Guyana's Avery Arjoon (right) shares a photo opportunity with Bermuda’s Somers Stevenson after their battle in the girls' Under-15 final at the CASA Junior Championships in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday.
Guyana Squash
Guyana is on course to retain the overall title at the ongoing Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships, having already secured a number of individual medals, which speaks volumes of their current vein of form heading into the Team and Doubles segment of the tournament in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Guyanese team which last year got hands on the overall championship for the first time since 2015 –after surrendering the 2017 and 2019 editions to Barbados –are now hunting a 14th overall lien on the crown.
They once enjoyed a streak of 12-consecutive wins, which was ended by the Barbadians, but if their form is anything to go by thus far, then they are on the verge of starting another streak.
Guyana have so far secured individual gold medals through Nicholas Verwey in the boys’ Under-19, Louis Da Silva, the boys’ Under-17 champion and Under-15 queen Avery Arjoon.
Kaylee Lowe, in the girls’ Under-13, Mohryan Baksh in the boys’ Under-17 and Kirsten Gomes in girls’ Under-19 category, all secured silver medals, while Ethan Bulkan in boys’ Under-11, Justin Ten Pow in the boys’ under-13 and Michael Alphonso in the boys’ Under-19, added bronze medal to the country’s tally.
The individual finals got under way with Bermuda’s Mason Smith and Benjamin Sherratt snaring gold and silver in the boys’ Under-11, following contrasting victories of Savante Padmore of the host nation and Bulkan. Mason bettered Padmore in three sets 11-3, 11-0, 11-3, while Sherratt required four sets to get by Bulkan.
After losing the first set, 11-8, Sherratt recovered the win the next three 11-9, 11-3 and 11-5 in a match that lasted 28 minutes.
Both Smith and Sherratt then required 23 minutes to settle business among themselves, with the former winning 16-14, 11-8, 11-7.
The boys’ Under-13 category was topped by Barbadian Ben Shepherd, who stamped his class in an 18-minute contest against US Virgin Islands’ Ethan Mohamed. He posted comfortable 11-1, 11-5 and 11-3 wins, while Ten Pow registered 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 against Levi Jack in the third-place encounter.
The host nation was not to be outdone in the boys’ Under-15 category, which was won by Jayden George, who scored a three set 11-5, 11-3, 11-1 win over Bermuda’s Owen Rosorea. Daniel Sealy of Barbados won the third-place contest 11-4, 11-2, 11-8 over Charlie Makin of Bermuda.
After enduring two highly competitive semi-final contest against Vincentian Jaydon Williams and Andrew Cox of Bermuda, Da Silva and Baksh battled out a pulsating boys’ Under-17 final.
Da Silva won the almost hour-long four set showpiece 17-15, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7. Prior to that, he defeated Williams in five sets 6-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 in a 54-minute-long match, while Baksh was comfortable 15-13, 11-4, 11-5 victor over Cox in less than half-hour.
Verwey was also comfortable in victory in the boys’ Under-19 gold medal match in which he bettered Barbadian Alex Stewart in straight sets 12-10, 11-1, 11-6.
Alphonso, who lost his semi-final contest to Stewart, bounced back to defeat, British Virgin Islands Jace Jervis, who had earlier succumbed to Verwey, in the third-place match. Alphonso won the five-set encounter 12-10, 11-7, 11-7, after losing the first two sets 13-15, 8-11.
On the girls’ side of action, Trinidad and Tobago’s Gia Ghuran won the Under-11 gold medal, following a 14 minute 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 win over Delilah Grace Pease of British Virgin Island, while Bermuda’s Taylor Kyme defeated Barbadian Peyton Marshall-Brancker 11-1, 11-2, 11-9 in the bronze medal match.
Lenna Hamati of Barbados copped the girls’ Under-13 top medal in a four-set match with Lowe which ended, 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 11-2. Bermuda’s McKenna Kyme won the bronze with an 11-8, 11-5, 12-10 win over Guyana’s Tiana Gomes, who fought hard and won the second and third sets 11-2, 11-5.
Arjoon took only 16 minutes to crown herself queen in the Under-15 category, with straight sets, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 win over Bermuda’s Somers Stevenson.
Josie Thong of Trinidad and Tobago took bronze with a 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 triumph over Guyana’s Emily Fung A Fat.
In the Under-17 final, Barbadian Eboni Atherley, was comfortable in victory over Jamaica’s Sanjana Nallapati, scoring 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 to wrap up victory in 25 minutes.
Another Jamaican, Mehar Trehan took bronze, as she too brushed aside her opponent Safirah Sumner of Guyana, 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 in under 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, the Under-19 crown also went to Barbados courtesy of Sumairaa Suleman, who rallied to beat Guyana’s Kirsten Gomes 11-8, 11-9, 11-6, after losing the first set 6-11 in a final that lasted just over half-hour.
