2009 Junior CASA Championships…
GUYANA started day two of the 2009 Junior Caribbean Association Squash Area (CASA) Championships in Barbados on a great note when Alexander Arjoon and Jean-Claude Jeffrey both pulled off good wins to ensure that Guyanese would feature in the semifinals of all eight categories.

Arjoon had to pull out all the stops to get past former Caribbean champion Noah Browne of Bermuda.

Browne took control of the match from the very beginning, stretching his six-foot two-inch frame to its full potential to make it difficult for Arjoon to get the ball past him.

Browne took the fist and got out to a 9-3 lead in the second before Arjoon took control of the match by burying Browne in the back court and the result was never in doubt after that.

Jean-Claude Jeffrey then pulled off a remarkable upset over the 3/4 seed Stefan Joseph (OECS) in their Under- 15 quarterfinal.

Jeffrey played exceptional squash to come from behind and outclass his higher-ranked opponent.

Under-13 trio Gabrielle Fraser, Larissa Wiltshire and Taylor Fernandes all got past their first round plate opponents, but it was Wiltshire who had the Guyanese supporters on the edge of their seats with a fantastic come-from-behind five-game victory.

The Guyanese went into the afternoon semifinal session on a high, after their outstanding showing in the morning session meant that they had a chance to make the finals of all of the categories but their hopes were quickly dashed by their higher-ranked opponents.

First up was Akeila Wiltshire who was up against the Under-13 number one seed Mary Jo Mahfood.

Although she tried valiantly she was no match for Mahfood’s strength and power as the big Jamaican powered her way into the finals.

Then it was Nyron Joseph’s turn against the Boys’ number one seed, Nku Patrick of Trinidad, and the exceptionally talented Joseph did not disappoint as he pushed the defending champion to the limit.

Joseph had game point in the second and went for the kill shot in the backhand front corner which just clipped the top of the tin. Had it been an inch higher Joseph would have won the game, but as it turned out Patrick took a 2-0 lead but Joseph came roaring back to take the third 11-8.

An obviously struggling Patrick came out in the fourth and pulled off some remarkable shots, to take back control and end the match 11-6.

Victoria Arjoon then rolled over Emma Keane of Bermuda with ease to move into her fourth final in as many years.

Jean-Claude Jeffrey was then outclassed by Under-15 number one seed Mandela Patrick in straight games.

In the Girls’ Under-17 semifinals Mary Fung-A-Fat pushed teammate Ashley Khalil to the limit before Khalil took control in the fifth and ended the encounter.

The match of the night was the other Under-17 semi-final between twin sisters Keisha and Kayla Jeffrey, who played a high level of entertaining squash worthy of a final.

These two exceptional athletes brought out the best in each other, as they played with aggression, taking the ball early and retrieving everything the other had to offer.

After it was all over, the crowd rose to acknowledge the fine display of high quality squash.

The upset of the night came in the Boys’ Under-17 semifinal, where Micah Franklyn of Bermuda took advantage of an out-of-sorts Alexander Arjoon to bump the top seeded Guyanese out of the championships in straight games.

Daina King and Raphael deGroot were then out-classed by Cheri-Ann Parris and Cameron Stafford in their respective Under-19 semifinals.

The final of all categories was scheduled for last evening with the team championship scheduled to start this morning.

For last night’s final, Victoria Arjoon (GUY) was down to face Jessica Perkins (JAM) in the Girls’ Under-15 category and Keisha Jeffrey (GUY) was to have faced her compatriot Ashley Khalil in the Girls’ Under-17 age group.

In results from the quarter-final round matches featuring Guyanese players, Jean-Claude Jeffrey (GUY) defeated Stefan Joseph (OECS) 9-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-7 in a Boys’ Under-15 fixture; Deje Dias (GUY) lost to Micah Franklin (BER) 8-11, 8-11, 9-11 and Alexander Arjoon (GUY) defeated Noah Browne (BER) 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 in two Under-17 matches.

In the Plate competition, Larissa Wiltshire (GUY) defeated Demi Ollivierre (OECS) 8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10, 15-13; Gabrielle Fraser (GUY) defeated Susanna Armano (BER) 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 and Taylor Fernandes (GUY) defeated Gianna Alexander (OECS) 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 in the Under-13 age group, while Ashley deGroot (GUY) lost to Lauren Mahfood (JAM) 6-11, 1-11, 8-11 and Alysa Xavier (GUY) defeated Emily Farah (T&T) 11-5, 11-2, 11-1 in two Girls’ Under-17 encounters.

In the Boys’ Under-15 Plate, Shem Marcus (GUY) lost to Cody Stafford (CAY) 4-11, 4-11, 3-11 and Steven Xavier (GUY) defeated Cody Stafford (CAY) 11-13, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4 while in the Under-17 category, Jason Ray Khalil (GUY) defeated Adan Beek (JAM) 4-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-9.

In semi-final action, Akeila Wiltshire (GUY) lost to Mary Jo Mahfood (JAM) 8-11, 4-11, 4-11 in the Girls’ Under-13 age group, while Victoria Arjoon (GUY) defeated Emma Keane (BER) 11-5, 11-1, 11-3 in the Under-15 age group.

In the Girls’ Under-17 category, Keisha Jeffrey (GUY) defeated her twin Kayla Jeffrey (GUY) 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-7 and Ashley Khalil (GUY) defeated her compatriot Mary Fung-A-Fat 11-8, 8-11, 11-2, 7-11, 11-8.

In the Girl’s Under-19 age group, Daina King (GUY) lost to Cheri-Ann Parris (BAR) 0-11, 4-11, 2-11 while in the Boys’ Under-13 category, Nyron Joseph (GUY) lost to Nku Patrick (T&T) 8-11, 12-14, 11-8, 6-11.

Jean-Claude Jeffrey (GUY) lost to Mandela Patrick (T&T) 6-11, 9-11, 3-11 in an Under-15 encounter while Alexander Arjoon (GUY) lost to Micah Franklyn (BER) 6-11, 7-11, 4-11 in an Under-17 fixture and Raphael deGroot (GUY) lost to Cameron Stafford (CAY) 6-11, 6-11, 4-11 in the Boy’s Under-19 category.