Khamal Cumberbatch repeats as double U-13 and U-15 Champion in the Sagicor General Junior National Squash Championships
Khamal Cumberbatch, the double champion in both the Boy’s Under-13 (B-13) and B-15 age groups in 2013, successfully defended both of these titles as the curtain came down on the 34th annual Sagicor General Junior National Squash Championships which were held at the Barbados Squash Club courts. The diminutive and stylish Cumberbatch, who is also the reigning Caribbean BU-13 champion, is following in the footsteps of his three older brothers who have all laid claim to at least one Caribbean junior squash crown as well as multiple national junior squash titles. In the BU-13 final Khamal comfortably defeated the #2 seed, Zechariah Naitram in straight games 11-4, 11-0, 11-1 to claim his third U-13 title in succession. Later on in the highly entertaining BU-15 final, however, Khamal was fully stretched by the #2 seed, Shemane Griffith, in a repeat of last year’s final. Griffith, who has improved enormously since last year, initially looked nervous and dropped the first game at one before claiming two of the next three games to take the contest into a deciding fifth game. Cumberbatch was pushed hard by Griffith in the fifth game and trailed 2-7 and then 4-8 before holding his nerve to reel off six straight points to go 10-8 match ball up. Griffith managed to save one match ball but could go no further as Cumberbatch finished off the game at nine and punched the air in glee as he won the match 11-1, 6-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9 to claim his eighth national junior title. The BU-15 third place was won by Reggie Brewster who defeated Rithew Saywack in another close encounter in four games 11-1, 11-4, 7-11, 13-11.
In the final match of the tournament, the U-19 final, the 14 year-old Shemane Griffith then faced the defending champion and top seed, Stewart St. John, and once again came agonizingly close to causing his third upset in as many days in this division before succumbing to the more experienced St. John who won in five close games 6-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7 to claim his seventh national junior title. Shemane’s older brother, Benjamin Griffith, defeated Gylla Mackenzie in this age group 3-1 to finish third and also easily defeated Zachary Proverbs-Harris in straight games to win the BU-17 age group 11-4, 11-1, 11-3.
All the other finals finished as expected. Darien Benn defeated Alex Stewart 3-0 in the BU-11 final to claim his first national junior title. Zachary Gill defeated Kessem Dana 3-2 in a very close and exciting encounter to finish third. Nine year old Sumairaa Suleman defeated Chelsie Samuel in five close games 2-11, 11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6 to claim her first GU-11 title. The reigning Caribbean GU-13 champion Meagan Best played unbeaten without even dropping a game to clinch the GU-13 age group round robin event from Jada Smith-Padmore with Chelsie Samuels finishing third. In the GU-15 round robin Amanda Haywood, the top seed, defeated Meagan Best 3-0 to claim her fifth national title with Alyssa White finishing third. Haywood then faced the reigning Caribbean U-17 champion, Gylla Mackenzie in the GU-17 age group with Mackenzie winning in three close games to claim her record 13th national junior title with Alyssa White once again finishing third. The Richard Walcott trophy for Best Sportsmanship was won by Darien Benn while the Most Improved trophy was presented to Shemane Griffith. Trophies were presented by Mr. Roger Spencer, the Assistant Vice-President of Marketing at Sagicor General, to the happy participants at a brief presentation ceremony held at the BSC after the last match. The final results of the matches played on Day 3 were as follows:
Girls U-11 Final:
Sumairaa Suleman def. Chelsie Samuel (3-2) 2-11, 11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6
Girls U-13 Round Robin:
Meagan Best def. Jodi Smith-Padmore (3-0) 11-0, 11-1, 11-4
Jada Smith-Padmore def. Chelsie Samuel (3-2) 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 7-11, 11-6
Jada Smith-Padmore def. Jodi Smith-Padmore (3-0) 11-5, 12-10, 12-10
(1st – Meagan Best; 2nd – Jada Smith-Padmore; 3rd – Chelsie Padmore; 4th – Jodi Smith-Padmore)
Girls U-15 Round Robin:
#1 Amanda Haywood def. #2 Meagan Best (3-0) 11-8, 11-6, 11-4
Alyssa White def. Risa Niles (3-0) 11-5, 11-1, 11-3
(1st – Amanda Haywood; 2nd – Meagan Best; 3rd – Alyssa White; 4th – Risa Niles)
Girls U-17 Round Robin:
#1 Gylla Mackenzie def. #2 Amanda Haywood (3-0) 11-9, 11-7, 11-6
#2 Amanda Haywood def. Alyssa White (3-0) 11-0, 11-5, 11-2
(1st – Gylla Mackenzie; 2nd – Amanda Haywood; 3rd – Alyssa White)
Boys U-11 Final Darien Benn def. Alex Stewart (3-0) 11-5, 11-7, 11-6
Boys U-11 3rd Place Zachary Gill def. Kessem Dana (3-2) 11-4, 11-13, 10-12, 12-10,12-10
Boys U-11 Plate Final Javan Seale def. Theodore Hagley (3-0) 11-1, 11-0, 11-4
Boys U-13 Final #1 Khamal Cumberbatch def. #2 Zechariah Naitram (3-0) 11-4, 11-0, 11-1
Boys U-13 3rd Place Kenaz Roach def. Ryan Archer (3-0) 11-8, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4
Boys Under-13 Plate Final Joshua Seale def. Alex Stewart (3-0) 11-3, 11-5, 11-6
Boys U-15 Final #1 Khamal Cumberbatch def. #2 Shemane Griffith (3-2) 11-1, 6-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9
Boys U-15 3rd Place Reggie Brewster def. Rithew Saywack (3-1) 11-1, 11-4, 7-11, 13-11
Boys U-15 Plate Final Zechariah Naitram def. Nicolai Ratcliffe (3-1) 11-6, 11-4, 3-11, 11-5
Boys U-17 Round Robin
#1 Benjamin Griffith def. #2 Zachary Proverbs-Harris (3-0) 11-4, 11-1, 11-3
Stuart St. Hill def. Spencer St. John (3-0) 11-7, 11-9, 11-7
(1st – Benjamin Griffith; 2nd – Zachary Proverbs-Harris; 3rd – Stuart St. Hill ; 4th – Spencer St. John)
Open U-19 Final #1 Stewart St. John def. Shemane Griffith (3-2) 6-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7
Open U-19 3rd Place Benjamin Griffith def. Gylla Mackenzie (3-1) 11-6, 11-2, 10-12, 11-2
Open U-19 Plate Final Brandon Straker def. Sebastian Straker (3-0) 11-9, 11-4, 11-4
