ELDORET, APRIL 13- Defending champions in various disciplines at the Primary School ball games started their campaigns on a roll as this year’s national finals kicked off at Hill and Wareng High Schools in Eldoret on Wednesday.
Football boys’ defending champions Nzoia Region picked up a point in their opening match after they were held to a barren draw by Metropolitan region in a repeat of last year’s finals.
In the second Pool A match, Issa Minhaj’s audacious goal from the halfway line gave Northern Region a wonderful start as they went on to beat Aberdare 2-1 in a thrilling encounter.
Garissa Primary School’s Maro Abdalla doubled the advantaged minutes later for the Northerners as they took control of the match.
Aberderes put up a fight in the second half but they could only manage a consolation through Laikipia Primary’s Mohammed Haret.
Elsewhere, Ijema Ismael was in sublime form as he scored all four in Coast Region’s 4-1 win over Highland Region. Sammy Lolopole scored the consolation for Highland.
In Pool B, 2014 champions Lake Region started off the journey to reclaiming their crown on a poor footing, losing 3-1 to Mau Region.
In girls’ football, Hellen Nzilani netted the lone goal in the 48th minute to give Highland Region a vital win over Metropolitan.
The boys’ handball saw defending champions Nzoia pick back to back wins on day one to keep their title defense charge, whitewashing Highland 29-7 before meting the same anger on Aberdare whom they beat 24-9.
In girls’ volleyball, Mau Region which has won the title thrice in a row continued in their dominance starting their 2016 campaign with straight set wins over Nzoia and Northern regions.
The girls from Nzoia picked up their win in sets of 25-4, 25-7 and 25-13, keeping their sublime form against Northern region winning in sets 25-3, 25-19 and 25-9.
In boys’ netball, defending champions Lake Region beat Aberderes 24-5 in a repeat of last year’s final while Nzoia beat Mau 13-10 in the other match of the day.
The four-day event will culminate in the final on Saturday.
