Bermuda’s boys’ team stopped Guyana on their way to back to the final of the boys’ team event on the penultimate night of the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Team Championships at the Liguanea Club Jamaica.
Even though Guyana won the boys’ team title in last year’s edition of the tournament, Bermuda was ranked number one and had won their first three matches during the group stage. The number two ranked defending champions found out why Bermuda was ranked number one the hard way in their semi-final against Bermuda.
Guyana had finished the group stage with a 2-1 record after losing to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. After rebounding with a commanding 5-0 win against Barbados, Guyana looked back on their way to making another appearance in the final for a chance to compete for their fourth CASA team title in five years. But the defending champions were routed after Bermuda changed the script.
To add injury to insult, team Captain Jason Ray Khalil, who was also the team’s U19 first string, suffered a hamstring injury during his match against reigning U19 champion Noah Browne. Browne had won the first two games before Khalil irritated the hamstring and was forced to discontinue the game and concede defeat.
Under 19 second string Steven Xavier also suffered an agonising loss in five games to Beau Orchard, after barely surrendering the final game 11/9. This year’s U13 champion Dylan Pratt defeated Shomari Wiltshire 3-1; while Benjamin Meckdeci managed overpower Ryan Hopkins 3-0. Guyana will now play for third place in the boys’ team tournament to increase Guyana’s chances of retaining the overall team title today.
