Digicel 2017 Junior CASA … B’dos halt Guyana’s winning streak

Jul 09, 2017 Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....anas-winning-streak/

Regain team title after 13 years

By Sean Devers
Most of the superstitious folk claim 13 is an unlucky number and yesterday at the Georgetown Club a wonderfully organised Digicel 2017 CASA team tournament concluded with Guyana not managing to extend their winning streak to 13 as the rampaging Bajans dominated both the Guyanese Boys and Girls.
The Girls were crushed 5-0, while only Caribbean U-15 Champion Shomari Wilshire, who played unbeaten in the tournament, won a match for the Guyanese Boys who were humbled 4-1 in their own backyard as Barbados, who looked the best all-round team, retained the title they had lost to Guyana in 2004.
The team from the land of the flying fish began their dominance on South American soil when they captured six of the 10 individuals with Guyanese Taylor Fernandes taking the U-19 Girls crown and Shomari Wilshire showing why he is regarded as the best U-15 squash player in the Caribbean to give Guyana their only two titles. T&T and Cayman Islands took the other two Individual titles.
Yesterday they were facing their biggest rivals for this year’s title and the Bajans saved their best for last as the Guyanese Girls were easily brushed aside failing to win a single match as Fernandes much touted team lost.
The boys were already 3-nil in the five matches when the talented Wilshire failed to break a sweat in demolishing Darien Benn 11-2,11-2,11-1 but the convincing victory was too late before Michael Alphonso lost to Alex Stewart 11-13,11-7,11-8,11-5.
Alexander Cheeks lost to Reginald Brewster, 11-5,11-7,11-13,6-11,11-6 in a very competitive match, while Daniel Islam lost Khamal Cumberbatch, 11-2,11-5,11-4 and Skipper Ben Mekdeci lost to Griffith Josiah 14-12,11-8,11-6 to bring the curtains down on his Junior career.
Trinidad & Tobago finished third after beating the Cayman Islands 3-2 as Cayman finished fourth. Director of Sports Christopher Jones and Digicel’s Jacqueline James were among those who helped to present the trophies to the winner’s.
A representative from each team gave short speeches and presented gifts the GSA who was praised for successfully hosting the 25th Junior CASA Tournament which was better than the last time they hosted in 2011. The next tournament is scheduled for Jamaica.

In Guyana Girls results:

Taylor Fernandes lost to Meagan Best 11-5,11-4,11-1
Rebecca Low lost to Amanda Haywood 11-3,11-7,11-5
Makeda Harding, Jodi Smith-Padmore 11-9,11-6,11-5
Abosaide Cadogan lost to Chelsie Samuel 11-6,11-9,12-10
Kirsten Gomes lost to Sumairaa Suleman 11-2,11-4,11-1