Butula and Kinale Claim National Rugby Crowns
Butula Boys High School staged a commanding return to the top of secondary school rugby by defeating Cardinal Otunga Mosocho 26-0 in the final of the Secondary School Sports Association Term Two sevens tournament held at the M-Pesa Foundation Academy in Thika.
The Western side controlled proceedings from the first whistle and never allowed their opponents a meaningful scoring opportunity. Tournament most valuable player Timonah Elia of Butula delivered a standout performance that capped an impressive campaign for the newly crowned champions.
Arthur Amimo opened the scoring with a sharp try in the fifth minute to give Butula a 5-0 lead at half-time. After the break Alex Okoth extended the advantage, with Ethan Shiundu adding the conversion for a 12-0 cushion. Elia then produced a dazzling individual run, finishing and converting his own try to make it 19-0, before Shiundu crossed again and Carlos Lidonde added the extras to complete the 26-0 victory. The result restored Butula to the summit they last occupied in 2023 after losing the title the following year.
Head coach Bonfotra Alumasa praised the meticulous preparation that underpinned the triumph. “It was a well-planned final. We came with a purpose: to lift the title and we have been planning for this since we lost our title in 2024. These are just the fruits of our hard work in the re-building process we’ve had,” he said. Opposite number Edwin Metobo of Cardinal Otunga acknowledged the impact of injuries, noting that key players had been unavailable since the quarter-finals and expressing hope they would recover in time for the forthcoming East Africa Games.
In the bronze-medal match Bokoli Boys edged Upper Hill 14-12 to claim third place. On the girls’ side Kinale successfully defended their title with a tense 12-10 win over Kimobo, while Mbakalo secured bronze by overwhelming St. Teresa 38-5. Parallel basketball finals produced new champions as Agoro Sare held off St. Mary’s Yala 15-13 in a tight boys’ contest and Ikutha Girls dominated Cheptil 11-4 to take the girls’ gold.
All medal-winning rugby and basketball sides will now prepare for the Federation of East Africa Secondary School Games scheduled for 12 to 23 August in Morogoro, Tanzania. The national successes achieved in Thika provide strong momentum as the teams look to carry the colours of the country onto the regional stage.
