The 2026 Rift Valley Secondary Schools Sports Association (RVSSSA) Games have delivered a series of stunning upsets, with several traditional powerhouses crashing out as emerging teams announced their arrival across football and volleyball.
In the girls’ football competition, Nasokol Girls from West Pokot booked their place in the regional final after defeating Itigo Girls 2-1 in the semi-finals. The victory marks another significant milestone for the fast-rising side, who reached the KSSSA National semi-finals last year. Their triumph also ended the campaign of Itigo Girls, one of Kenya’s most successful girls’ football schools.
The boys’ football tournament produced equally dramatic results. Baringo County champions Kabarnet High School suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Menengai High School in the quarter-finals, extending their wait for a return to the KSSSA National Games.
Three-time national champions Laiser Hill Academy were also shown the exit after losing 4-3 on penalties to Tenwek High School following a 1-1 draw after regulation and extra time.
Six-time national champions St. Anthony’s Boys Kitale then became the latest casualty, falling 1-0 to Menengai High School in the semi-finals. The defeat means St. Anthony’s will miss the KSSSA National Games for a third consecutive year.
The surprises continued in boys’ volleyball, where defending regional champions and seven-time national winners Cheptil Boys were beaten 3-1 by Andersen High School of Trans Nzoia County in a thrilling semi-final. Seventeen-time national champions St. Patrick’s Iten were also eliminated at the semi-final stage, signaling what many observers have described as a “changing of the guard” in Rift Valley school sports.
As a result, Rift Valley is guaranteed a new boys’ football champion this year. In Friday’s final, Tenwek High School will face Menengai High School, while the girls’ football title will be contested by St. Joseph’s Girls Kitale and the impressive Nasokol Girls.
In volleyball, Andersen High School will take on Chepsaita Boys in the boys’ final, while Kesogon Girls of Trans Nzoia County will battle Kosirai Girls for the girls’ title.
The unexpected results have underlined the growing competitiveness of school sports in the Rift Valley, with a new generation of teams proving they have what it takes to challenge—and defeat—Kenya’s traditional sporting giants. The 2026 RVSSSA Games may well be remembered as the tournament that marked a “changing of the guard,” as emerging schools announced themselves on one of the region’s biggest sporting stages.
