NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 4 – Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) national games debutants Lelmokwo, Agoro Sare and Mbooni Boys have washed their hands and are now ready to dine with kings.

The trio had a memorable season in their respective disciplines this season, a feat that saw them being nominated in the school team of the year award (boys’ category) at the 2019 Sports Personality of the Year awards (SOYA).

After years of toil and endless near-misses, the three now have a chance of rewriting the formbook. For long, they have been playing second fiddle, always falling short in their quest for glory.

Their previous campaigns had been nothing but tears, anguish and disappointment, but all that was washed away in one of the most memorable ways this year.

The three no doubt left notable marks in various disciplines. Lelmokwo picked silver in boys’ volleyball for a maiden slot to the East Africa Games held in Arusha, Tanzania.

On their part, Mbooni Boys were second in handball behind record national titleholders Kimilili, who are also in the running for the award.

Mbooni also featured in football at the national level for the first time. Agoro Sare’s run in basketball saw them reach the national semis while their rugby 7’s team made their debut at the national championships.

It will not be smooth sailing for the three new kids on the block as they have the herculean task of muscling the big boys for the award.

Among the big shots are double rugby 15’s and 7’s titleholders Kakamega High and Upper Hill. The two schools carried the day in their respective versions of the sport at the national and East Africa games producing Most Valuable Players (MVP) in the process.

Also in the running for the award are Laiser Hill Academy, who retained their national basketball title and finished fourth at the East Africa Games. The school also picked silver at national and East Africa Games in rugby 7’s.

Dagoretti High School will also be hoping to be on the podium despite missing gold in three disciplines they participated. The school won silver in rugby 15’s; both at the national and East Africa Games, silver in boys’ basketball at the national level and silver on their debut at the East Africa Games.

They also won silver in boys’ Under 19 football at the national level for a maiden ticket to the East Africa games, where they finished fourth.

Other schools gunning for SOYA glory include St Antony’s Boys, who won the national Under 19 boys’ football title and reached the quarter-finals at the East Africa Games.  They also won gold in boys’ hockey at the national level and clinched silver at the East Africa Games.

Others are Mogonga PAG, who won their maiden national volleyball title on their second attempt and finished fourth at the East Africa Games on their debut. They produced the national MVP, Enock Kiptum.

Friend School Kamusinga are also in the mix after bagging silver in boys’ hockey at the national games and gold in the regional games.

Meru School, who finished third at the national level in boys’ hockey, Kangaru for their third-place finish in rugby 15’s at the national level, St Peter’s Mumias for a third-place finish in rugby7’s at the national finals, are also in the list.

Under 16 football champions, Serani and semi-finalists Boys Town complete the nominations list.

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