Fernandes upsets Wiltshire to take Girls Under-15 title
THIRTEEN-year-old Marian Academy student Taylor Fernandes completed the upset of the tournament by defeating Larissa Wiltshire in an impressive five-game battle to win the Girls’ Under-15 title on the final day of the Woodpecker National Junior Squash Championships. Fernandes battled from behind after being down by two games to cop the Under-15 title with a final result of  11-13, 8-11, 15-13, 14-12, 11-8.
Fernandes claimed the Most Outstanding Player award for her breakout performance this tournament.
National coach Carl Ince had stated after Fernandes’ stellar performance in a losing effort against Akeila Wiltshire, that he was pleased with the improvements in his student’s mobility and retrieving skills.
With two months to go for the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Caribbean Junior Championships, Fernandes said that she is excited by the prospect of competing at that level again this year.
In another intriguing showdown Benjamin Mekdeci defeated Patrick Fraser in straight games to win the Under-15 category, while Shomari Wiltshire trounced Travis Whitehead and strolled away with both the Under-11 and Under-13 titles along with the Most Outstanding Player award.
His sister Akeila Wiltshire won the Girls’ Under-17 title but finished third in the Girls Under-19 category after losing to Ashley deGroot on the final day. deGroot also won the Most Improved Player award for girls while Mekdeci was the male winner of that award.
In other results:
Boys Under-11:  1st Shomari Wiltshire, 2nd John Phang, 3rd Anthony Islam
Boys Under-13: 1st Shomari Wiltshire, 2nd Travis Whitehead, 3rd John Phang
Boys Under-15: 1st  Ben Mekdeci, 2nd Patrick Fraser, 3rd Alec Melville
Boys Under-17: 1st  Nyron Joseph, 2nd  Ben Mekdeci, 3rd  Patrick Fraser
Boys Under-19: 1st –  Jason Ray Khalil, 2nd –  Nyron Joseph , 3rd –  Steven Xavier.
Girls Under-11: 1st Maya Collins, 2nd Makeda Harding; Girls Under-13: 1st  Rebecca Low, 2nd  Savannah Mendes, 3rd Sarah Lewis; Girls Under-15: 1st Taylor Fernandes; 2nd Larissa Wiltshire, 3rd Lydia Alphonso; Girls Under-17: 1st Akeila Wiltshire, 2nd Taylor Fernandes, 3rd Larissa Wiltshire; Girls Under 19: 1st Mary Fung-A-Fat, 2nd Ashley deGroot; 3rd Akeila Wiltshire.