Shomari Wiltshire showed the poise and class not found in your usual 10-year-old squash player to overcome a stellar performance from Alex Cheeks on Thursday evening during the Guyana Squash Association/Digicel Kraft Junior Skill Level Tournament sponsored by Toucan Industries at the Georgetown Club.
Night three of this tournament held on Thursday night at the Georgetown Club proved to be the most exciting night of competition thus far. The two youngsters put on a classy display of squash leaving many in awe while yearning for a rematch.
The epic battle pitted the speed, skill and pure athleticism of the 13-year old Cheeks against the clever and tactically sound ten-year old Wiltshire. In the end, Wiltshire managed to prevail 11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 after trailing early in the fifth game.
Shomari’s older sister and former Caribbean champion Akeila Wiltshire, on the other hand suffered a tough loss in Category A to Benjamin Mekdeci 11-8, 0-11, 3-11, 1-11. Wiltshire took the first game 11/8, which appeared to have been the wake-up call Mekdeci needed.
With that awakening, Mekdeci switched on with full aggression, going for all his shots and pouncing on anything that was even slightly loose. Mekdeci held Wiltshire scoreless in the second game, and was close to replicating that feat in the third and fourth games as well.
In Category C Michael Ramroop overcame Makeda Harding 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6. Harding managed to win the second game against Ramroop and that statistic may come in handy for the standings in this tightly contested group.
Meanwhile, the more timid of the Islam twins Anthony Islam has been quietly constructing an impressive win streak in category C. Islam’s most recent win came against Sarah Lewis in straight games 12-10, 11-4, 11-9. Anthony Islam has already secured wins against Ramroop and Savannah Mendes. At this point, Anthony Islam leads Category C standings as the only undefeated player remaining, with three wins from his three matches.
Thursday night’s results
Category A
Benjamin Mekdeci defeated Akeila Wiltshire 8-11, 11-0, 11-3, 11-1
Alec Melville received a walkover from Pablio Mundini
Category B
Shomari Wiltshire defeated Alexander Cheeks 11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9
Daniel Islam defeated Rebecca Low 11-6, 11-6, 13-11
Matthew Phang defeated Mahendra Khusial 11-3, 11-6, 11-9
Category C
Savannah Mendes defeated Maya Collins 11-9, 12-10, 11-8
Anthony Islam defeated Sarah Lewis 12-10, 11-4, 11-9
Michael Ramroop defeated Makeda Harding 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6
Category D
Dominic Collins defeated Ethan Jonas 11-6, 11-8, 11-4
Brandon Debidin defeated Demetrius DeAbreu 11-6, 11-3, 11-5
Category E
Michael Alphonso defeated Nechemiyah Levans 11-7, 11-7
Madison Fernandes defeated Haley Carpenter 11-2, 11-4
Pix of Shomari Wiltshire
