Butula, Kinale crowned KSSSA rugby 7s champions in Thika

Butula Boys reclaimed their national rugby 7s crown in magnificent style, surging past Cardinal Otunga Mosocho 26-0 to capture the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two title at the M-Pesa Foundation Academy in Thika.

The Western Hawks asserted their dominance right from the opening whistle. Arthur Amimo sliced through the Red City Warriors' defence in the fifth minute to dot down an electric try, establishing a 5-0 cushion at the break.

The second half delivered more of the same relentless pressure. Alex Okoth struck early to widen the gap, with Ethan Shiundu adding the extra two points to make it 12-0.

Tournament MVP Timona Elia Walucho then produced a brilliant solo effort, scoring and converting his own try to push the score line to 19-0. Shiundu capped off the dominant performance with a late try of his own, converted by Carlos Lidonde, to seal the emphatic 26-0 triumph.

The victory marked a triumphant return to the summit for Butula, who won the national title in Eldoret in 2023 before surrendering it to Bwake Boys in 2024.

Their journey to the top was built on resilience: after losing the regional final to Bokoli Boys 14-0 a month prior, Butula exacted sweet revenge by battling back to stun Bokoli 14-12 in a dramatic semi final.

Head coach Bonfotra Alumasa beamed with pride following his team's masterclass.

“It was a well-planned final. We came with a purpose: to lift the title and we have been planning for this since we lost our title in 2024. These are just the fruits of our hard work in the re-building process we’ve had,” said Alumasa.

Cardinal Otunga head coach Edwin Metobo lamented the severe toll injuries took on his squad.

“It’s a tough loss today but we have done our best. We could have done better but because of injuries to our key players since the quarter final stages we couldn’t complete our unbeaten run.”

Metobo expressed hope that his wounded key players will recover in time for the upcoming East Africa Games, where they plan to target the regional crown.

In the third-place playoff, Bokoli bounced back to claim the bronze medal by edging Upper Hill 14-12.

The girls’ 7s tournament delivered equal drama, with Kinale Girls retaining their crown by defeating Kimobo 12-10 in a nail-biting thriller.

The Central region powerhouses successfully defended the maiden title they won last year in Kisii. Western region’s Mbakalo secured bronze after dismantling St. Teresa 38-5.

Action on the basketball court produced new national royalty as Agoro Sare and Ikutha Girls captured the gold medals. Defending champions Sigalame Boys missed the national event entirely, while Buruburu Girls bowed out in the quarterfinals.

The boys’ basketball final was an explosive Nyanza derby between Agoro Sare and St. Mary’s Yala. With the game on the line, Agoro Sare held their nerve in the frantic final seconds to scrape past their rivals 15-13.

The girls’ final was a far more one-sided affair, with Ikutha Girls putting on a defensive clinic to comfortably beat Cheptil 11-4.

All winning teams and finalists now turn their attention to the Federation of East Africa Secondary School Games, taking place August 12–23 in Morogoro, Tanzania.