Written By | Alex Mbamanya
St Kagwa BHS celebrates winning the competetions
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USSSA Ankole Zone Results
Final
St Kagwa 1 Kicwamba 0
Third Place
Ibanda SS 2 Mbarara Army 1
Semis
St Kagwa 1 (4) Mbarara Army 1 (2)
Kicwamba 1 Ibanda SS 0
St Kagwa Bushenyi High School proved their worth as the most successful secondary school football team in Ankole after going all the way to win the USSSA Ankole Zone boys’ football title on Sunday in Ibanda. The Bushenyi District eight-time champions came to Ibanda as the team to beat, having lifted the title at home in Bushenyi last year, and they indeed did not find it easy beating determined opponents, but still managed to do so.
MVPs of the Tournament
Beating highly competitive Kicwamba High School from Rubirizi 1–0 in the tense final came after a hair-raising semifinal against debutants Mbarara Army Boarding School, where they needed the heroics of goalkeeper Abudallah Kaseveni, who saved two penalties to steer the side to the finals.
This was yet another hurdle past a hard-fighting opponent, just as it was with the remarkable 8–7 penalty shootout victory against Gracious in the round of 32, and indeed the journey to the podium was not simple.
Achuol Barjok Dut made the second-half difference when he capitalised on a Kicwamba defensive error to send in a low drive that zoomed past the diving goalkeeper, sending the mammoth crowd, seemingly behind St Kagwa, into wild celebrations.
St Kagwa (green) beat Kicwamba to win the Tournament
This was not only St Kagwa's third consecutive final, but also the moment that saw them retain the title—the first-ever school side to do so since the inception of the USSSA Ankole Zone in 2012.
"We are glad that we have become the first school team to defend the title successfully, and we shall ride on this hard work to do well at the national championships in Lira next month," said striker Elvis Ajuna Rugaba.
St Kagwa has dominated the Bushenyi District championship, lifting the title for the eighth consecutive time this year, and at the same time has signed a memorandum of understanding with the local football governing body FUFA, and has also been named among the schools of excellence by the same federation.
"This success is attributed to the school board of governors, old boys, and the entire students’ discipline, as well as the hard work of our team, which has enabled us to achieve both inside and outside the classroom. Among the excelling students in academics are sports students, and this shows how we have worked together for the proper upbringing of the boy child. We bless the Lord for that, and we shall continue to work hard to keep it this way," said St Kagwa head teacher PK Kamugisha.
Action between St Kagwa (green) and Kicwamba
The losing Kicwamba High, which finished 12th in the national championship last year, could not take the podium for the first time but remained positive ahead of the championship.
"We have not managed to win, but we have done better than last year by reaching the final for the first time, and we hope to build on this and perform better than last year at the national event in Lira next month," said Joseph Ddembe, the school head.
The championship final was graced by USSSA president Justus Mugisha, who hailed the Ankole zonal committee led by Egidio Mucunguzi for ensuring that students of the right age participated in the championship and for organising one of the best events in the country.
St Kagwa, Kicwamba, Ibanda SS, and first-timers Mbarara Army Boarding School will represent the zone at the national championship in Lira next month.
Other Action Pictures 
Torch Media Africa
