Boys start confidently with upset

HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC):

JAMAICA'S BOYS, ranked at number six, upset the Caymanians, ranked at number three, in the team competition at the Caribbean Junior Squash Championships on Wednesday.

"It was a tough and unexpected win," Jamaica's coach Karen Anderson said. "We were seeded sixth, and they were three, so we weren't expected to go in with a fighting chance."

Reversed results

On their way to a 3-2 victory, two of the players reversed earlier individual results against the Caymanians.

Joshua Mahfood toppled Nick Cameron 8-10, 9-5, 9-3, 9-3 to take the Under-15 tie before Bruce Burrowes achieved a similar victory when he prevailed over Jake Kelly 8-9, 7-9, 9-8, 9-2, 9-7 after deciding to avoid contesting points with his opponent at the front of the court.

The Jamaicans clinched the tie, thanks to Mahfood's younger brother, Jake, who won his Under-13 match against Iain McCallum in straight games 9-0, 9-3, 9-0.

The Caymans' two wins came from Cameron Stafford, who won his Under-17 tie by default when David Lawrence pulled out with injury, and Ryan McConvey, who won the Under-19 number two tie over Stephen Reid 9-1, 9-0, 9-0.

Meanwhile, top seeds Trinidad and Tobago boys and Guyana girls started confidently, brushing aside opponents from Barbados in their opening matches.

T&T's boys won a one-sided affair 4-1 over the Barbadians, whose girls side fared little better when Guyana crushed them by the same margin.

The Under-15 match between Mandela Patrick of T&T and Matthew MacKenzie of Barbados was the highlight of their sides' clash.

MacKenzie won the first game 9-1 before Patrick recovered from his slow start to win the next two games 9-4, 9-3, but the Barbadian fought back to win the fourth game 9-3 and set the scene for an epic fifth game which he won 9-6.