St. Kagwa and Kyeizooba retain USSSA Bushenyi district titles

St. Kagwa Bushenyi High School and Kyeizooba Girls emerged victorious in the boys' and girls' categories respectively at the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Bushenyi district finals on Wednesday.

The thrilling championship matches, played at Bushenyi grounds, saw both schools defend their titles in nail-biting penalty shootouts.

Kyeizooba Girls retained their crown after edging out a determined Nyabubare SS 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Meanwhile, St. Kagwa maintained their dominance in the boys' category, securing a 5-4 penalty shootout win over a rapidly improving Al Noor Islamic School after a tense 0-0 stalemate. The victory marked St. Kagwa's seventh consecutive district title, further cementing their legacy as the most successful team in the competition.

For St. Kagwa, Iran Musinguzi, January Aguma, Levis Nuwamanya, Davis Ssekabira, and Elvis Ajunarugaza held their nerve to convert their spot-kicks, while Denis Mugume's miss proved inconsequential in the end. Al Noor, making only their second final appearance in three years of competition, saw Alvin Agaba, Jonathan Ogwang, and Lawrence Aturinda score their penalties, but misses from Ankwatsa Mukama and Abdul Razak Nuwenyine ultimately cost them the trophy.

St. Kagwa headteacher Possy Kananga Kamugisha praised the school's holistic approach to education, emphasizing how their top athletes also excel academically. "Our commitment to nurturing the boy child through both co-curricular and classroom activities continues to yield results. Our best performers in sports are often the same students leading in academics, which motivates the entire school. Retaining this trophy is a testament to our philosophy," she said.

Alex Musinguzi, USSSA Bushenyi district chairman, commended the exemplary discipline displayed by fans throughout the tournament, attributing it to professional officiating and the community's passion for school sports. "From the zonal stages to the district finals, we witnessed peaceful and well-organized matches. By eliminating ineligible players, we avoided the usual controversies, ensuring a smooth and successful competition," he noted.

With their victories, St. Kagwa and Kyeizooba will now lead five other qualifying boys' and girls' teams to represent Bushenyi at the upcoming USSSA Ankole zonal championship, scheduled for April 2-13 in Bushenyi.

USSSA Bushenyi district schools football results

Girls’ semis

Kyeizooba 3 Mujuni 0

Nyabubare 5 Bweranyangi 0

Finals

Kyeizooba 1 (3) Nyabubare 1 (2)

Boys’ semis

Al Noor 3 Bp Ogez 2

St Kagwa 0 (7) Ruyonza 0 (6)

Finals

St Kagwa 0 (5) Al Noor 0 (4)