More by this Author
Mogonga PAG Secondary School from Kisii County in Nyanza are the new boys' volleyball champions as this year's National Secondary Schools Term Two Games, which came to a close in Kisumu on Saturday.
This happened as Kwanthanze Secondary School from Machakos County, Eastern Region defended their girls' volleyball title after a tough 3-2 win over rivals Cheptil Girls Secondary School from Rift Valley in these matches played at Kisumu Polytechnic grounds.
In the boys' finals, which was a repeat of the opening group A match, Mogonga easily dismissed Rift Valley's Lelmokwo Secondary School 3-0 (25-16,25-19,25-13 ) to win the title for the first time after finishing third on their debut at these games last year in Eldoret.
Namwela Secondary School from Western region surprised pre-match favourites Langata Boys High School from Nairobi hitting them 3-0 (25-20,25-23,25-27) to finish third.
In an equal competitive girls' final, Cheptil, who had promised to take the battle to their opponents, did exactly that taking the first set 24-26, but a change of tact by Kwanthanze coach Justin Kigwari saw his charges win the second and third sets 25-13 and 25-22 for a 2-1 lead.
The never-say-die Cheptil, who had left attack Sharon Cheruto, setter Benedin Chepngetich and centre Sheila Kipchirchir on top of their games, rallied to win the fourth set 25-28 to tie the scores at 2-2 and push the game to the marathon fifth set, which Kwanthanze won 15-05 in this game which lasted a record 2 hrs 17 minutes, the longest at the entire championships.
"We lost the game because my players kept celebrating whenever we won a set which allowed our opponents to punish us on counter attacks. I am, however, content with the silver medal judging by the distance we have covered to reach the finals," Cheptil Coach Ann Birgen, the only female volleyball coach at the championships, said.
Her Kwanthanze counterpart, Justin Kigwari was over the moon, saying he overwhelmed his opponents tactfully.
"There is no way you could have expected me to lose with the best attack, best blocker and best setter of the championships," he boasted.
Soweto Academy from Nairobi best Passenga from Central 3-0 to finish third and book their ticket to the East Africa Secondary schools games alongside Cheptil and Kwanthanze.
Enock Kiptum of Mogonga PAG was named the Most Valuable Player, while Sharon Jeruto of Cheptil won the accolade in the girls' affair.
