Shem Marcus, Jason Ray Khalil, Gabrielle Fraser, Alysa Xavier and Mary Fung-a-Fat  started this year’s Caribbean Area Squash Association’s (CASA) junior championships on the right foot securing wins as Guyana got off to a resounding start at the 2009 championships in Barbados.

Eight of Guyana’s 20-member squad were in action yesterday morning with the above five securing wins.
Two out of the three that lost their first round matches were unfortunate to draw their Guyanese teammates in their first match. Several players received byes into the second round.

In the girls under -13  category Guyanese champion Akeila Wiltshire is seeded 3/4 while Fraser is seeded 5/8.
Two time Caribbean champion Victoria Arjoon is the number one seed in the under-15 category while five  of the top eight seeds in the under-17 category are Guyanese.

Defending champion Keisha Jeffrey is the number one seed  while Ashley Khalil, Kayla Jeffrey and Mary Fung-A-Fat round out the top four seeds.

Alysa Xavier is one of the 5/8 seeds.
In the two under-19 categories Daina King and Raphael deGroot are both seeded 3/4, while in the boys under-17 category Alexander Arjoon is the top seed with Deje Dias  seeded 5/8. In the boy’s under -15 category Jean-Claude Jeffrey is seeded 5/8 and national under -3 champion Nyron Joseph is seeded 3/4 in his category. The individual championships are scheduled to be completed tomorrow evening with the finals of all eight categories.
The team tournament will begin on Tuesday and conclude on Saturday evening.
Results from yesterday’s first round morning session matches:

BU15 – Shem Marcus (GUY) defeated Brandon Straker (BAR) 8/11 13/11 11/3 12/10

BU17 – Jason Ray Khalil (GUY) defeated Tom Mann (CAY) 11/4 11/5 11/6
GU13 – Larissa Wiltshire (GUY) lost to Brittney Wall (BER) 4/11 11/13 9/11
GU13 – Gabrielle Fraser (GUY) defeated Taylor Fernandes(GUY)  11/4 11/5 11/3
GU17 – Alysa Xavier (GUY) defeated Zoe Sorrentino (OECS) 11/2 11/1 11/6
GU17 – Mary Fung-A-Fat(GUY) defeated Ashley deGroot (GUY) 11/4 11/4 11/3