By Reuben Olita
Musingu Boys will travel to Kisumu as Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association Western Region football boys’ champions hoping to win the national title they last won in 1984.
Musingu booked a ticket for the nationals after beating surprise team Munyuki 2-1 in the final played at Sudi Stadium, which is the home venue of Kenya Premier League Side Nzoia Sugar.
Earlier, Kibabii were sent packing by Musingu, which beat them 2-0 in a replay semi-final match on Saturday morning to deny the Bungoma champions a final slot. Fan trouble saw the abandonment of the match on Friday, thus prompting organisers to have the match replayed on an empty ground at Friends School Kamusinga.
Munyuki qualified for the finals after beating Bukembe from Bungoma 5-4 on penalties after a goalless draw in a pulsating semi-final encounter. Bukembe later appealed against the outcome of the match, claiming that their opponents fielded an ineligible player. The jury cleared Munyuki to feature in the finals.
Musingu boys ‘Scorpions’ players
Fifteen times national champions Green Commandos, Friends School Kamusinga, Musingu, and Ebwali, which are from the region, have won national titles. Busia County flag bearers John Osogo and Mabunge were eliminated at the preliminaries.
In the girls’ category, defending national champions, Butere Girls qualified for this year’s games in Kisumu beating four times East African champions, Archbishop Njenga 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in extra time.
Volleyball
East African Champions Friends High School Namwela retained the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association boys volleyball title after beating Busia champions, Butula School 3-0 ( 25-19, 25-23, 25-16, at Bungoma High School grounds today.
Namwela, which failed to clinch the national title last year, losing to Andersen in the final, but they stunned 2022 national champions Malava Boys to book a final slot against Butula, which had beaten compatriots, Mabunge in straight sets.
In the girls’ category, Lugulu made it back to nationals after failing to make it in 2019 and 2022 after beating St Martha Mwitoti 3-0 in the final.
The 23-time national champions won the first set 25-19. They repeated their feat, winning the second set 25-14 before justifying their majestic come- back with a 15-14 win in the third set.
Lugulu, which has also won the East African title seven times, last clinched the national title in 2010. This had relegated them to the periphery, leaving Cheptil and Kwathanze to take centre stage.
