Average performance by Vincies at Junior CASA Championships

It was a tough work week for the all-Vincentian Team OECS at the Junior Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) 2013 Championships played in Trinidad from July 22nd to July 28th.{{more}} They arrived 18 hours late without luggage, but thanks to Squash TT and coach Bentick, the matches were rescheduled on the first day.

Opening the Individual Competition, Kai Bentick defeated Adam Ardito (JAM) 3-1 (9-11, 12-10, 11-7,11-9); he defeated Shamori Wiltshire (GUY) 3-0 (11-4,11-6,11-5) in the semi-final encounter to reach the finals in the Boysâ U-13 Category. In the much anticipated final, Bentick was defeated by Khamal Cumberbatch (BAR) 3-0 (11-6, 13-11,11-6). Geronimo Ross, in his first outing, played in the Boysâ U-15 Category and lost to Dylan Pratt (BER) 3-0 (11-4, 11-2, 11-5) and Nicholas Caddle (T&T) 3-0 (11-4, 11-1, 11-4). Boysâ U-17 Jason Doyle started his bid with a win over Christian Edghill (T&T) 3-0 (11-5,11-6,11-6) and Daniel Murphy (CAY) 3-1 (11-8,9-11,11-7,15-13); he was stopped by Nku Patrick (T&T) 1-3 (11-6,11-7,9-11,11-7) and then pushed into fourth place by arch-rival Julian Jervis (CAY) 1-3 (11-1,11-8,9-11,11-4). Boysâ U-19 Eshwan Adams, in his first outing at CASA, had a rough baptism, as Claude Jeffrey (GUY) defeated him 3-0 (11-0, 11-5, 11-4), so did Beckett Simmons (BER) 3-0 (11-8, 11-3, 11-6).

Girlsâ U-13 Giovanna Miller-Alexander lost her two matches in her first outing to Aimee DeVerteuil (T&T) 3-0 (11-0,11-1,11-1) and to Makeda Harding (GUY) 3-0 (11-5,11-1,11-1). Girlsâ U-15 Thandi Myers opened her bid with a strong challenge against Alexandria Yearwood (T&T) 2-3 (11-13,7-11,12-10,11-7,6-11); she won her second match against Sarah Lewis (GUY) 3-0 (11-6,11-4,11-5) but lost in the Plate semi-final to Olivia Lindsey (BER) 0-3 (4-11,2-11,5-11). Deiriai Myers, Girlsâ U-17, also on her first outing, had a tough first encounter and went under to Larissa Wiltshire (GUY) 3-0 (11-2, 11-1,11-4) she rebounded with a win over Alexandria Artuch (BER) 3-1 (11-8,11-6,7-11,11-4); but lost in the Plate semi-final to Tiye Williams (BER) 3-0 (11-6,11-4,11-7). Gianna Miller-Alexander, also in the Girlsâ U-17, lost her two matches, first to Gabrielle Fraser 0-3 (3-11,8-11,4-11) and in the Plate quarter-final to Tiye Williams (BER) 0-3 (3-11,11-13,1-11).

Three Vincentians were ranked in the top eight at the completion of the Junior CASA Championships 2013: Boysâ U-13 No. 2 was Kai Bentick, Boysâ U-17 No. 4 was Jason Doyle and Girlsâ U-15 No. 7/8 was Thandi Myers.

TEAM OECS DEFEATED AT JUNIOR CASA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2013

Team OECS entered the Junior CASA Championships 2013 short of two players. Players needed to work much harder than others to secure top positions in the Team Competitions. This was not to be, as they failed to secure victory in any of their encounters.

The girls took a 5-0 drumming from Jamaica on the opening day, as Giovanna Miller-Alexander lost to Mira Handa 0-3 (2-11,3-11,1-11), Thandi Myers lost to Jamaica #1 0-3 (2-11,3-11,4-11), Deiriai Myers lost to Ashley Lynch 0-3 (6-11,1-11,7-11) and Gianna Miller-Alexander lost to Jessica Perkins 0-3 (6-11,1-11,7-11). They lost to Cayman 1-4 after Giovanna Miller-Alexander lost to Sascha Broderick 0-3 (2-11,8-11,7-11), Thandi Myers received a walk-over and Deiriai Myers lost to Lara Conolly 0-3 (5-11,5-11,0-11). Gianna Miller-Alexander did not play due to illness.

They also lost to Trinidad 0-5 as Giovanna Miller-Alexander lost to Aimee De Verteuil 0-3 (1-11,8-11,1-11), Thandi Myers lost to Marie Claire Barcant 0-3 (6-11,8-11,6-11), Deiriai Myers lost to Jamie-Lee Edghill 0-3 (1-11,1-11,8-11) and Gianna Miller-Alexander lost to Charlotte Knaggs 0-3 (2-11,0-11,0-11). They lost to Bermuda 1-4 as Giovanna Miller-Alexander lost to Charlotte Toogood 0-3 (0-11,2-11,3-11), Thandi Myers defeated Olivia Lindsey in the rematch 3-2 (11-13,11-8,5-11,11-4,11-6), Deiriai Myers lost to Tiye Williams 0-3 (10-12,3-11,3-11) and Gianna Miller-Alexander did not play due to illness.

The boys opened with a 0-5 drumming from Guyana, as Kai Bentick lost to Shamari Wiltshire 0-3 (11-13,9-11,5-11), Geronimo Ross lost to Benjamin Mekdeci 0-3 (0-11,0-11,0-11), Jason Doyle lost to Nyron Joseph 0-3 (7-11,7-11,3-11) and Eshwan Adams lost to Jean-Claude Jeffery 0-3 (2-11,6-11,5-11). They lost to Jamaica 1-4; Kai Bentick defeated Adam Ardito 3-0 (11-3,11-7,11-2), Geronimo Ross lost to Jonathan Walker 0-3 (2-11,0-11,1-11), Jason Doyle lost to Jake Mahfood 1-3 (2-11,9-11,13-11,7-11) and Eshwan Adams lost to Julian Morrison 0-3 (5-11,4-11,3-11).

They lost to Bermuda 1-4 as Kai Bentick defeated Anaya Smith 3-1 (13-11,6-11,11-3,11-9), Geronimo Ross lost to Dylan Pratt 0-3 (2-11,4-11,4-11), Kion Knights benefitted from a walkover as Jason Doyle did not play and Eshwan Adams lost to Kyler Knights 1-3 (11-9,3-11,1-11,5-11). They lost to Cayman Islands 1-4 as Kai Bentick defeated Jasun Sairsingh 0-3 (11-7,11-6,11-7), Geronimo Ross lost to Isaiah Robinson 0-3 (0-11,0-11,0-11), Jason Doyle lost to Julian Jervis 1-3 (9-11,5-11,12-10,6-11) and Eshwan Murphy lost to Sean Murphy 0-3 (4-11,6-11,2-11).

The OECS Team placed 7th in both Boys and Girls Team Championships. Guyana took a clean sweep of the Championships, winning the Boys, Girls and overall Team Events. The 2014 Championships will be held in Bermuda.