Digicel/Bounty Farm Handicap Squash tourney...Lucas Jonas & Jason Khalil take top honors

Digicel/Bounty Farm Handicap Squash tourney…Lucas Jonas & Jason Khalil take top honors

Mar 02, 2015 Sports

By Sean Devers
The Digicel/Bounty Farm Ltd Handicap Squash tournament climaxed yesterday at the Georgetown Club’s Squash Court with high standard displays which saw national Men’s senior player Jason Khalil emerging victorious against National Under-19 Boys Champions Nyron Joseph in a riveting final in the Open Category while 12-year-old Lucas Jonas whipped his nine year-old sibling Etham, to capture the crown in the junior division.

Outstanding performers show off their hardware following the presentation at Georgetown Club yesterday.

Jason Gomes +4 beat Kamir Khan +7 15–11, 15–13 to win the Category ‘A’ Plate final while Alex Cheeks, who produced a solid exhibition of squash throughout the tournament, defeated Joe Mekdeci 15–11, 15–12 in the Open plate final.
The Open final entertained the spectators which included several parents and family members with pulsating Squash and lasted for more than an hour and when the dust had finally settled 20 year-old Jason Khalil -24 had defeated 18 year-old Nyron Joseph -16 by two games to one.
Because of the handicaps the match started at -8 to zero and Jason was quickly into his stride, easily overcoming the handicap and evened the scores at 5-5. The rallies were long and hard and Jason seemed to relax when he caught up Nyron.
Things became close as first Jason won a point then Nyron even things. Nyron took a 13-9 lead and looked well set to win the first game but Jason held his nerve and won the next six points to win the first game 15-13.
After the first-game win Jason, who will represent Guyana at the Pan American Games in Canada in July, appeared complacent and was never into the second game allowing Nyron to score ten points before Jason reached to zero with Nyron winning the second game easily 15-4.
The third game was brutal as both players were retrieving shots that seemed impossible. Jason reached to zero with Nyron at five points and even though Nyron won the next three points to go to eight he seemed to be getting tired and started making errors.
Jason capitalized and maintained the pressure to win the next six points, getting to six before Nyron went to nine and even though Nyron won two other points Jason eventually won the game 15-11 and the match.
This was a great test for Nyron, a member of the CASA junior defending Champions Guyana which will aim to take their 11th consecutive championship in July in Barbados. Guyana are Boys, Girls and Overall champions and the girls team will travel directly from Barbados to Egypt where they will compete in the Women’s World Junior Team Championships.
In the category ‘A’ final Lucas Jonas -3 faced off with his brother Ethan Jonas -1 and in the first game Lucas won the first eight points before Ethan captured his first point. However, Ethan could get no further than seven as Lucas won the first game 15-7.
The second game was no different to the first as again Lucas won the first eight points before Ethan secured his first point and even though Ethan got closer in this game he lost it 15-9. There was no play off for third place in the Open category as Raphael De Groot unfortunately had to leave town so he defaulted both his semi-final match against Joseph the previous evening and the third place match against Nicholas Narain yesterday.
In the category ‘A’ third place playoff Michael Alphonso -1 played Demetrius DeAbeu -1. Demetrius won a close first game 15-13 but Michael bounced back to take the second game 15-10 and then comfortably won the third game 15-6.
In the quarter finals on Saturday evening Joseph beat female national player Ashley Khalil, former National Champion Regan Pollard lost to national player Nicholas Narain, Jason Khalil opposed national Under-17 champion Ben Mekdeci who won in straight sets 15-7, 15-6.
The most entertaining of the quarter final matches was between Raphael de Groot and John Maikoo with de Groot eventually prevailing. In Category ‘A’ quarter final play, Lucas Jonas beat Kirsten Gomes, Michael Alphonso defeated James Mekdeci, Liam Carpenter proved to be no match for Ethan Jonas and Demetrius De Abreu was victorious against Madison Fernandes. The tournament attracted 60 players.
Overall Results:
Open Category Final – Jason Ray Khalil -24 defeated Nyron Joseph -16, 15-13, 4-15, 15-11.
Third place – Nicholas Narain won by walkover from Raphael De Groot.
Open Category Plate Final – Alexander Cheeks +7 beat Joe Mekdeci 0, 15-11, 15-12.
Third place – Tiffany Soloman got a walkover from Stephen Fernandes.
Category ‘A’ Final – Lucas Jonas -3 beat Ethan Jonas -1, 15-7, 15-9.
Third Place – Michael Alphonso -1 beat Demetrius De Abreu -1, 13-15, 15-10, 15-6.
Category ‘A’ Plate Final – Jason Gomes +4 beat Kamir Khan +7, 15-11, 15-13.
Third place – Paige Fernandes +10 defeated Chad De Abreu +11, 15-9, 15-7.
The presentation of prizes was done by Stephen Fernandes and Dr Peter De Groot representatives of the sponsors Bounty Farm Ltd.