Jamaica’s Junior team captain Ashante Smith pulled off a spectacular come-from-behind win on Wednesday night to claim the Under-19 Boys’ title at the Caribbean Area Squash Association’s (CASA) Junior Championships currently under way in Trinidad and Tobago.
The in-form teenager grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat, rallying from a two-game deficit to stun local hero Mandela Patrick. Battling his opponent and a boisterous home crowd, Smith dug deep to beat Patrick 5/11, 8/11, 13/11, 11/7, 11/4. The victory allowed Smith to end his junior playing career on a high note, claiming his first regional title before officially moving to the senior ranks.“I couldn’t be more proud of Ashante,” said Rene Denis, national junior squash coach. “It took heart and guts to come back from two down and when he scored the winning point, if I hadn’t been screaming so loudly I would have been crying.”Buoyed by Smith’s win, the Jamaican boys delivered a series of blistering performances to trample regional kingpins Guyana in the first round of the team competition yesterday.All Jamaica Under-17 champion Jake Mahfood roared back from early elimination in the individual competition to defeat the newly crowned Under-17 Caribbean champion Nyron Joseph 11/5, 11/5, 7/11, 12/10.In a similar vein, All Jamaica Under-19 champion Julian Morrison beat Stephen Xavier 11/6, 11/8, 15/13 to avenge his defeat earlier this week in the individual competition at the hands of the Guyanese player.The victories continued with team captain Smith, who again showed his grit, battling through another gruelling five-setter to beat JC Jeffrey 17/15, 9/11, 8/11, 17/15, 11/9.All Jamaica Under-15 champion Tahjia Lumley lost 4/11, 5/11, 8/11 to Ben Mendecki, and Under-13 champion Adam Ardito went down to Shomari Wiltshire 11/9, 6/11, 5/11, 4/11.However, with wins from Smith, Mahfood and Morrison, Jamaica claimed top points and bragging rights over their age-old rivals.Another round of victories came in the Girls’ team competition where Jamaica easily beat the OECS. Reigning All Jamaica and Caribbean Under-15 champion Alyssa Mullings barely broke a sweat to dispatch Thani Myers 11/2, 11/3, 11/4, while Mira Handa trounced Giovanni Alexander 11/2, 11/3, 11/1.Ashley Lynch bulldozed Deiriar Myers 11/6, 11/1, 11/1 and team captain Jessica Perkins defeated Gianna Alexander 11/4, 11/7, 11/5.The team competition continues today when the Jamaican boys will face the OECS and the girls will take on Cayman and Trinidad & Tobago.HOUSE RULES
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Smith cops U19 title as J"can juniors blaze at Carib Squash Champs
