Vihiga, Butere and Lukenya cruise into rugby, basketball semis

Western Region rugby 15s champions Vihiga Boys High School edged out Friends Bwake Secondary School 5-3 in their second Group B match of the ongoing Brookside Secondary Schools national Term One games at Shimo La Tewa High School.

Emmanuel Herbet’s lone try was all Vihiga needed to secure a second win and inch closer to the title.

Emmanuel Makokha had given Bwake a 3-0 lead through a penalty in the low scoring encounter. Vihiga, who began their campaign with an 11-9 win against Kisii School, will today take on Marafa Secondary School in their last pool match.

In another Group B encounter, Kisii School recovered from their defeat to Vihiga to beat Marafa 20-5. Matrix Matangi was on fire scoring three tries and a penalty conversion, while Faraja Fondo scored Marafa’s consolation try.

In girls’ basketball, defending champions Butere Girls High School Cannons from Western thrashed Central Region’s Mpesa Foundation Academy 66-27 to register their second Group A win. Chelsea Onamu oozed class, sinking 22 points with Trixy Akinyi adding 10 for the champions who are looking to extend their reign to a third year in a row.

Butere had sent an early warning to their opponents with a 70-40 victory against Rift Valley giants St Joseph’s Girls High School Kitale.

They will today take on Nyanza’s Asumbi Girls in their last pool match.

Team captain Yvonne Wangui said their opponents should be wary because they are yet to give their best.

“We can only get better with every match we play because it gives us the opportunity to identify areas that we need to improve on. Our first goal was to qualify for the semis and we have already achieved that,” Wangui said.

In another Group A tie, St Joseph’s bounced back from a loss against Butere to beat Asumbi 72-48. A win today against M-Pesa Academy will also guarantee their spot in the last four.