Tenwek High School stunned the Rift Valley region after defeating Menengai High School 3-2 to win the boys’ football title for the first time in the school’s history, headlining a dramatic finale to the 2026 Rift Valley Secondary Schools Sports Association (RVSSSA) Games at William Ole Ntimama Stadium in Narok County on Friday, July 10.
The historic triumph marked one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, as Tenwek dethroned some of the region’s football powerhouses on their way to the championship. The Bomet County side completed a remarkable campaign after overcoming Wareng High School before eliminating three-time national champions Laiser Hill Academy in the quarter-finals and eventually edging Menengai High School in a thrilling final.
An emotional Tenwek captain, Sapuro Mero, described the victory as a dream come true for the school.
“We are very happy to have qualified for the national championships for the first time in our history, and we promise to perform even better there. I am proud to be the first captain to lead Tenwek High School to the national stage.”
Head coach Nelson Nyongesa praised his players for believing in themselves despite arriving at the tournament as underdogs.
“I am extremely happy because we came here as underdogs. We lost our first match, but I promised the boys that we would bounce back and perform well. They believed in themselves, and today we have achieved something special.”
The day’s surprises extended beyond the boys’ football competition, with several established giants falling as new champions emerged across different disciplines.
In the girls’ football final, St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale were crowned regional champions after defeating Nasokol Girls 3-1. St. Joseph’s capped off an impressive campaign with a commanding display, while Nasokol, who had stunned former champions Itigo Girls in the semi-finals, settled for second place and also qualified for the 2026 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Games.
In girls’ volleyball, Kesogon Girls from Trans Nzoia County produced another outstanding performance, defeating Kosirai Girls 3-0 in straight sets to lift the regional title.
After the match, Kosirai captain Eder Chepkemoi admitted that weaknesses in reception and blocking cost her side the championship.
“Our biggest challenge was reception and blocking. The injury to one of our players also lowered the team’s morale.”
Kesogon libero Lydia Atabo said the team is now focused on winning both the national and East Africa titles.
“This time we are determined to win both the national and East Africa titles. However, we still need to improve our service.”
The boys’ volleyball final also produced a dominant display from Chepsaita Boys, who defeated Andersen High School of Trans Nzoia 3-0 in straight sets to be crowned the 2026 Rift Valley champions.
Following the conclusion of the Rift Valley regional championships in Narok County, the champions and runners-up have secured qualification for the 2026 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Games, where they will compete against the country’s best schools for national honours and qualification for the East Africa Secondary Schools Games.
The 2026 KSSSA Term Two National Championships are scheduled to take place from Tuesday, July 28 to Saturday, August 1, at the MPESA Foundation Academy in Thika, Kiambu County, bringing together the country’s top-performing secondary schools in football, volleyball, basketball, rugby, hockey and other disciplines.
