Squash Team Win Jr Caribbean Bronze Medal
[Written by Stephen Wright]
The Bermuda boys’ team claimed the bronze medal at the Junior Caribbean Squash Championships in St Vincent and the Grenadines yesterday [July 22].
They lost 3-1 to Guyana in the semi-finals before beating the Cayman Islands 3-2 in a thrilling third-place play-off match thanks to a fine effort from Mason Smith.
The nine-year-old won the decider after fighting back from two games down and was trailing 10-6 in the third game – which, according to Micah Franklin, the head of squash at the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association, was one of the biggest comebacks in the tournament’s history.
The boys’ team – Ethan Rosorea [under-19], Daniel Ringer [under-19], Andrew Cox [under-17], Owen Rosorea [under-15] and Smith [under-13] – finished third out of eight countries.
“It was down to Mason who had to win his match for us to take the bronze medal,” Franklin told Bernews.
“He was playing in the age group above because we don’t have an under-13 player. He is nine years old and playing against 12-year-olds! He made sure we ended the trip on a high note.”
Meanwhile, the Bermuda girls’ team lost 3-0 to Guyana in the semis before losing 3-2 to Jamaica in the third-place play-off to finish fourth out of seven countries.
The six players in the girls’ team were Tyler Komposch [under-19], Rose Paulos [under-19], Gabrielle Turchiaro [under-17], Somers Stevenson [under-15], and McKenna Kyme and Leilani Carpol [under-13].
“To finish fourth was an accomplishment for the girls,” Franklin said. “It’s the highest our girls have placed in a while. I’m happy they made the semi-finals.”
Although Franklin is proud of his players’ displays in St Vincent and the Grenadines, he believes there is “plenty of room to grow.”
He added: “I think the players performed to the best of their abilities throughout the week.
“This has given me more hunger to go home and see what it’s going to take to get these players to step up to the challenge of reaching the first and second spots.”
