Musingu Boys, St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale lead race for SOYA School Team Awards

Musingu Boys and St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale are the favorites to win this year’s SOYA Girls and Boys School Team of the Year Awards after starring in last year’s school games.

In the boy's category, Musingu are the front runners after an impressive season in both football and hockey.

The Kakamega-based school clinched the national and East Africa hockey titles, edging out St. Anthony Boys Kitale 1-0 in the national final and defeating Rwanda’s Kakungulu 2-0 to seal the East African crown.

Musingu also made headlines in football, lifting the national title after overcoming Highway Secondary School 4-3 in a tense post-match penalty shootout.

They went on to finish third in the East African tournament behind Uganda’s Amus College and St. Mary’s Kitende.

Their main challengers for the award include 2024 National and East Africa Rugby 15s champions, All Saints (Embu), and Friends School Kamusinga, who lifted the East Africa 3x3 basketball title.

Others are East Africa Rugby 7s champions, Vihiga High School, and St. Charles Lwanga, bronze medalists in both National and East Africa school games.

In the girls’ category, the battle is expected to be fierce between St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale, famously know as JOGA, and Butere Girls.

JOGA had a splendid year, securing the national and East African titles in Rugby 7s, and also claiming the East Africa hockey crown. They added the national 3x3 basketball title to their trophy cabinet and finished third at the East Africa level behind Butere and Uganda’s St. Noa.

In football, they also surprised many by securing third place nationally behind Butere and Nyakach.

Butere Girls were also impressive, winning the national titles in basketball 5x5 and football.

They went on to claim the East Africa 3x3 basketball title, edging out St. Joseph’s Girls who had beaten them at the national level.

In football, Butere finished runners-up at the East Africa Games after falling to Uganda’s St. Noa Girls in the final.

Other strong contenders in the girls’ category include reigning East Africa volleyball champions, Kesogon Girls, East Africa Rugby 7s runners-up, Kinale Girls, and Tigoi Girls who are the national hockey champions.

Last year’s winners were Kwanthanze Girls and Koyonzo Boys, who dominated volleyball and Rugby 7s respectively at the 2023 Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) Games in Rwanda.

This year’s winners will be announced on Thursday, April 17, during the SOYA Awards ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).