Setting a new record for playing far from our area, Jacqueline Barnes recently won the consolation final at the Australian Junior National Championships, beating the nation’s #7 and #8 ranked players in three games in each match. In the first round, she lost a tight four-game match to the player who took 3rd place.  At the Women’s Squash Association Ipswich Open last week, Barnes took former Women’s World #60 Zoe Petrovansky to four games.

Washington Gold

Over 200 players from 15 states plus Canada competed last month in the largest and strongest junior field ever to play in our area.  Twenty three NCS juniors competed and proved our region is now home to some of the nation’s top players.  NCS thanks George Washington University, Sports Club/LA, Bethesda Sport & Health, Results, The Gym and University Club for hosting the matches.

Congratulations to Kira Keating, who won GU17; Shalika Neelaveni, who took 5th in GU11; and Cameron Bahadori and Theo Mendez, who placed 6th and 7th in BU17.

Out of town highlights

Kira Keating reached the GU17 semifinals of the Junior Championship Tournament (JCT) in Philadelphia (open to the nation’s top 32 players who apply to play) and took 3rd place in GU19 at the Westchester Gold.  Cameron Bahadori (BU17) and Peter Giraudo (BU19) also qualified to play in the elite JCT.  Cameron Bahadori took 5th place in BU17 at the San Diego Gold.

Zach Najera reached the consolation finals in BU15 at the  Deroy Gold in Michigan.  Zach also won the Three Rivers Open Silver in Pittsburgh.

Duncan McGillivary reached the BU19 semifinals of the Merion Cricket Club Silver in Philadelphia.

Potomac Squash Silver

NCS juniors played well against many out of town players at The Potomac Squash Club Silver, which was held the weekend of Sept. 21.

Taimur Chaudhry won BU17, winning all his matches by convincing 3-0 scores.  Remy Freire reached the BU17 semis.  Evan Brown won BU19, beating Sandeep Rishi in a thrilling five game match to take the trophy.  Nilay Neelaveni reached the finals of BU13.

Shalika Neelaveni won GU11.  Taylor Nides won GU15, while Katie Correia took 3rd. Nghi Nguyen won GU17, besting Diana Halikias in the final.  Nghi also won the GU19 division.

Junior Tournaments

There is a complete list of all sanctioned junior tournaments in our region here.  More tournaments will be sanctioned soon.