By Andrew Mbuva.
Kitondo Boys' High School produced one of the biggest upsets of the Eastern Region Secondary School Games after edging defending champions All Saints Embu 7-5 in a thrilling rugby final to qualify for the Kenya Secondary Schools National Ball Games.
The hard-fought victory not only secured Kitondo's place at the national championships but also marked sweet revenge after the Makueni-based side had lost to All Saints earlier in the competition.
Speaking after the historic triumph, Kitondo Boys' head coach Michael Satia described the victory as a classic "David versus Goliath" story, saying few people had expected his youthful side to overcome the regional giants.
"First of all, I thank God for how far He has brought us. We can now say Goliath has finally fallen. This is David, and my team is the David. No one expected us to beat All Saints Embu," said Satia.
The coach revealed that the earlier defeat to All Saints became a source of motivation for his players ahead of the final.
"We had met them in our first game and they beat us. When we met again in the final, we told the boys that no team should beat us twice. They listened to our advice, fought hard and that is how we won this game," he added.
Satia also credited the school's administration for the team's success, noting that the players sacrifice their holidays and mid-term breaks to remain in school for intensive training.
"Our principal has always supported these boys by allowing them to remain in school during holidays and mid-term breaks for training. That commitment has brought us this far," he said.
With the national championships now on the horizon, the coach expressed confidence that Kitondo Boys can compete against Kenya's rugby powerhouses despite fielding a relatively young squad.
"These are very young boys and many teams may underestimate us, especially the traditional rugby giants from Western Kenya. We are going there to prove ourselves, win matches and earn a place at the East Africa Games in the second week of August," Satia stated.
Team captain David Ochieng attributed the victory to discipline, determination and consistent training.
"We thank God for helping us reach this stage. We are now going to the Nationals not only to represent Kitondo Boys and Makueni County but also the entire Eastern Region," said Ochieng.
The skipper promised supporters that the team will fight to bring home the national title.
"We promise our fans that we will do everything possible to bring the national trophy home. This victory is a result of hard work and proper training. We always remain in school during mid-term breaks to train, and we truly deserved this win," he said.
Kitondo Boys now head to the National Secondary School Ball Games full of confidence after dethroning the defending regional champions, with their sights firmly set on qualifying for the East Africa Secondary School Games.
