Team SVG’s overall champs in OECS Squash Championship

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been declared the overall team champion for the OECS in the OECS Senior Squash Championship which was held May 20 – 24 in St Lucia.{{more}}

Some 30 squash players converged at Rodney Bay Squash Club to seek regional supremacy, representing the islands of BVI, Dominica, SVG and host St Lucia. Team SVG was determined to recapture the regional trophy which they narrowly lost to BVI in 2009.

The tournament began with the individual category and saw no major changes.

In the women’s open, Musonda Poole of the BVI recaptured the no 1 spot from Sherian Slater of SVG 11/9, 11/7, 11/2. While newcomer Amanda Atack, also of the BVI, defeated Deirdre Myers 11/8, 6/11, 11/5, 11/8, Myers fought hard but had to settle for 4th spot. In the women’s plate final Tessa Shallow-King of SVG defeated Brodie Farangher of BVI 11/3, 11/3, 11/7 in a very entertaining game, while junior player Gianna Miller-Alexander took 8th place as Sue Sorrentino won 11/7, 8/11, 11/6, 13/11. The women’s over 40 was also won by Musonda Poole as Slater of SVG had to settle for the runner-up spot. Deidre Myers secured 3rd place by defeating Sue Sorrentino (BVI) 11/6, 11/5, 6/11, 11/6.

The men’s over 40 was won by Paul Cyrus (SVG) when he defeated Charlie Sonson (SLU) in the semi-finals 6/11,11/8,12/10, 9/11, 11/9 in a grueling match, and in the finals Mark Cyrus 11/3, 12/10, 11/5. Men’s over 50 was an all BVI affair as they took the top 3 spots with John Horne (SVG) taking 4th place.

The Men’s Open provided much excitement as top junior player Jules Snagg almost succeeded in toppling the no.2 seed Charlie Sonson in the quarterfinals. However the experience of Sonson gave him the victory in the end 11/9, 9/11, 9/11, 11/8, 11/3.

Joe Chapman of the BVI took the 1st place while Sonson came second. Vincentian Kevin Hannaway secured 3rd place by defeating teammate Kevin Bailey 11/5, 11/4, 11/8. Jules Snagg took 5th place when he defeated Paul Cyrus 11/5, 10/12, 11/7, 9/11, 11/6, in a tight match. Mark Cyrus took 8th place loosing to Oliver Gobat (BVI) 11/8, 11/3, 11/5.

Team SVG was victorious as they secured a 7-5 victory over team BVI and 9-3 over team St Lucia. They were also awarded the Women’s team trophy as Aiko Roudette playing at the no. 2 spot and Tessa Shallow at the no. 3 spot secured important wins over the BVI female players, both winning in straight sets 3-0.

In the vet’s team event SVG defeated BVI 3-2, with Paul Cyrus, Vonnie Roudette and Deidre Myers securing 3-0 victories but later lost to St Lucia 2-3, thus settling for 2nd place, Vonnie Roudette and John Horne securing the 2 match victories.

In the men’s team event SVG lost in a two-way tie against BVI but made a clean sweep of St Lucia, defeating them 4-0, with Hannaway of SVG having a surprise win over Sonson (SLU) 3-0, Snagg , Bailey and Cyrus also registered 3-0 wins. Team SVG was declared the overall team Champion for the OECS. A team will be named later to represent the OECS in the 18th Senior Caribbean Squash Championship to be held in SVG in August.