The Barbados boys and girls teams both reached their respective team semi-finals as the runners-up in their respective pools on the second day of team competition in the 32nd annual Junior Caribbean Squash Championships which continued yesterday (Thursday) in Bermuda. The boys team played one tie and narrowly lost to Jamaica by two matches to three, with Barbados’ individual gold medalists Khamal Cumberbatch (U-13) and Josiah Griffith (U-15) easily winning 3-0 while in the two U-19 positions Stewart St. John and Brandon Straker both lost 0-3 to higher ranked Jamaican opponents. The deciding match was in the U-17 position where Barbados’ Benjamin Griffith (U-17) fought hard but just failed to overcome Jamaican Tahjia Lumley who won in five close games 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 4-11, 11-8 to clinch the tie for Jamaica who topped Pool B and will now play their semi-final against Trinidad and Tobago who were defeated by Guyana 3-2 and finished runner-up in Pool A. Pool B runners-up Barbados will face the Pool A winner and defending champions, Guyana, in their semi-final tie later today (Friday).
The Barbadian girls team played two ties on Wednesday, winning the first 3-2 against the OECS and then losing 2-3 to Jamaica, who topped Pool B. In the first encounter Caribbean champions Meagan Best (U-13) and Amanda Haywood (U-15) both won by default, while Gylla Mackenzie (U-19) won easily for Barbados 3-0 versus Deiriai Myers, while Alyssa White lost her U-17 encounter to Thandi Mayers of the OECS in straight games. Later on Barbados lost 2-3 to Jamaica with only Meagan Best (U-13) and Amanda Haywood (U-15) prevailing in straight games while Barbados’ Alyssa White lost 3-0 to Alyssa Mullins, Jamaica’s Caribbean U-17 champion. The two U-19 matches were both won by Jamaica uncontested. The Barbados girls team finished runners-up in Pool B and will now face the powerful team from Trinidad and Tobago who surprisingly upset the defending champions Guyana by three matches to two to top Pool A. The Jamaican girls team will now take on Pool A runners-up Guyana in the other semi-final today. The team finals and positional playoffs will be contested on Saturday and the Barbados team returns home from Bermuda on Sunday night.
Thursday July 17, 2014 – Team Championships Results (selected results)
Girls Pool A
Trinidad and Tobago def Bermuda 3-2
Trinidad and Tobago def Guyana 3-2
Girls Pool B
Jamaica def Cayman 5-0
OECS def Cayman 3-2
Barbados def OECS 3-2
U13 – Meagan Best won by w/o
U15 – Amanda Haywood won by w/o
U17 – Alyssa White lost to Thandi Myers 4-11. 1-11. 7-11
U19 #2 – Barbados lost by w/o to Kersten Gordon
U19 #1 – Gylla Mackenzie def Deiriai Myers 11-2, 11-5, 11-4
Jamaica def Barbados 3-2
U13 – Mia Mahfood lost to Meagan Best 6-11, 1-11, 2-11
U15 – Sarah Conway lost to Amanda Haywood 4-11, 5-11, 4-11
U17 – Alyssa Mullings def Alyssa White 11-1, 11-2, 11-2
U19 #2 – Ashley Lynch won by w/o
U19 #1 – Mary Jo Mahfood won by w/o
Boys Pool A
Guyana def Trinidad & Tobago 3-2
Boys Pool B
Cayman def OECS 4-1
Jamaica def Barbados 3-2
U13 – Sebastian Levy lost to Khamal Cumberbatch 0-11, 1-11, 2-11
U15 – Luke Roberts l Josiah Griffith 4-11, 2-11, 4-11
U17 – Tahjia Lumley d Benjamin Griffith 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 4-11, 11-8
U19 #2 – David Mullings d Brandon Straker 11-5, 11-6, 11-7
U19 #1 – Julian Morrison d Stewart St.John 11-3, 11-2, 11-6
