School games: Rivalries reignited as battle for national glory begins

The champions are here, the legends are back, the underdogs are hungry and Kisumu is ready.

Yes, the lakeside city is ready for the 2026 Brookside Secondary National Term One games that begin today at different venues.

The stakes are higher than ever before, for this year’s games are not just about trophies but the burning desire for redemption, intense longing for success and the heavy weight of history.

Like it has been the norm, these games will also mark the beginning of successful sporting careers of Kenya’s future world beaters.

With three already dethroned, the remaining national champions have been put on notice.  And now secondary school sports enthusiasts are asking, who will have the last laugh?

Having survived the elimination at the lower levels, Laiser Hill Academy, Butere Girls High School, Friends School Tigoi and Moi Girls Kamusinga will leave nothing to chance as they seek to successfully defend their titles.

However, they face an uphill task against opponents who have just but one mission, to snatch their crowns.

Basketball giants Laiser Hill will launch their quest in a tough Group A which has all the 2025 top four teams.

Laiser Hill must fire from all cylinders in every encounter to enhance their chances of retaining their title.

They will today face off with bitter rivals Dagoretti High in their opening duel.

While Laiser Hill will be looking to exert dominance, Dagoretti will be out to avenge the semi-finals narrow 85-83 defeat that locked them out of last year’s final.

The two sides have been meeting at the nationals since Dagoretti made their debut in 2018.

Laiser Hill has had an edge over Dagoretti, carrying the day in most of their encounters.

However, Laiser Hill have also endured pain at the hands of Dagoretti who defeated them in the 2022 semi-final forcing them to relinquish their crown. Dagoretti, who have played at all nationals since 2018, are yet to taste national glory and will be hoping to finally get it right this year.

Laiser Hill captain Dynoken Ochieng said that they expect stiff competition not just against Dagoretti but all teams.

“We are happy that we are still in the race to defend our title. We have prepared well and I believe that all teams are also ready for the challenge because we are all eying the ultimate prize. We are determined to defend our title but we understand that it won’t be easy and requires a lot of hard work and dedication,” Ochieng said.  

In the other Group A tie, 2024 national winners Dr Aggrey will tackle Lukenya Boys High School when the Coast meets Eastern.

Lukenya, who have evolved over the years and are now strong contenders for the title, will be looking to get the better of Dr Aggrey to enhance their chances of reaching the last four.

In Group B, it will be a battle of sporting and academic giants when Friends School Kamusinga from Western clash with Mang’u High School. The two sides are gradually reclaiming their lost basketball glory having been regulars on the national stage in the early 2000s are favourites to advance in the pool.

The other encounter will see homeboys St Mary’s Yala entertain their North Eastern guests Sabunley Secondary School.  

In the girls’ contest, champions Butere Cannons, who are looking to win their fourth consecutive national title, will clash with Nairobi’s Olympic High School in their opening Group A match.

In the other encounter, national returnees St Brigid’s Kimilili from Rift Valley will play North Eastern winners Takaba Girls Secondary School.

Former national and East Africa champions Kaya Tiwi from Coast, who are looking to reclaim the title that has eluded them for the past three years, will begin their campaign in Group B against Ikutha Girls High School from Eastern.

Kaya Tiwi have played second fiddle to Butere since losing their trophy in 2023.

Barchando, who are at the nationals after a successful appeal against initial Nyanza winners Asumbi Girls, will lock horns with Lorero Girls High School Limuru who also return to the national stage after years in the cold.

In hockey, hosts Kisumu Day will renew their rivalry with former national and East Africa champions St Anthony’s Boys High School Kitale in Group A.

Kisumu will offer St Anthony’s nothing less than a hostile welcome from the partisan ‘Dala’ crowds thanks to Nyanza’s passion for sports.

St Anthony’s have dominated Kisumu Day in their previous encounters but home advantage gives the latter an edge over their guests today.

Alliance High School, who return to the big stage, will tackle newcomers Mbooni Boys in the other pool tie.

In Group B, hockey giants Friends School Kamusinga (FSK) will announce their return to the big stage against homeboys Our Lady of Mercy Ringa Boys.

FSK are back at the nationals after a three-year absence and will be out to prove that they are still a force to reckon with in schools’ hockey.

They last featured in 2022 where they settled for silver after losing to rivals St Anthony’s in the final.

FSK lost their Western Region title to Musingu High School in 2023 failing to qualify for the national games.

Musingu would go on to dominate the sport not just in Western but at the national level winning the trophy for three years in a row by beating St Anthony’s in all the three finals. However, FSK regained their footing this year and are back to salvage their pride.

There will be no love lost when Hospital Hill from Nairobi clash with St Charles Lwanga from Coast in the other boys’ Group B encounter. The two sides played to a barren draw in Mombasa last year.

Tigoi will launch their girls’ title defence in Group B against St Charles Lwanga.

The girls’ national lineup remains the same save for 2023 national champions Nyamira Girls who return to the games after missing last year’s show. Nyamira will take on East Africa champions St Joseph’s Kitale in the other pool match.

In Group A, home girls Ng’iya will tackle Mwiki Secondary School from Nairobi while Central’s Mpesa Foundation Academy will play Eastern’s AIC Nyayo.

In rugby, the battle for the vacant throne will see 2018 national and East Africa champions Upper Hill from Nairobi clash with Kwale High School in their opening Group A duel.

Yesterday, officials from milk processor Brookside Dairy, the event title sponsors, said all venues were ready for the championships.

“We have concluded both branding and pitch marking across all the venues, including the main one at Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground at Mambo Leo,” Brookside’s corporate communication manager, Wilson Okong’o, said.