Handball giants St Luke’s Kimilili keen to extend national reign

Reigning national boys handball champions St Luke’s Kimilili are gearing up for tough battles at this year’s Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term One games slated for April 7 to 12 at Shanzu Teachers College and Shimo La Tewa High School, Mombasa.

Kimilili, who reclaimed their national title in Machakos last year, are determined to excel and extend their reign to another year. Kimilili coach Fernweck Opicho is confident that his charges will outplay their opponents and retain their trophy.

“We don’t expect to have it easy for all teams at that level are good because they are champions from their respective regions. We are preparing well and so are our challengers,” Opicho said.

He added that being the defending champions makes them the target of all teams so they must be at their best.

“Our plan is to focus on a match a time with the aim of getting our desired results step by step. We want to retain our title but we have to start well, qualify for the semis and once we are in the final then we go all out and accomplish our mission,” said Opicho.

Opicho intimated that he thinks that this is the year that Kenya could recapture the boys East Africa handball title which has eluded the country for the past six years. Kimilili was the last Kenyan side to win the trophy in 2016 when the country hosted the games in Eldoret.

“I think this is the year that Kenya could win the East Africa trophy. We will be at home so Kenyan teams should capitalise on that to perform better and reclaim the title,” Opicho said.

Kimilili, who are looking to retain their title after shoving strong opponents out of the way in Western, are in Group B which has Rift Valley champions St Albert Kamito who are expected to be their strongest challengers in the preliminaries. Kamito return to the games after a two-year ban and are yearning to make up for the lost time.

They will also be up against Coast champions Jaribuni Secondary School and Makuyu Boys from Central in a pool that they are the only returnees from last year’s games. This is after 2024 regional champions Saniak from Rift Valley, Handege from Central and Mwangea Secondary School from Coast failed to secure their national tickets after relinquishing their crowns at the regional level.

Last year’s nationals Most Valuable Player Ismael Mubarak is confident that he will anchor his side to victory.

Should Kimilili advance to the semis they will meet with one of the top two sides in Group A which has Nairobi champions Highway Secondary School, Nyanza’s Manyatta, Matiliku from Eastern and a North Eastern representative. North Eastern regional games will be held from April 2 to 4 at Wajir Girls High School and Sabunley Secondary School, Wajir.