With all the chips on the table, in the Division 2 finals of the Squash Yukon League, it wasn’t the top-level captains competing for the title, but the teams’ No. 4s.
“That’s what makes it interesting: our No. 4 got it for us tonight,” said Kumon captain Jean Beckerton.
Needing a win to secure the division title, Kumon Learning’s No. 4 Denise McDiarmid defeated Electrical Shop’s Marie Maratos 15-13, 11-15, 17-15, 15-5, making her team the Division 2 champions on Thursday evening at Better Bodies.
Consistency within the Kumon roster has made a more cohesive and supportive team, said Beckerton.
“Early on, I don’t know where we were in the standings, but we were a solid fourth, so there was no question we would make it into the playoffs. There have been a few changes in the Thursday night league, but ours was probably one of the most consistent teams. All are players are the same as in the start, except we lost one player at the end of March. So Gary (Tanner), our No. 3, just came on in the beginning of April.
“So we have more team spirit maybe than some of the other teams.”
Making the win for Kumon all but certain were two wins in the first three matches of the finals. Beckerton downed Electrical captain David Buckler and Tanner topped Judy Ratcliffe, both in three straight games. The Electrical Shop’s one win came from No. 2, Adam Humphrey, defeating Kumon’s Anna Jacobsen 15-10, 15-6, 15-12.
“I think we’re all pretty easy going,” said Humphrey. “We haven’t had extensive experience in the past. I think the majority of us have just a few years of experience. But I think we learned a lot from this year.
“Nobody has been carrying the team at all. Everyone has been playing at their respective levels fantastically.
“Marie is a very strong contender,” he added. “She’s put in a lot of effort this year.”
With straight-game wins over their opponents, Shermaine Chua and Ehasn Idrees helped Dominion Construction build a win over Uniglobe Specialty Travel to take third.
In the battle for fifth, Puck Fire ignited for a win over Sterling Insurance. Northern Light Optometry finished in seventh.
“From the games that I watched and kept track of, it seemed to be incredibly fair, everyone was having fun and it wasn’t like any team were the iron men of the league,” said Humphrey.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com