Clash of top squash juniors

Some of the island’s top junior squash players will be chasing glory this weekend during the 2011 Sagicor General National Junior Squash Championships at the Barbados Squash Club.
Matches commence on Friday at 5:45 p.m. and continue on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. on Sunday.
In the boys’ Under-19 division, defending champion Jonathan O’ Dowd will be up against last year’s Under-17 champion Matthew Mackenzie, Zaki Williams and Sachin Amin.
With Mackenzie moving up one division, Stewart St John is the favourite for the Under-17 and Under-15 titles, with Brandon Straker being his biggest competition in both age groups.
Defending champion Danny Chesham is back in the Under-13 group, facing Khamal Cumberbatch, Rithew Saywack and Kieran Hermansson.
On the girls’ side, 13-year-old Gylla Mackenzie will be continuing her trek into the record books. After becoming the youngest person to win the Under-19 title last year, she is seeded second in that age group behind Zoe Lisk, whom she upset last year. Badminton player Monyata Riviera and Melanie Grant are the three/four seeds.
Mackenzie is also top seed in the Under-17 group ahead of Asha Gibbs; and among the Under-15s ahead of Amanda Haywood, the former Under-11 champion.
Haywood is the No. 1 seed in the Under-13 division and will be coming up against Meagan Best and Manessa Weekes.
The Under-11s will play a mixed round robin. Nine-year-old Khamal Cumberbatch is the No. 1 seed, but along with Best and Saywack, anyone is capable of winning. Ishan Persaud makes a return to competition in this age group.
Sagicor General is sponsoring the tournament for the 31st year. (SAT)