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A war of words is brewing between Kwanthanze Secondary School and Cheptil Girls High School coaches ahead of Saturday’s girls’ volleyball final at the Kisumu National Polytechnic grounds.
While Kwanthanze coach Justin Kigwari is bullish he will make light work of his opponents in Saturday’s final, his Cheptil counterpart, Ann Birgen wants to avenge their 2017 painful defeat suffered at the hands of Kwanthanze.
An equally explosive boys’ finals will see a repeat of the opening Pool A match pitting Mogonga PAG Secondary School from Kisii County against newcomers Lelmokwo Secondary School from Rift Valley Region.
Reigning champions Kwanthanze easily dismissed rivals Soweto Academy 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-20) in the semi finals Friday, while Cheptil had an equally easy task against Passenga Secondary school from Central, winning 3-0(25-05 ,25-12,25-12).
It is these results that have both camps exuding confidence of winning the title in the final as the National Secondary School Term Two Games conclude.
Apart from losing to Kwanthanze in the 2017 finals, Cheptil also allowed the Machakos County-based school to come from two sets down and beat them 3-2 in the finals of last year's East Africa Secondary School Games in Musanze, Rwanda.
"I think they have taken us for granted after dominating us both locally and internationally in the last couple of years and it's just time to bring this to an end and that will be tomorrow,” Birgen said.
Kigwari, for his part, is expecting an exciting final between two great sides.
"I lost six good players who completed school last year, but I believe in my current crop of players to retain their title,” Kigwari said.
Immaculate Nekesa, Pauline Itoo, Louise Simiyu, Stacy Awuor, Sharon Sandui and Lydia Iswan, who have all featured for the Kenya Under-20 team, make up Kwanthanze’s starting six.
Kwanthanze are looking to make it three titles in a row and five in total, while Cheptil are eyeing a maiden crown.
In the boys’ affair, Mogonga PAG easily beat Lelmokwo 3-0 in the opening match on Tuesday, but Lelmokwo have improved since then to make their first final.
In the semi-finals, Magonga PAG beat Namwela Secondary School 3-1 (23-25,25-22,25-10,25-21), while Lelmokwo shocked Langata Boys High School from Nairobi 3-0(27-25,25-20,25-11).
