Kaya Tiwi Secondary School from Kwale County on Friday retained the Coast Region girls’ basketball 3X3 title after beating Kilifi’s St John’s Kaloleni 15-3 in a final of regional Term Two games that end today in Mpeketoni, Lamu County.
However, Kaya Tiwi boys were unlucky as they fell 21-14 to Malindi High School in the boys’ final.
All finalists qualified for the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term Two to be held in Kakamega from July 28 to August 2.
Of the four teams that were at last year’s national games played in Kisii County, only Kaya Tiwi survived, as Mwasere Girls as well as boys’ winners Mombasa Baptist Academy and finalists Chanagande Secondary School were eliminated.
Regional rugby 15s champions Serani Secondary School from Mombasa inched closer to the rugby 7s title after edging out Mghalu Boys 7-0 in the quarter-finals to reach the semis. Kwale High School were unlucky, losing 22-5 to Mwangea Secondary School to bow out of the title race.
Bishop Baldacchino Secondary School and Gede Boys will also be in the semis after winning their quarters matches against Allidina Visram (12-10) and Waa Boys (15-12), respectively.
In the girls rugby 7s battle, defending champions Paul Harris showed their opponents that they are indeed the queens of the sport in the region and will today play Waa Girls in the semis. Last year’s finalists, Shimba Hills, who are looking to dethrone Paul Harris, will play Magarini Secondary in the other second half.
In girls’ volleyball, Mwanambeyu and Moi Forces will face off in the final. The two sides made light work of their opponents, dismissing them in straight sets to set today’s date.
Mwanambeyu beat Kilifi’s Msumarini Secondary School 3-0 (25-8, 25-18, 25-20), while Moi Forces beat Masabubu Secondary School from Tana River 25-15, 25-17, and 25-12. Msumarini and Masabubu will play for bronze.
Moi Forces boys were unlucky as they succumbed to pressure, losing their semi-final clash to Jaribuni in a five-set thriller. They had a good start, taking the first set 25-21, but Jaribuni recovered to win the second and third sets 25-19 and 25-22. Not willing to go down easily, they took the fourth set 25-17, setting the stage for a scintillating decisive fifth set that ended 17-17 in favour of Jaribuni.
Jaribuni will play Kwale County’s Mwaluphamba, who easily dismissed their host Mpeketoni Boys 3-0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-14). Moi Forces will tackle Mpeketoni in the third-place play-off match.
Netball champions Kaya Tiwi will lock horns with Moi Forces in the final. Kaya Tiwi will be seeking to successfully defend their title and extend their reign that began in 2016. Kaya Tiwi thrashed their Kwale County counterparts Menzamwenye 77-4, while Moi Forces beat Kilifi’s Kizurini 57-26 in the semis. Menzamwenye and Kizurini will fight for the bronze.