After stumbling to the Organisation of Easter Caribbean States (OECS) 2-3, the Guyana’s boys team rebounded with a resounding 5-0 win against Barbados in their third match of the Caribbean Area Squash Association’s (CASA) Junior Caribbean Team championships at the Liguanea Club Jamaica.
After completing their third win in Group B, Guyana has advanced to today’s semi-final where they will square off with Bermuda for a chance to return to the final of the tournament. Trinidad and Tobago are scheduled to clash with OECS in the other semifinal.
In this final match last night, Guyana mauled Barbados to make a statement before the semifinal with a domineering shutout victory. In the absence of Barbados’ number one U13 player Khamaal Cumberbatch, Shomari Wiltshire took advantage on their second string Rithew Saywack for a stunning 3-0 upset win against the older opponent. National U15 champion Benjamin Mekdeci then carried on the winning momentum by defeating Benjamin Griffith in straight games (3-0). Jason Ray Khalil overpowered Matthew McKenzie in the U19 first string match up, while Steven Xavier took out Zaki Williams in three games in the U19 second string showdown. Two-time Caribbean junior champion Nyron Joseph wrapped up an impressive win against Stewart St John with relative ease.
The victory must have served as a confidence booster or a confidence restorer after they had lost to OECS in the morning session 3-2. In that encounter Guyana’s team captain Khalil was defeated by Boys Under 19 runner up Kevin Hannaway in the U19 first string match-up. Boys U15 runner up Jason Doyle in the singles defeated Guyana’s Patrick Fraser while Wiltshire was defeated by Kai Bentick. Joseph also overcame Rory Thorton by the 3-0 margin U17 campaigner Jean Claude Jeffrey moved up to play in the U19 second string spot and defeated Romario Constance 3-0,. Guyana’s boys team won the title at home in last year’s edition of the tournament after placing second to the Cayman Islands in 2010. Prior to that, Guyana had won the two previous boys team titles (2008, 2009).
