2022 USSSA Ball Games 2 (Netball):
Final: St Mary’s SS Kitende 18-17 St Noa Girls
Netball:
- Gold: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- Silver: St Noa Girls School, Zzana
- Bronze: Buddo S.S
St Mary’s Secondary School Kitende claimed the trophy and gold medals in Netball sport at the 2022 Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Ball Games 2 climax in Lira city.
The victors won the Entebbe road and Wakiso district derby over rivals St Noa Girls 18-17 during a nail-biting clash at the Dr Obote College sports complex on Sunday, 21 August.
The end-to-end duel was also a physical contest of sorts with contestable decisions by St Noa Girls’ team, particularly in the second part of the two half-game also watched by the newly appointed State minister of sports Hon. Peter Ogwang.
It was one game of tension, high tempo, tactics, aggression, less errors that also limited turn-overs.
By half-time, St Mary’s SS Kitende had established a 5-goal lead with 12-7 score.
This was largely attributed to the 100 percent scoring accuracy of goal attacker, Aisha Nakuuya who was also backed up by the goal-shooter Winnie Morgan Akello.
In the subsequent half, St Noa Girs minimized on the first half errors and staged a gallant fight to close the goals’ margin through Gladys Adyero (Goal shooter) and Ethel Ngambi (Goal Attacker).
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Slyvia Awino and other defenders remained mean at the back.
The Zzana based school scored 11 goals in the second half to St Mary’s Kitende’s 5.
Towards the end of the game, tempers flared when the umpire called for a decision against St Noa for foul footwork.
This led to furious reaction from the players, fans and the officials on the bench.
St Mary’s SS Kitende held onto the pressure to win the game and celebrate wildly.
A couple of St Noa players were crest-fallen as they shed tears of agony and disappointment.
“I congratulate the team for the spirited effort to win the game which was very tight. We employed special tactics and the players strictly played to the instructions to bring home the trophy and gold medals” Noordin Kato, St Mary’s SS Kitende head coach revealed after the game.
Dr Lawrence Mulindwa, director of St Mary’s SS Kitende also watched this contest, just like he did for the quarter-final and semi-final clashes.
As St Noa Girls School, Zzana settled for the silver, Buddo S.S beat Madina Islamic to take bronze.
The games officially climaxed on Sunday, 21 August 2022 at the Dr Obote College sports complex.
A total of nine sports disciplines were competed in by over 5000 students.
These included Football (U-16), Handball, Volleyball, Athletics, Dancesport, Netball, Rugby (7’s), Basketball (3×3) and for either gender
Standard High School Zzana and Kawempe Muslim won the boys and girls’ respective football titles.
Standard High School Zzana also took the volleyball boy’s final after defeating Namugongo Vocational school 3-1 sets.
Kawanda S.S beat Kibibi in the girls’ handball final whilst Dynamic edged Gombe S.S in the boy’s finale.
Other Games:
Gulu District had a clean sweep of the athletics event with three trophies (boys, girls and overall).
Kween District won both the boys and girls’ gold in Cross country.
Kawanda S.S won handball girls and Mukono based Dynamic took handball boys.
Mbarara City’s St Elizabeth Girls won the female volleyball title as Standard High School, Zzana took the boy’s gold.
Standard High School – Zzana also won the boy’s football trophy as traditional giants Kawempe Muslim won girls’ football.
St Mary’s SS Kitende won gold in Basketball (3X3) girls whilst Buddo SS won boys basketball (3×3).
Another gold to St Mary’s SS Kitende came in Netball after that spirited 18-17 victory over St Noa in the epic finale.
Luzira Secondary School clinched two gold medals in woodball (boys and girls).
St Andrew Kaggwa (Gombe High school) won Dancesport (girls) and Kazo S.S were victorious for the boys.
Nkoma Secondary School from Mbale city was outstanding in girls’ Rugby (7’s) as Hana International School took boys’ title.
A total of 761 medals (Gold, Bronze and Silver) as well as 21 trophies were given out to the exceling players, schools and districts.
The outstanding schools as well as exceptional students in athletes will represent Uganda at the East African Secondary School Games (FEASSA) Games in Arusha city, Tanzania.
Other medallists (Sport by Sport):
Athletics:
- Gold: Gulu District
- Silver: Kitgum District
- Bronze: Wakiso District
Cross Country:
- Boys (Gold, Silver & Bronze): Kween District
- Girls (Gold, Silver & Bronze): Kween District
Handball:
Girls:
- Gold: Kawanda S.S
- Silver: Kibuli S.S
- Bronze: Mbogo High School
Boys:
- Gold: Dynamic S.S
- Silver: Gombe S.S
- Bronze: Kakungulu Memorial High School
Volleyball:
Girls:
- Gold: St Elizabeth Girls School, Mbarara
- Silver: Trust High School
- Bronze: Kinawa High School
Boys:
- Gold: Standard High School, Zzana
- Silver: Namugongo S.S & Vocational School
- Bronze: Buremba S.S, Kiruhura
Football:
Girls:
- Gold: Kawempe Muslim S.S
- Silver: Bon Consil Vocational School, Isingiro
- Bronze: Jinja Secondary School
Boys:
- Gold: Standard High School – Zzana
- Silver: Buddo S.S
- Bronze: Bulworth Integrated Vocational School, Migadde
Basketball (3×3):
Girls:
- Gold: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- Silver: Buddo S.S
- Bronze: Nabisunsa Girls
Boys:
- Gold: Buddo SS
- Silver: Hope Billa
- Bronze: Janan School
Woodball:
Girls:
- Gold: Luzira Secondary School
- Silver: Our Lady of Africa, Namugongo
- Bronze: Kijjabwemi
Boys:
- Gold: Luzira Secondary School
- Silver: Airforce Secondary School, Entebbe
- Bronze: Mengo S.S
Dancesport:
- Girls (Gold): St Andrew Kaggwa (Gombe High school)
- Boys (Gold): Kazo S.S were victorious for the boys.
Rugby (7’s):
Girls:
- Gold: Nkoma S.S, Mbale
- Silver: St Katherine S.S, Lira
- Bronze: Kijjabwemi S.S, Masaka
Boys:
- Gold: Hana International School
- Silver: Jinja S.S
- Bronze: Ntare School, Mbarara