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St Catherine Girls U16 football receive their bronze at King George Stadium, Tororo
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Sports Desk
St Catherine Girls Secondary School Kazo returned home with heads held high from the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) Ball Games II in Tororo, following a stellar performance by their U16 girls’ football team in the competition that climaxed on Thursday last week. The Kazo-based outfit had qualified from the USSSA Ankole Zone in fifth position, and this marked their debut appearance at the national level — a stage long dominated by powerhouses such as Kawempe Muslim, St. Noa Girls, and more recently, Boni Consilii Girls Isingiro.
St Catherine's Cynthia Ahwera offiiciating as a lines official at the USSSA boys' volleyball final in Tororo last week
Despite being first-time participants and outright underdogs, the young girls, managed by coach Benson Onaikede and team manager Sipriano Bainomugisha, overcame their fears and put their skills on full display. The U16 girls' football category, which attracted 20 teams, placed St Catherine in Group B alongside strong opponents: Panyandol SS, Trinity College Nabbingo, and Amazing Grace. Their first match ended in a 1-1 draw against Panyandol, but they bounced back strongly to thrash Nabbingo 6-0 and then edged Amazing Grace 5-3 to progress to the quarterfinals.
The St Catherine team that finished 3rd at the USSSA ball games II girls U16 football in Tororo
In the quarters, they faced Bishop Comboni College Kambuga, champions of the Kanungu and Kigezi zone, and eliminated them with a 2-0 win. This set up a semi-final clash with the eventual tournament winners, Kawempe Muslim, to whom they narrowly lost 2-1 in a hard-fought match.
In the third-place playoff, they tightened their belts and defeated Lugazi Homeland — a team with national U17 players and coach — 1-0 to claim the prestigious bronze medal.
“We are happy and excited that in our very first attempt, we achieved a bronze medal. We would have gone all the way to the final, but it was difficult in one way or another. Nonetheless, we thank God that we represented our school, district, and zone proudly,” said team manager Sipriano Bainomugisha.
Their performance not only brought home a major accolade but also showcased the raw talent of young players like Ankunda Emily (S.2), the team’s top scorer with 4 goals; Ampurire Annitah (S.1) who also scored 4 goals; Kansiime Ronah (S.1) and Nukwagira Babrah (S.1), each with 3 goals; and Nankunda Rose (S.2), who added 1 goal.
Beyond the football pitch, St Catherine also had several certified student officials participating in officiating roles across different sports disciplines.
These included:
All of them rendered official services during the games.
St Catherine Girls Secondary School Kazo has showcased remarkable versatility in sports, excelling not only in girls’ football but also in netball, volleyball, and Dancesport.
Notably:
These achievements underline the school’s commitment to nurturing talent and promoting excellence across multiple sports disciplines.