It was an all-Jamaica battle for the bronze, with Savannah Thomson coming up trumps over Katherine Risden in an entertaining 49-minute five-set contest that ended 12-14, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 8-11.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Jamaica face St Vincent, T&T take on Cuba as CONCACAF confirms format and matchups for 2025 Gold Cup preliminaries
CONCACAF has officially announced the format for the 2025 Gold Cup Preliminaries, set to take place in March 2025. The preliminaries will feature 14 teams competing in home-and-away matchups, with the winners of each matchup earning a coveted spot in the Group Stage of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.
The format will pit the highest-ranked team against the lowest-ranked team based on the November 20, 2024, CONCACAF Rankings, ensuring competitive balance. This ranking-based approach has resulted in matchups ranging from regional powerhouses like Costa Rica and Jamaica to emerging teams such as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Belize.
The matchups are as follows: Costa Rica (1) will face Belize (14), Jamaica (2) will take on St Vincent and the Grenadines (13), Honduras (3) will go up against Bermuda (12), Guatemala (4) will play Guyana (11), Trinidad and Tobago (5) will battle Cuba (10), Martinique (6) will meet Suriname (9), and Nicaragua (7) will face Guadeloupe (8).
Ranked second in the preliminaries, Jamaica will take on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, ranked 13th, in a two-legged tie. The first leg will be played in Kingston, followed by the return leg in Saint Vincent. A victory in the series will secure Jamaica’s place in the 2025 Gold Cup Group Stage, where they will aim to continue their strong regional performances.
The preliminary round will determine the final seven teams to join the already-qualified nations in the Gold Cup Group Stage. The competition promises high-stakes action as teams vie for the opportunity to compete in one of CONCACAF’s most prestigious tournaments.
The full schedule for the 2025 Gold Cup Preliminaries will be released in the coming weeks, with fans across the region eagerly anticipating the matchups that will shape the tournament’s final lineup. Stay tuned for updates as the road to the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup heats up!
Matchups for the 2025 Gold Cup Preliminaries
Costa Rica (1) vs Belize (14)
Jamaica (2) vs Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (13)
Honduras (3) vs Bermuda (12)
Guatemala (4) vs Guyana (11)
Trinidad and Tobago (5) vs Cuba (10)
Martinique (6) vs Suriname (9)
Nicaragua (7) vs Guadeloupe (8)
Gudakesh Motie joins Guyana Amazon Warriors for inaugural Global Super League
Guyanese spinner Gudakesh Motie has been named as part of the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad for the inaugural ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL), scheduled to run from November 26 to December 7, 2024. Motie, a consistent performer for the Warriors since his debut in 2021, will bring his experience and skill to a formidable squad as they compete for a US$1 million prize fund.
Motie’s contributions have been integral to the Amazon Warriors’ success over the years. In the recently concluded 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), he emerged as the team’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 17 wickets at an impressive average of 18.64. His consistency helped propel the Warriors to the CPL final, continuing his strong form from the previous year when they clinched the championship in 2023.
The 29-year-old spinner joins a talented roster of Guyanese players, including Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, and Keemo Paul, as the Amazon Warriors prepare to face off against international teams Hampshire Hawks, Lahore Qalandars, Rangpur Riders, and Victoria.
The Global Super League marks a significant development in international T20 cricket, with the tournament drawing teams from around the world to Guyana’s National Stadium at Providence. Over 11 matches, the participating teams will battle for the title and a share of the lucrative prize pool.
As a local star with international pedigree, Motie’s inclusion strengthens the Amazon Warriors’ chances in this inaugural competition. The spinner is known for his ability to control the game in the middle overs, a skill that will be crucial against top-tier opposition in the GSL.
Motie, along with the rest of the Amazon Warriors squad, will aim to leverage home advantage as they seek to make history in this first-of-its-kind tournament. The Global Super League promises to showcase the best of T20 cricket while providing a platform for local talent to shine on the international stage.
Fans of the Amazon Warriors and cricket enthusiasts across Guyana are eagerly awaiting the action-packed tournament, which is expected to further elevate the region’s reputation as a hub for world-class cricket.
Guyana secures 4-1 victory over Barbados in first leg of Concacaf Nations League Play-In Series
Guyana defeated Barbados 4-1 in the first leg of their Concacaf Nations League Play-In series at the Barbados Football Association Technical Centre in Bridgetown, Barbados on Friday
The Concacaf Nations League Play-In consists of a home-and-away direct elimination round. The aggregate score winner in each matchup will advance to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims.
Niall Reid-Stephen opened the scoring for Barbados in the 17th minute, his seventh goal of the current campaign, with a left-footed strike from inside the penalty arc.
Omari Glasgow equalized for Guyana nine minutes later with a left-footed strike inside the penalty area.
Then, 14 minutes into Glasgow added a second to his tally in the by pouncing on a deflected ball in the penalty area.
Osaze de Rosario extended the lead in a minute later with a chip over the goalkeeper to capitalize on an error from the defense.
Enoch George scored in the 90'+2 to put a bow on the victory, connecting on a timely pass from Isaiah Jones.
Guyana will host Barbados in the second leg on Tuesday at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora, Guyana.
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