Bermudian youth squash standout Mason Smith has concluded his campaign at the 2025 United States Junior Open Squash Championships in Philadelphia after a competitive showing in the consolation brackets.
Competing in the Boys Under 13 First Consolation Division, Smith’s run was halted in the Round of 32 at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center.
Smith, who entered the consolation draw following a marathon five-set opening-round defeat earlier in the tournament, faced a stern challenge in the shape of the United States’ Justin Lui.
Lui proved a clinical opponent on home soil, securing a victory in straight sets. Smith fought valiantly, pushing the second game to a tie-break, but ultimately fell 11-5, 12-10, 11-7.
Despite the exit in Philadelphia, 2025 has been a historic year for Smith. Earlier this summer, he was crowned the Boys Under 13 Caribbean Champion at the CASA Championships in the Cayman Islands, where he defeated Guyana’s Ethan Bulkan in straight sets to claim his third consecutive regional title.
His performance in Philadelphia, which included a flawless straight-sets win over Canada’s George Qureshi to reach the Round of 16 in a previous consolation stage, further underscores his status as one of Bermuda’s brightest sporting prospects.
Sunday, December 21, 2025
Smith Rallies in Philadelphia after Opening Day Heartbreak
IslandStats.com
Bermudian youth prospect Mason Smith experienced a rollercoaster opening to his campaign at the United States Junior Open Squash Championship in Philadelphia. Competing in the Boys Under 13 Division, Smith demonstrated remarkable resilience after suffering a gut-wrenching defeat in the main draw.
Smith’s tournament began with a marathon five-set encounter against Canada’s Cayton Zichen Liu. The Canadian appeared to be in total control early on, clinical in his execution to take the first game 11-5 and the second 11-6.
Faced with a 2-0 deficit, Smith began an inspired fightback. He clawed his way back into the match by edging the third game 11-9 and then dominated the fourth 11-4 to force a decider. However, in a tense fifth game that swung back and forth, Liu regained his composure to secure the match 11-9 and advance to the next round.
Despite the disappointment of the main draw exit, Smith immediately found his rhythm in the Consolation Round. He opened his account with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Raghav Swaminathan of the United States, navigating the match with scores of 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, and 11-9.
Building on that momentum, the young Bermudian secured a spot in the Round of 16 with a flawless performance against George Qureshi. Smith, who has previously faced Qureshi on the Canadian junior circuit, controlled the match from the outset to win in straight sets, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7.
Friday, December 19, 2025
Carrick Bows Out of Georgia Open
IslandStats.com
Bermudian squash standout Taylor Carrick has seen his campaign at the $6,000 Men’s Georgia Open 2025 come to an abrupt end after a challenging second-round encounter in Atlanta.
Carrick, competing at the Atlanta Community Squash center, entered the tournament with high expectations after receiving a first-round bye as a seeded player. However, his journey in the PSA Challenger Tour event was cut short when he came up against Mexico’s Wally de los Santos in the second round.
The match proved to be a difficult test for the 24-year-old Bermudian, who struggled to find his rhythm against a clinical opponent. De los Santos maintained control throughout the contest, ultimately securing a victory in straight sets.
The Mexican took the opening two games with identical 11-7 scorelines, frustrating Carrick’s attempts to mount a comeback. De los Santos then accelerated in the third to close out the match 11-5, bringing an end to Carrick's week in Georgia.
Despite the early exit in Atlanta, Carrick remains in the midst of a productive year on the professional circuit. His 2025 highlights include:
National Success: Reclaiming the top spot in the Bermuda national rankings.
Regional Medals: Securing a bronze medal at the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Senior Championships in Guyana this November.
World Ranking: Achieving a career-high world ranking of 158 in June.
The Georgia Open served as another valuable opportunity for Carrick to test himself against international competition as he continues to climb the PSA standings.
Monday, December 15, 2025
Moss and Mustangs Start Season with Dominant Sweep
IslandStats.com
The Western Mustangs Women's Squash team, featuring standout player Hailey Moss, has opened its new season in commanding fashion, securing a decisive 7-0 victory over the Guelph Gryphons at the London Squash Club.
This dominant start carries forward the momentum from earlier this year when Moss and her teammates, known for their skill and determination, claimed the OUA Championship Gold Medal in front of a roaring crowd. That championship victory was the Mustangs' first OUA banner since 2013 and the 15th in the programme's history.
The season-opening sweep against Guelph demonstrates the team's continued strength, with the Mustangs having dominated the Gryphons in similar fashion during their gold-medal run, defeating them 7-0 at that OUA Championship as well.
Moss herself proved to be a critical player in that championship success, remaining undefeated throughout the OUA tournament, and securing the crucial point in the nail-biting 4-3 final match victory over the University of Toronto. Now, Moss and the Mustangs look set for another impactful season as they build towards repeating their provincial title success.
Saturday, November 29, 2025
Bermuda Men Secure Bronze Medal & CAC Qualification
IslandStats.com
A day after successfully achieving their primary goal of qualifying for the CAC Games, the Bermuda Men’s Squash team capped their successful campaign at the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Senior Championships by defeating Jamaica 12-2 to secure the Bronze Medal.
The third-place play-off match against Jamaica started with a tight battle, with Taylor Carrick needing all five games to secure the opening points for Bermuda. Carrick ultimately completed a thrilling 3-2 victory over Ashante Smith, with scores of 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 3-11, and a decisive 12-10 in the final set.
Once the initial challenge was overcome, the Bermudian team asserted their dominance:
Noah Browne extended the lead, defeating Adam Ardito 3-0 with scores of 11-7, 11-1, 11-8, pushing Bermuda’s lead to 6-2.
Micah Franklin continued his strong tournament run, also winning 3-0 against Jonathan Walker 12-10, 11-8, 11-9.
Anaya Smith then closed out the match in convincing fashion, securing a straight-sets 3-0 win over Tobias Levy 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 to make the final team score 12-2.
The decisive victory confirms Bermuda's status as one of the top four nations in the region, bringing a successful conclusion to their individual and team competitions at the CASA Championships in Guyana.
