St Mary’s Yala clinched the Nyanza Region Secondary Schools rugby 7s title once again on Saturday, defeating Friends School Anjego 25-4 at Cardinal Otunga High School.
Yala showcased their dominance early on, with Brian Ooko and Joseph Onyango crossing the whitewash in the first half, securing a 10-5 lead. Steve Otieno scored Anjego’s unconverted try.
The second half saw Yala’s Albert Otieno and Innocent Murunda score two quick tries, solidifying their lead and extinguishing Anjego’s comeback hopes. Angelo Makori successfully converted two tries. Yala coach George Kerima praised his team’s experience and performance, stating, “We came here to retain our title and I am happy we did it. In the final, we were the more experienced side than Anjego, which gave us an edge over them. However, they played well and deserved to be in the final.”
Anjego’s coach and principal, J.J Masime, acknowledged the defeat but expressed pride in his team’s effort. “We had our chances but did not make use of them, while Yala utilized theirs. Yala used their experience to win the final,” Masime said. He added, “When we came here, our target was to reach the final although most people had written us off. I’m proud of my boys.”
In the semi-finals, Yala overcame Kisii School 12-7, while Anjego defeated Otieno Oyoo 12-5.
Kisii School secured third place by beating Otieno Oyoo 17-12, with a sudden death try from Morgan Ochiel breaking the 12-12 tie in regular time.
In the girls’ 7s category, Nyakach claimed the title with a 15-0 victory over Nyagichenche Mixed from Kisii County. Edith Ngoje, Regina Auma, and Joan Ndemo scored for Nyakach.
Nyakach coach Kevin Otuoma lauded his team’s performance, saying, “The girls played excellent rugby and I’m happy we emerged winners. Nyagichenche were equally good but it was not their day.” Nyagichenche coach Dennis Onyango cited injuries to key players as a significant factor in their defeat. “In the final, I played without three first-team players. My bench was depleted due to injuries but I’m satisfied with the way the girls performed,” Onyango said.
In the girls’ third-place play-off, Nyakongo Girls edged out Sidindi 10-0. This year marked the inaugural inclusion of girls’ rugby in the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association competitions.