Team Guyana’s struggles continued as they suffered crushing losses in the boys and girls u-13 and boys u -15, eventually winning two out of a possible eight semi-final matches when the 2014 Caribbean Squash Championships continued on Monday in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Akeila Wiltshire defeated Jamaican Mary Jo Mahfood 3-1 in the girls U-19 section. Taking the first set by a 12-10 margin, she increased her advantage when she won the second round 11-3.
Mahfood then cut the deficit to one, winning the third set 11-5. However, Wiltshire clinched her berth in the final when she won the fourth set 11-2. With the win, she will now face off against Charlotte Knaggs of Trinidad and Tobago who defeated Victoria Arjoon in straight sets.
Meanwhile, Arjoon lost the opening 11-5 and fell further behind, conceding the second round by an 11-2 score line. Knaggs then sealed the win by claiming the third set 11-2.
In the men’s category of the same division, Nyron Joseph was defeated by Jamaica’s Jake Mahfood 3-2. Taking a 1-0 lead after claiming the opening set 11-7, Joseph surrendered the second and third rounds, losing 11-3 and 11-5, respectively. He then battled back in the fourth set, forcing the match into a fifth round and winning by 11-9.
However, Mahfood prevailed in the final showdown, winning by an 11-6 margin. He is now set to battle countryman Julian Morrison who defeated Nku Patrick of Trinidad and Tobago 11-8, 12-10 and 14-12.
In the girls’ u-17 division, Larissa Wiltshire clinched her berth in the final, beating Marion Gillezeau of Trinidad and Tobago in straight sets 11-5, 11-4 and 13-11.
Taylor Fernandes would not fare as well, losing her match to Alyssa Mullings of Jamaica 11-2, 11-7 and 11-8.
On the boys’ side of the same section, Benjamin Mekdeci lost to Julian Jervis of the Cayman Islands in straight sets 11-2, 11-0 and 11-2. Jervis will now battle Jason Doyle of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) after he defeated Chad Salandy of Trinidad and Tobago 11-7, 3-11, 11-5 and 11-5 for the title.
Guyana failed to qualify for the semi-final round of the boys’ u-15 division and suffered another crushing loss when Rebecca Low went down to Alexandria Yearwood of Trinidad and Tobago in straight sets 11-8, 11-4 and 11-9 in their girls’ u-15 game.
Yearwood will now face off against Barbados’ Amanda Haywood after she defeated Marie-Clarie Barcant of Trinidad and Tobago in straight sets 11-4, 11-3 and 11-3.
Similarly unable to qualify for the u-13 girls semi-finals, Guyana suffered a further loss when Shomari Wiltshire was defeated by Khamal Cumberbatch of Barbados in straight sets 11-5, 11-7 and 11-8 in their u-13 boys’ showdown. Cumberbatch will now oppose Kai Bentick of OECS in the final after he beat Anaya Smith of Bermuda 11-5, 11-9 and 11-8
