By Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway
BVI team at the Caribbean Area Squash Championships in Guyana
For the first time since 2014, the BVI Men’s Squash team has qualified for the 2026 CAC Games in the Dominican Republic, after beating Cayman Islands to secure qualification, during the Caribbean Squash Championships held in Guyana.
After falling to Jamaica 4-1, with Jamaica’s Jonathan Walker losing to Joe Chapman 7-11, 4-11 and 4-11, Jamaica won the next four matches. Ashante Smith beat Danny Henderson, 11-8, 11-5 and 11-8. Dane Schwier outlasted Oli Henderson, 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 9-11 and 11-6. Adam Ardito swept Luca Reich, 11-9, 11-4 and 11-4 and Tobias Levy stopped Rory Thornton 12-10, 11-5 and 11-8.
Heading into the playoffs, the BVI knew that they had to finish above Trinidad and Tobago and the Cayman Islands to qualify and began by beating Trinidad and Tobago, 4-Joe Chapman overhauled Luc Davis, 11-1, 11-1 and 11-2. Danny Henderson beat Brandon de Montrichard, 11-3, 11-5 and 11-7. Oli Henderson got past Joel Augustine, 11-0, 11-7, 11-6. Luca Reich fell to Ross D’Juran, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8, 4-11 and 8-11 and Rory Thornton downed Peter Pirtheesingh, 11-3, 11-8 and 11-3.
The Cayman Islands were unable to field a number 5, thus giving the BVI a 1-0 lead.
Danny Henderson was first on court and he showed an assuredness beyond his years cruising to a 3-0 victory. He played with class and confidence and never looked troubled.
In individual play, Danny won the plate final with a straight set 11-2, 11-3 and 11-5 victory over Ross D’Juran of Trinidad and Tobago. He bested Nichola Verwey of Guyana in the semis, 11-8, 11-3 and 11.9.
Reich, disappointed in his performance vs Trinidad and Tobago, after making the plate quarter final with a 12-10, 11-1 and 11-8 victory over Guyana’s Miguel Wong, bounced back with a 12-10, 11-9 and 11-4 victory over Christian Dube, giving the BVI an unassailable 3-0 advantage.
Joe Chapman, up against Julian Jervis, the silver medallist at last year’s Caribbean Championships held in the BVI, lost his first game then won the next three to take the 3-1 victory.
Oli Henderson then went on for the final match of the encounter, but found it slightly hard getting fully ‘up’ for the match, given that the BVI had already won overall. However, after finding himself at 1-1 he knuckled down and ‘toughed it out’ to win 3-1 against a tricky opponent.
