Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago:

Jamaica's Junior National Squash Team finished second overall at the 2013 Caribbean Area Squash Association's (CASA) Junior Championships after placing second in both the boys' and girls' team competitions today.

Up against tournament favourites, Guyana, the girls' team battled hard but eventually conceded to the defending champions.

All-Jamaica and Caribbean Under-15 Champion, Alyssa Mullings, got things off to a good start by beating Rebecca Low 11/1, 11/4, 11/3. To follow up, gritty Under-13, Mira Handa, battled to beat Makeda Harding 10/12, 12/10, 6/11, 12/10, 11/9.

However, team captain Jessica Perkins then lost 11/5, 11/4, 11/5 to Victoria Arjoon, and Michaelann Denton was defeated 3/11, 5/11, 3/11 by Gaby Fraser.

The title hung in the balance as Jamaica's Ashley Lynch went up against Akeila Wiltshire; but the Guyanese player prevailed 5/11, 5/11, 2/11.

In the boys' competition, things went in Guyana's favour as well.

All-Jamaica Under-15 Champion, Tahjia Lumley, lost to Ben Mendecki 5/11, 7/11, 4/11; and then Under-13 Champion, Adam Ardito, went down 9/11, 11/5, 6/11, 5/11 to Shomari Wiltshire.

The fate of the team then rested on the shoulders of Captain Ashante Smith who was upset 9/11, 2/11, 9/11 by Jean Claude Jeffrey.

The Jamaicans, however, had plenty to celebrate as they left this year's competition with an impressive tally.

All-Jamaica Junior and Senior Champion Alyssa Mullings added another chapter to her storied career with a fourth regional title when she took top honours in the Under-15 category.

Ashante Smith got a fairytale ending to his Junior playing career when he won the Under-19 title to claim his first regional crown.

Under-15 contender Jonathan Walker finished second in his age group, with All-Jamaica Under-15 Champion, Tahjia Lumley, placing third. Also, National Under-13 Champion, Mia Mahfood, placed second in her age group, while Mia Lake was third.

The total haul was enough to give Jamaica an overall second place finish, marking a strong comeback for the team, who settled for fourth place last year.

Junior National Team Manager Gill Binnie said, "We are extremely proud of the entire team because they all played well and fought hard."

"Our coach Rene Denis has had the juniors on a tough training regime. We said CASA would be the true test of our new programme and the results speak for themselves. We will definitely be building on this for next year."