Hockey: Namagunga target revenge against Kakungulu

Egg Game. St Mary’s College Kisubi flanker Ronald Hafashimana evades an opponent from Masaba SS. Smack is in the final with Namilyango. PHOto: DARREN A. KYEYUNE

What you need to know:

  • All Sport. At the Mbale Sports Club, Kololo SS players Frank Akankwasa and Ronald Wakholi will play the boys’ tennis final having eliminated Old Kampala 2-1 in the semifinal. Gayaza meet Kibuli in the girls’ final.

The number of contests have sized down across the seven disciplines as more participants have turned into spectators at the Fresh Dairy Secondary School Games.

Bar basketball, the rest are into the semi-final or final stages with classification matches too taking place at Mbale Secondary School and other venues. In girls’ hockey, there will be a repeat of the 2018 final where Kakungulu Memorial meet Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga in the semi-final today.

The two face-off after Namagunga beat Kawempe Muslim 4-0 in the quarterfinal contest yesterday.

Forward Pauline Ninsiima scored a hat-trick while her compatriot Joseline Mugusha celebrated once to offer their side ascendency. “Striking is our biggest strength,” said Namagunga skipper Hildah Balondemu ahead of today’s encounter. Mugusha has eight goals while Ninsiima has four.

In last year’s final, Kakungulu whitewashed Namagunga 4-0 in Fort Portal but the villains then are eyeing revenge this time. “We were disappointed but we now want to pay back,” Ninsiima said. “We have put in a lot and God first,” added Balondemu.

Kakungulu have however, consistently showed the champions’ mark and it manifested in their 9-0 obliteration of Gayaza High in the quarterfinal with a hat-trick from Norah Alum and a brace from Irene Nyapendi. They earlier beat Seeta High 18-0 in the tournament.

In the second semi-final, last year’s bronze medalists Bweranyangi Girls hope to make it one place better when they meet Old Kampala. Bweranyangi beat Kings College Budo 6-0 with three goals from captain Latavia Oyella and Ryan Naturinda, Elina Natuheyisa and Jewel Ahurira each netting once.

“We finished sixth at the East Africa Games last year. So we now strong and even more confident,” said Oyella.
Old Kampala’s player to watch is Lillian Namyalo who scored twice in the 3-0 win over Naalya SS.

Elsewhere, powerhouses Namilyango College and Smack will meet in the boys’ rugby 15s’ final this afternoon with the latter hoping to revenge for the 16-3 loss in last year’s final.

Smack has already had a taste of that having beaten Namilyango 14-0 in the Schools Rugby final last month.

Ezekiel Opio, Gavin Mutara, Gary Kyaligonza and Nabil Jiwani scored Namilyango’s tries in the 20-3 semi-final win over Makerere College.