Netball: St Mary’s Kitende Defends Novices Rally Title with a Win Against Resilient Noa
The 2022 National Novices Rally successfully climaxed this afternoon at Kawempe Muslim SS.
St Mary’s Boarding Secondary School Kitende defended their title with a hard fought win against resilient St Noa Girls.
The final hosted on Saturday afternoon at Kawempe Muslim SS, saw St Mary’s beating St Noa Girls by four following a 22-18 final score.
In the first half of 15 minutes, both sides were on neck to neck and the halftime break came when Kitende was leading by only a goal, the first five minutes of second half the Zzana based school gotten a chance to go up but later engaged another gear to bounce back to their position and the final score found Kitende supports already in jubilation.
“Yes I lost but picked some positives, this tournament has helped me to identify the mistakes, the girls that have improved and still lacking, actually it’s a plus that I reached final, according to the form of my girls, I never accepted to reach here but they gave me a good game at semifinals, the game we beat Kawanda was a good one.
We are going to come back stronger in National Rally because if we stopped at final, then next target is winning the next competition.” Said St Noa Girls head coach Jonathan Ssegujja.
His counterpart, Ndawula Steven says, that he has nothing he is demanding from his girls because they did everything well.
“I am very happy, the girls did it well, nothing I am demanding from them, most of them a very younger, they are in s1,2 and 3 but they managed to beat every big side, St Noa, Kawanda and Buddo so I am very happy.”
The winning team captain, Namiiro Ruth asserted that it’s in their DNA to win, do they had to work hard to see that they defend the title they won in 2020 before COVID-19 outbreak.
“We are used at Winning, it wasn’t an easy game, we went head to head but later we won it. And we had to win it for our director [Lawrence Mulindwa], it’s these trophies that make him happy and help him cut age, as I speak now, he has already cut 15 years. ” Namiiro Ruth told this website.
The Acting General Secretary, Uganda Netball Federation, Harriet Apolot who represented the federation boss, Hon Babirye Kityo Sarah hailed the performance of all teams, the hospitality of the hosting school, and the good work done by the technical team.
Apolot revealed that it’s in their strategic plan to grow the game from grassroots.
Ten secondary School teams and three male teams.
St Mary’s Boarding Secondary School won the title, St Noa came second, Kawanda and Buddo finished third and fourth respectively.
Kawanda won the first five title after beating St Mary’s Kitende 19-16.