CitySquash’s Joana Pacheco became the first player to win three consecutive Urban Individuals U19 titles, while Sebastion Paredes earned Santa Barbara School of Squash’s first U19 title in program history during the sixteenth Urban Individuals at Amherst and Williams in northwestern Massachusetts.
More than 450 students representing eighteen Squash + Education Alliance programs competed in A and B divisions across U13, U15, U17 and U19 age groups. View all A division results here and all B division results here.
Pacheco, a freshman at William Smith, fulfilled her top seeding by defeating Squash Haven’s Pratiksha Mishra in a four-game final. Pacheco’s third consecutive GU19 title came just one day before her nineteenth birthday on Monday, June 18.
“In all honesty, I never expected to accomplish this much,” Pacheco said. “Like who knew that my younger third grade self who missed every ball would grow up to become the first squash player to win three consecutive U19 individual titles. Not only do I have my squash coaches to thank for my achievements, but also Al Boilloit and Sarah Allen for the constant support on and off the court.”
Pacheco was one of five CitySquash champions, and one of eight finalists across the eight A division finals. CitySquash Brooklyn’s Randy Guzman fulfilled his top seeding by winning the BU13 title against CitySquash Bronx’s Rios Alexis. CitySquash Bronx swept both U15 A divisions, with Maury Escalona winning his first title in the BU15 and Lizbeth Barroso claiming a third consecutive title, and first since aging up to the GU15 division. CitySquash Bronx’ Caleb Boeteng also pulled off a third straight urban individual title after aging up to the BU17 division.
In the BU19 final, Sebastian Paredes made history by lifting Santa Barabara School of Squash’s first U19 title in program history, defeating SquashSmarts’ surprise finalist Joshua Morales in a four-game final. The title marks Paredes’ second Urban Individual title, adding to his U13 title in 2013.
Almedina Velic made history for Hartford’s Capitol Squash in the GU13 division, winning a five-game final to capture the four-year-old program’s first A division title. Zeinab Bakayoko fulfilled her top seeding in the GU17 division, dropping just two games all tournament on her way to clinching the title for StreetSquash.
The Urban Individuals weekend was just as busy off the court as on court. Students were introduced to college squash coaches and admissions representatives, and celebrated academic excellence with the following awards:
Future Star Award
Karolina Majewska (CitySquash Brooklyn)
Ty Griffin Urban Squasher of the Year Award
Starnisha Ramsey (Racquet Up Detroit)
Jesus Baez (Impact 360)
Writing Contest
Under 13
Winner: Abisola Abina (SquashWise)
Finalist: Juelz Montas (Capitol Squash)
Under 15
Winner: Vaughn Bryant (Steel City Squash)
Finalist: Kimberly Lucero (CitySquash)
Under 17
Winner: Ku Paw (Capitol Squash)
Finalist: Jalil Weaver (SquashSmarts)
Under 19
Winner: Giselle Cabrera (CitySquash)
Finalist: Felipe De La Cruz (Access Youth Academy)
Art Contest
Under 13
Nakala Pierson (Baltimore SquashWise)
Under 15
Victoria De La Cerda (Access Youth Academy)
Under 17
Kariely Berdeja (Access Youth Academy)
Under 19
Ebonie Reaves (StreetSquash Newark)
View more images from the tournament on the Squash + Education Alliance SmugMug page.