Both Barbados teams lost to Jamaica in their respective semi-finals on the penultimate day of competition in the 31st annual Caribbean Junior Squash Championships (Junior CASA) that are being held this year at the Cascadia Squash Club in St. Ann’s in Trinidad and Tobago.
In the afternoon session the Barbados boys team was defeated by Jamaica by four matches to one with only U-13 Caribbean champion, Khamal Cumberbatch emerging victorious. Cumberbatch continued his unbeaten run this year by defeating Adam Ardito in straight games 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 and for a while at U-15 Shemane Griffith kept things interesting by taking the first game against Jamaican, Tahjia Lumley, before dropping the last three games to lose in four games 11-5, 8-11, 6-11, 9-11. In the third match at U-19 (#1) Zaki Williams was outplayed by the reigning Caribbean U-19 champion Ashante Smith and lost in straight games 3-11, 8-11, 5-11. At U-17 Benjamin Griffith lost to Jake Mafood 6-11, 4-11, 6-11 and with the tie already decided the Barbadian U-19 (#2) Stewart St. John conceded to Joe Rousseau to lose by default in order to rest for his third place play-off match. In the other semi-final the determined Guyana team defeated Trinidad and Tobago 3-2 and will face Jamaica in the final. The Barbados boys will take on hosts Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday morning in the bronze medal match.
In the evening session in the girls team semi-final the short handed Barbados team lost 2-3 to Jamaica with the critical match being at U-15 where, Amanda Haywood fought hard but went down to the unbeaten Jamaican Alyssa Mullings in straight games 9-11, 6-11, 3-11 in a repeat of the U-15 individual final. Barbados easily won the other two matches played with Caribbean U-13 champion, Meagan Best, easily defeating Mira Handa 11-2, 11-2, 11-1 and then Caribbean U-17 champion Gylla Mackenzie doing likewise against Ashley Lynch to win 11-8, 11-2, 11-0. Barbados lost both scheduled U-19 matches by default to Jamaicans Jessica Perkins and Michaelann Denton respectively. Once again in the other semi-final defending champions Guyana defeated the girls team from Trinidad and Tobago 3-2 and will face Jamaica in the final. The Barbados girls team will take on hosts Trinidad and Tobago also on Sunday morning in the bronze medal match.
When contacted, the President of the Barbados Squash Association, Craig Archer, noted that both of the Barbadian teams have done significantly better than last year when the girls finished sixth and the boys were in seventh place. “Our players, especially the young ones, have put in a lot of work this year and we are already seeing the benefit of that extra effort. After winning three gold medals and one silver in the individuals we are in contention for two team bronze medals on Sunday and if we win both ties we will pip Trinidad for third place in the overall team category as well. Already this is our best showing in the team event in Junior CASA since 2004.” He went on to observe that: “After last year’s disappointing team results the BSA wanted to turn things around immediately and so we completely revamped our junior squash programme, which is now our Junior Squash Academy (JSA). Kudos to all the coaches who have participated in this Saturday afternoon programme, but especially to both coach Rhett and older brother Gavin Cumberbatch, and to the administrator of the JSA, Michael Best.”
The playoffs for third place will start at 9:00 a.m. with the team finals scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start today (Sunday). The entire Barbados team, including the three Caribbean champions and the silver medalist will return from Trinidad tomorrow morning Monday July 29th and are due to land at 11:25 a.m.
