St. Anthony’s, Laiser lead nominees for SOYA schools award

Rift Valley sports powerhouses St Anthony’s Boys High School Kitale and Laiser Hill Academy are among schools nominated for the 2023 Sports Personality of the Year Award (SOYA) in the Boys School Team of the Year category.

The awards sponsored by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA), Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) and Safaricom PLC will be held on March 1 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).

They are on the list of 11 schools that excelled during the 2023 school games that were full of surprises and pain for former champions as the underdogs reduced them to spectators and snatched their crowns.

East Africa boys' volleyball title holders Namwela from Bungoma County who finally got it right after over four decades of being outshined by Western region compatriots such as fallen giants Malava Boys who dominated the sport for years are among frontrunners for the prestigious award.

National football champions St Anthony’s were nominated thanks to their impressive run that saw them reclaim the national trophy they had won in 2019 but relinquished when they lost to Kabarnet High School in the final of the 2022 Rift Valley region games. It was a very successful year for St Anthony’s popularly known as Solidarity Boys as its star players Aldrine Kibet, Amos Wanjala, Joseph Omuse and Allan Kasavuli went on to play for Junior Harambee Stars during CECAFA Under-18 Championships the country hosted in November.

The quartet was instrumental in Kenya’s second place finish. St Anthony’s made yet another milestone in sports recording success in rugby15s. The rugby 15s side would go ahead to bag bronze at both the national and East Africa games on their maiden appearances. The rugby 15s team and hockey team which won silver and bronze at the national and East Africa games respectively are also on the SOYA nominees list.

Laiser Hill who reclaimed their national basketball trophy following a 45-43 win against perennial rivals Dagoretti High in nerve-racking final and finished fourth in Rwanda are also strong contestants. National and East Africa rugby 7s champions Koyonzo, national winners Butula Boys (rugby 15s), Musingu (hockey), Ruthimitu Mixed (volleyball), Onjiko (basketball 3x3) and Hospital Hill (handball) are also in the tightly contested race for the coveted award.

Friends High School Shanderema and Mbooni Boys have also been nominated thanks to their exploits in football and handball.

Koyonzo had a memorable year sweeping all the titles from the subcounty to the East Africa level. Koyonzo retained their national title and improved on their 2022 second place finish in Arusha, Tanzania to bag their first ever East Africa crown.

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Their impressive run saw Kenyans recapture the title they had lost to Uganda’s Hana International School.

Butula on the other hand consolidated their place as an emerging rugby powerhouse when they won the national title and bagged silver at the East Africa games. Butula also made history as Busia County’s first ever side to make it to the nationals in rugby 15s.

Nairobi’s Ruthimitu Mixed earned their place on the nomination list having broken the jinx by winning the Nairobi region title and outclassing opponents to lift the national crown and took silver in East Africa.

National champions Musingu broke the hearts of St Anthony’s hockey fans when they snatched the national trophy with a solitary goal.

Onjiko High school which is gradual creating a place for itself in the history of secondary schools’ basketball won the 3X3 contest and secured bronze in Rwanda.

Hospital Hill retained their handball national trophy in a tightly contested tie with Mbooni Boys who have also been nominated having finished fourth in Rwanda.

Giant slayers Friends High School Shanderema complete the list of nominees. They overcame stiff competition in the Western region to make it the national where they finished third and qualified for East Africa games on their debut.

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Their key players have joined top clubs in the country such as Kelly Madada who joined AFC Leopards and Mark Shaban who signed for KPL champions Gor Mahia.

Boys School Team of the Year Nominees

1. St Anthony’s (Football, hockey, rugby 15s)

2. Laiser Hill (Basketball)

3. Butula (Rugby 15s)

4. Musingu (Hockey)

5. Koyonzo (Rugby 7s)

6. Namwela (Volleyball)

7. Hospital Hill (Handball)

8. Onjiko (Basketball 3X3)

9. Ruthimitu Mixed (Volleyball)

10.Mbooni Boys (Handball)