KSSSA Games: Serani Secondary football team ready to defend Mombasa County trophy

2023 Coast Region Secondary School soccer champions, Serani Secondary School, are out to defend their Mombasa County title as the county Term Two ball games kick off Tuesday, July 2, 2024.

The games are scheduled to take place in Jomvu and Changamwe constituencies after being postponed two weeks ago.

Serani Secondary School team, under the stewardship of coach Alex Shikanga and Cach Swaleh Abdallah, will be out to continue their soccer dominance at the Coast region, with last year playing their way to the national level.

According to the team head coach Alex Shikanga, the boys are ready for the task to successfully defend their title.

“As you know Bandari Youth FC has a contract with Serani Secondary School, so most of my players have been actively involved in the ongoing FKF Coast Region league, and I can comfortably confirm that we are ready for Tuesday,” said Shikanga.

“Every year we strive to reach the national level and immediately after that we start preparing for the coming year, that's why we are different,” he added.

With their superstar Willy Gitama away with the U23 national team, Emerging Stars, at the COSAFA Cup tournament in South Africa, coach Shikanga is confident other students will step up and fill the gap.

“We will miss Willy but we are happy he made it to the national team for the COSAFA tournament, and we hope he will represent us well. We have capable players for the task but we are afraid in a month’s time we will lose four more players who made it to national Chapa Dimba team and are heading to Spain for a tournament,” noted coach Shikanga.

The players are Baraka Rodgers, goalkeeper Francis Katana, David Wanyama and Khamis Nyale.

According to Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Mombasa County Secretary, Silas Atsulu, preparations are complete ahead of the championship.

“Everything is ready, but we are worried about the planned anti-government protests set for Tuesday, so our team is on the lookout and we will advise accordingly since the students’ safety comes first,” he said.

Serani are in Group B with Miritini Complex, Khadija Secondary School and St. Charles Lwanga.

Group A consists of Moi Forces Academy MFA, Marimani Secondary School, Tononoka Secondary School and Miritini Secondary School.

Last year, Serani were crowned Mombasa County champions after edging out hosts Changamwe Secondary School 3-0.