Log In

Reset Password

Stout and Smith lift junior/senior crown

Andrew Stout continued his dominance of junior squash in Bermuda when he took the BIAS Adult/Child Tournament title with partner Stephen Smith.

Stout brushed aside opponents to win all his matches leading up to the finale 3-0, while Smith emulated him by getting through to the knockout without conceding a game.

The story of Saturday's round was the early exit of Josef Smith and Mel Caines who fell to James Adams and Michael Swain.

Caines had appeared in the last two finals partnering Michael Shrubb to the runners-up spot two years ago and then taking the title last year. Smith had shown excellent form prior to the event and the team looked set for another final appearance.

However, this was thwarted when Swain defeated Caines in a heated match 2-1.

The juniors then had to take to the court to play the decider, with Adams reversing the form in his match to win 15-8.

Adams and Swain's giant-killing form was shortlived though as they were then beaten by Stout and Smith.

In another close early round game, James Daniels and Tony Prentice narrowly beat father and son, Simon and Alan Bergl.

Simon got the pairing off to a great start by beating Daniels 3-0 but Prentice brought the sides level defeating Alan by the same score. It was Daniels who rose to the occasion in the decider winning 15-10.

The closest match in the quarter-finals was between nephew and uncle team, Robert Maycock and Roger Sherratt and father and daughter pairing Bruce and Laura Robinson.

Sherratt gave his team the lead defeating Bruce 2-1 before the juniors took the court. Maycock won the first and led in the second before the tenacious Laura fought back to take the game 15-14. Her good form continued in the third as she won it 15-8 to level the match and force a tiebreaker.

However, Maycock suddenly refound his form and won the tiebreaker 15-11 to earn his team a place in the semi-final.

Stout and Smith proved too strong for the duo, though, defeating them 6-0 and in the other match Fraser and Johnny Moore beat Caty Luckhurst and Justin Robinson 4-1.

The first game of the final between Stout and Fraser Moore put a stop to the former's dominance as Moore took the game 15-3. Stout started with an 18 point deficit under the handicap system and Moore took full advantage in the first game.

But from then on it was all Stout. He went on to take the next two games 15-11 and 15-13.

This result meant that Johnny Moore had to win two games against Smith.

Although he fought valiantly, he was showing the signs of a lot of squash in 48 hours and the younger and more sprightly Smith clinched the match 15-7, 15-13.

Stout received the grand prize, a $500 investment fund from BIAS.