Federation of East and Central Africa Secondary Schools Games volleyball champions Kwanthanze have been crowned winners of the girls’ volleyball competition at the African Schools Championship in Casablanca, Morocco.
The Machakos-based school defeated hosts Morocco by straight sets in the final of a five-team competition to lift the title at the inaugural continental event.
Two Kenyan schools booked a place for the competition after Kwanthanze defeated compatriots Kesogon 3-0, while Cheptil defeated Standard High School of Uganda 3-1 in the East Africa Games held in Arusha in September last year.
The five teams registered for the girls’ category of the competition and were divided into two groups.
Kwanthanze was pooled alongside Morocco B while the other pool had Morocco A, Niger and Senegal.
In their opening match against hosts Morocco B, the Justin Kigwari-coached Kwanthanze were on fire as they raced to a straight-sets victory in a 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-10) scoreline to book their ticket to the final.
In the other pool, Morocco A defeated Senegal and Niger to book a date with the Kenyans in a scintillating final played on Tuesday 28.
Kwanthanze were unstoppable, beating the hosts by straight sets in 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-20) to win their first continental trophy.
“The matches were not easy. We played two Morocco teams but I have to give it to my players for withstanding such competitiveness matches and displaying high-level skill.
We are happy to be crowned African champions. We thank everyone that supported the team during the preparations and in the competition from the zonal level to being crowned African champions,” coach Kigwari offered.
Meanwhile, Cheptil lost their opening match against Morocco’s Lycee 0-3 (17-25, 16-25, 19-25).
The championship was set to bring together winners from School Games in various disciplines across Africa with Kenya and East Africa represented by the two teams alongside the Basketball 3×3 teams from Uganda.
