Kwanthanze lose from a set up and blow the Kenyan school games open
The opening round of the 2026 Term Two National Games run by the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) has already delivered its first upset. Kwanthanze Secondary School, the reigning girls’ volleyball champions, suffered a harsh comeback defeat to St Martha’s Mwitoti, representing the Western Region, and saw their plan for a national double – and the East African title too – begin on far shakier ground than expected.
How Mwitoti turned it around against the favourites
The first set backed the favourites’ billing: Kwanthanze closed it out 25-22 and looked set to repeat their title-winning campaign. Mwitoti’s answer, though, came hard and without hesitation. The Western Region side strung together three straight sets, 25-20, 25-14 and 25-22, and closed the match 3-1, a result that already goes down among the biggest shocks of the day.
The defeat directly disturbs the balance of Group A, which also contains Kahuro Girls, the Central Region champions, and Wajir Girls, representing the North East. Kahuro, for their part, showed no mercy: they took advantage of their rival’s slip and swept Wajir Girls aside 25-19, 25-15 and 25-21, reaching a provisional lead level with Mwitoti themselves after just one round.
Dominance in the other girls’ and boys’ volleyball groups
In Group B, Kesogon Secondary School, Rift Valley champions and winners of the 2023 edition, made it clear they have come to reclaim the national title. Against Aluor Girls of Nyanza they only really struggled in the second set – closed 27-25 – before confirming a 3-0 with 25-20 and 25-16.
Soweto Academy, the Nairobi champions, gave Mwanambeyu Girls of the Coast almost nothing. The scores – 25-8, 25-4 and 25-15 – show the size of the gap on court.
In the boys’ event the eye was caught by ACK Chepsaita Senior School of the Rift Valley, who took over from Cheptil Secondary as the regional force and did not disappoint: 25-11, 25-10 and 25-19 against Kiambaa Boys of the Central Region. Masara Secondary School of Nyanza followed the same dominant script against Furaha Mixed Secondary of the North East, while Chesamisi Boys, the Western champions, beat former national champions Ruthimitu Mixed School in straight sets and strengthened their claim on a semi-final place.
Drama in the boys’ draw and thrashings in netball
The most closely fought match of the round was, without doubt, in boys’ Group B. Matiliku Secondary School of the East needed five sets to overcome Moi Forces Academy of the Coast. After splitting the first four – 25-21, 22-25, 25-19 and 21-25 – Matiliku held their nerve in the tie-break and closed it 18-16, a spine-tingling finish.
Netball, meanwhile, made its own statement on day one with emphatic scorelines. Andersen Secondary School of the Rift Valley overran Moi Girls Kibwezi 91-17. Bukokholo Girls of the West beat Asumbi Girls of Nyanza 61-44. And the most startling score belonged to Kinale of the Central Region, who put 127-1 past DM Amin of the North East. Kaya Tiwi of the Coast completed the run of wide margins by beating Raila Education Centre of Nairobi 77-9.
With the first round over, attention turns to the second preliminary phase, scheduled for Monday. Kwanthanze go into it under pressure to respond after an unexpected slip, while Kesogon, Chepsaita, Chesamisi and Kahuro try to confirm their good start and stay in the fight for a semi-final place.
