Guyana and Barbados ended the second day of the 2017 Junior Caribbean team squash championships as the leading contenders for the overall title at the Georgetown Club, yesterday.
The Guyanese boys, after defeating their counterparts from Bermuda 5 – 0 in the first round, trumped Trinidad and Jamaica, in the second and third rounds, respectively, in their quest to earn their 13th consecutive title.
The day started with the hosts trouncing Trinidad 5 – 0. Michael Alphonso got the better of Seth Thonge, 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 to start the rout.
Shomari Wiltshire continued the drubbing, by easing aside Christopher Anthony 11-2, 11-1, 11-6. Daniel Islam and Captain Benjamin Mekdeci also secured three set wins, when they downed Joshua Poon and Nicholas Caddle, respectively, in easy victories.
Rithew Saywack, however, had a tougher assignment with Jonathan Blanc winning a five-setter. Saywack came from two sets down 9-11, 5-11, before taking the last three 11-6, 11-8,11-4 to complete the dismissal of the juniors from the Twin Island Republic.
The evening session was much of a disappointment for the hosts who dropped two games in their matchup with Jamaica, before securing a 3 – 2 victory.
The dependable Wiltshire downed Sebastain Levy in three straight sets 11 – 1, 11-1, and 11-1, while Mekdeci inflicted another straight set defeat on the Jamaicans when he went pass Tahjja Lumley 11-8, 11-9, 11-3.
Alphonso, was Guyana’s final victor on the night when he defeated Aman Dhiman 11-2, 11-4,11-2 to secure match for Guyana. Islam and Alexander Cheeks, however, did not manage to hold off Adam Ardito and Jonathan Walker, respectively, who garnered Jamaica’s two wins against Guyana.
Barbados posing a threat
Barbados on the other hand, also enjoyed plenty of success during the morning session as their boys’ team defeated the Cayman Islands 4 – 1.
The lads from the Land of Flying Fish returned in the second session to defeat Bermuda 3 – 2 to continue to register their claim for the 2017 overall title, and at the same time, deny the hosts from claiming another overall win.
Today’s matches will see Guyana taking on the Caymanians from 5:00 pm in the boy’s playoffs, while Barbados will do battle with Jamaica at the same time. Guyana and Barbados boys will face off tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 pm in the final round.
On the girls side, Guyana will come up against Trinidad at 9:00 am. Barbados, of all the other nations who continue to pose a threat, will play the Cayman Islands, also at 9:00 am.
