Matiliku volleyball team. 
By Andrew Mbuva
Matiliku Boys' High School capped a remarkable campaign at the Eastern Region Secondary School Games by securing qualification for the National Secondary School Games in both volleyball and basketball, cementing the school's status as one of the region's emerging sporting powerhouses.
The Makueni-based school produced a spirited comeback in the boys' volleyball final, overturning a two-set deficit to defeat Kaundu Secondary School of Kitui 3-2 and claim the Eastern Region title.
Kaundu dominated the opening two sets, winning the first with Matiliku managing only 11 points before edging the second set as Matiliku reached 21 points. However, the Makueni champions responded in emphatic fashion, taking the remaining three sets while restricting their opponents to fewer than 15 points in each, completing one of the tournament's most dramatic turnarounds.
Speaking after the victory, Matiliku Boys' Principal Dr. Johnstone Ndivo, who also serves as the Makueni County KESSHA Chairperson, expressed his delight at both the successful hosting of the regional games and his school's outstanding performance.
"We are very happy as Makueni County to have hosted the Eastern Region Games successfully and to have concluded the competition without any major challenges," said Dr. Ndivo.
He noted that Matiliku had entered three teams into the regional championships after missing out on football at the county level. Of those, basketball qualified for the nationals on Friday before the volleyball team sealed qualification with Saturday's thrilling victory.
Dr. Ndivo described the volleyball triumph as particularly special, saying it marked the third time he has guided the school to the national championships in the discipline since becoming principal.
"This is the third time I am taking our volleyball team to the nationals. We have previously qualified in football, hockey and handball, and now, for the first time, our basketball team has also reached the national stage. The only discipline yet to qualify is rugby," he said.
As Makueni KESSHA Chairperson, Dr. Ndivo also praised the high standard of competition witnessed throughout the regional championships, noting that several schools from the county had secured places at the national games.
"The level of competition has been very high this year, and I am proud that Makueni has produced several teams that will represent the county at the nationals. Makueni has truly excelled in these games," he added.
The team's coach attributed the impressive comeback in the final to tactical adjustments after carefully studying Kaundu's style of play during the opening two sets.
"Our opponents won the first two sets, but we used that time to understand their game. We identified only two players who were causing us problems. Once we adjusted our strategy, we controlled the match and won the remaining three sets convincingly," he said.
The coach praised the players for their discipline and consistency throughout the tournament, revealing that no team had managed to take a set off Matiliku from the sub-county level until the regional final.
He also thanked the school administration and Principal Dr. Ndivo for their unwavering support, saying the team is now focused on making an impact at the national championships.
"We are not going to the nationals just to participate. We are going there to compete. Our target is to qualify for the East Africa Games, and we believe this is our year," he declared confidently.
With both the volleyball and basketball teams now heading to the National Secondary School Games, Matiliku Boys' High School will carry the hopes of Makueni County and the Eastern Region as they seek to extend their impressive run on the national stage.
