Stiff competition is expected as Nairobi County secondary schools converge at different venues in the city for their regional Term Two Games Friday morning.
At stake during the three-day championships, will be various titles as well as tickets to next month’s National Term Two Games in Nakuru.
Schools will do battle in football, basketball, volleyball, rugby sevens, hockey, handball, swimming, netball, racquet games and the newly introduced 3×3 basketball.
Basketball will be staged at Upper Hill School and State House Girls, swimming at St Mary’s School with Nairobi Club and Visa Oshwal Academy playing host to racquet games.
The rest of the disciplines will be at Lenana School and Dagoretti High School. Apart from girls’ hockey champions Hillcrest School, the other disciplines’ champions all successfully came through the sub-county games and will be confident of retaining their titles.
Dagoretti High School and Dagoretti Mixed Secondary School will be defending their boys’ and girls’ football titles, with the latter also the girls’ handball champions.
In hockey, holders Nairobi School are favourites, but will face stiff competition from former winners Upper Hill and Lenana School.
Dagoretti and Buru Buru Girls Secondary School will also fancy their chances of keeping their basketball titles, while Lang’ata High School and Soweto Academy will need to be at their best to retain the volleyball crowns.
In handball, Hospital Hill will hope that the experience of playing in the national league will help them in this competition, as Baba Dogo Secondary School look to defend their netball crown, which is played by girls only.
Football is expected to steal the show and Dagoretti coach Joseph Makoha is confident they will be in Sunday’s final.
“We warmed up for these games with a vintage performance in the sub-county games and I know my charges have what it takes to defend their title and qualify for the nationals,” Makokha told Nation Sport Thursday.
Dagoretti open their title defence against Ndururuno Secondary School in pool ‘A’ before they finish their preliminary matches against Brown Hill Secondary School in the afternoon.
A mouthwatering clash awaits in pool ‘B’ pitting former champions Upper Hill School against Jamhuri High School. The winner of this contest will likely decide who tops the group, which also has Dandora Secondary School.
In girls’ basketball, national champions Buru Buru get their campaign underway against Ruai Girls Secondary School in pool ‘A’, before taking on Peter Kibukosya Secondary School.
Buru Buru coach Julius Otieno said there is no room for error as they seek a fifth straight county title.
“Everyone will want a piece of us and therefore we have to play every match as a final to show we deserve to retain the crown,” Otieno said. BY DAILY NATION