hand, worked harder for the girls’ football title after REC pushed them to post-match penalties.

The two sides had played to a 2-2 draw in extra time, forcing the winner to be decided in a shootout. The boys' final pitting 2017 national champions Upper Hill and Olympic High will be concluded on a later date. The two sides had played to a barren draw, but the match was called off due to darkness.

In Kakamega County, Western Region champions Musingu Scorpions settled for second best after falling to Butere Boys 6-7 in post-match penalties.

The Scorpions, who had eliminated bitter rivals Kakamega High’s Green Commandos in the semis, will be looking to defend their regional title and secure their third straight national appearance.

Butere’s Exodus Boys, on the other hand, will be hoping to finally get it right and bag the region’s lone ticket to the national games.

National champions Butere Girls Red Commandos retained their title after edging out St Maurice Mwira 1-0 in the final.

Farine Christine scored the Red Commandos winning goal. Butere are hoping to navigate the Western Region hurdle and remain on course to defend their national crown and secure their fourth consecutive title.