The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

HE’S still missing, but the family of Byron Ferguson is keeping his memory alive by sponsoring the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s Junior Nationals this week at the National Tennis Centre.

The tournament got started on Saturday and will wrap up on Thursday, just before the BLTA hosts the International Tennis Federation’s Junkanoo Bowl that starts on Monday at the NTC.

Bjorn Ferguson, a brother of Ferguson, said while tennis was very instrumental in the life of his brother, a former player and certified coach, they are still keeping hope alive that he is indeed alive.

On Thursday, November 8, 2018, Ferguson’s six seat Aztec aircraft crashed in waters off Nirvana Beach on a flight from West Palm Beach, Florida. Although parts of the wreckage were discovered, 32-year-old Ferguson is still missing.

“Through tennis, Byron was able to get a tennis scholarship at Florida Air Academy where he became a pilot,” Bjorn Ferguson said.

“He finished on top of his class. He was an excellent tennis player, who came back and played tennis, but also worked tirelessly as a tennis coach. So after the incident, we decided to try to find a way to memorialise his name.”

As a board member of the BLTA, Bjorn Ferguson said the decision was made to start with the tournament. Through the Byron Ferguson Foundation, the family, led by his wife Anya, sponsored the junior nationals.

“Going forward, we will look at some other ways that we can keep his memory alive,” he said. “We have some ideas because Byron was instrumental in young people. He really loved young people.

“He was a talented young player as well, not just in tennis, but in softball as well. So we are going to try to find a way to keep his name alive, even if we don’t know whether he is alive or not.”

Tournament director Wesley Rolle said the tournament has gone through to form so far. “Things are going pretty good. Play is very competitive,” he said. “We had some players just coming back from Florida where they have been attending some camps.

“The 12s have been very competitive and the 8s and 10s have also been very competitive. So we’re looking for some competitive players coming out of those groups.”

Rolle said the top age groups have been very competitive as well and there are some players to watch out for like Michael Major, Kofi Bowe, Gabrielle Simms and Peyton Anderson.

However, he said Sydney Clarke has not yet played a match, but she should also be one to watch.

There have been some top performers in the meet so far.

In the boys’ under-28 division, Grand Bahamian top seed Kofi Bowe has advanced to the final with a 6-0, 6-0 whitewashing of Saket Pendharkar. He will play Denali Nottage, who eliminated No.2 seed Om Dhadwal, 6-0, 6-0.

Bowe, however, got knocked out of the boys’ under-16 singles as the top seed after he lost 6-4, 6-3 to Michael Major Jr on Saturday. Major Jr came back on Sunday and advanced to the final with a 6-1, 6-1 decision over Anthony Burrows Jr. Major Jr will play the winner of the other half of the semi-final between Dentry Mortimer Jr and Denali Nottage, the No.2 seed. As the top seed in the boys’ under-14 division, Major Jr is now into the semi-final after his 6-0, 6-0 decision over Shavano Hanna. He will play Dentry Mortimer Jr, the No.3 seed.

The other half of the draw features the other two seeded players in the quarter-finals.

No.2 seed Anthony Burrows Jr will meet Miguel Smith and No.4 seed Aidan Miller takes on Sharano Hanna.

The boys’ under-12 singles final is set, but top seed Patrick Mackey Jr got knocked out by William McCartney, who advanced with a 6-1, 6-1 decision.

McCartney will take on No.2 seed Aidan Miller, who won 6-2, 6-0 over Miguel Smith.

On the girls’ side, No.2 seed Gabrielle Simms from Grand Bahama is into the final after she knocked off Peyton Anderson 6-7, 6-4, 10-7. Top seed Sydney Clarke will play Elana Mackey in a much anticipated semi-final showdown.

As the top seed in the girls’ under-16 division, Anderson could avenge her defeat if Simms gets through in the semi-final. The bottom half of the semi-final is set with Kirza Johnson taking on Perjae Major.

Major upset No.2 seed Kaylee Kanuka 6-1, 6-1 in their quarter-final match-up on Sunday.

Kanuka, the top seed, has reached the semi-final of the girls’ under-14 singles. No.2 seed Sierra Rodgers advanced to the semis with her 6-1, 6-1 decision over Maddison Bowleg.

She will meet Jordan Munroe, who won 6-0, 6-4 over Jalisa Clarke.

And in the under-12 girls’ division, the top four seeded players - No.1 BreAnn Ferguson, No.2 Jalisa Clarke, No.3 Sapphire Ferguson and No.4 Rachel Thompson - are waiting to play their quarter-final matches.

Day 2 results

Girls under-8 singles - Alyssa Thursday def. Vonteneke Rolle w/o (walkover); Alyssa Thursday def. Katelyn Beukes 4-0, 4-0 and Eleanor Nash def. Vonteneke Rolle w/o (walkover).

Girls under-10 singles - Sarai Clarke def. Jasleen Salkey 4-0, 4-0; Tatyana Madu def. Srae Rodgers 4-1, 4-0 and Brianna Houlgrave def. Kayla Fox 4-0. 4-4, 14-12.

Girls under-12 singles - Jalisa Clarke def. Millie Beukes 6-2, 6-1; Breann Ferguson def. Sarai Clarke 6-2, 6-1; Marlee Martin def. Kayla Fox 6-1, 6-1 and Saphirre Ferguson def. Jariah Murphy 6-0, 6-0;

Girls under-14 singles - Breann Ferguson def. Jianna Munroe 6-3, 6-2; Sierra Rodgers def. Maddison Bowleg 6-1, 6-1 and Kaylee Kanuka def. Rachel Thompson 6-0, 6-0.

Girls under-16 singles - Perjae Major def. Kaylee Kanuka 6-0, 6-0 and Saachi Pendhrkar def. Savannah Thomas w/o walkover.

Girls under-18 singles - Sydney Clarke def. Jasmine Thompson w/o walkover and Gabrielle Simms def. Peyton Anderson 6-7, 6-4, 10-7.

Boys under-8 singles - Cameron Ferguson def. Julius-Aquil Williams 4-0, 4-0.

Boys under-10 singles - Dominick Stubbs def. Kovin Strachan 6-0, 6-1;

Dionsio Hepburn def. Khadin Evans 6-0, 6-0; Chase Newbold def. Zamere Davis 4-0, 4-1 and Chase Newbold def. Keon Coleby 4-0, 4-0.

Boys under-12 singles - Aidan Miller def. Miguel Smith 6-2, 6-0 and William McCartney def. Patrick Mackey Jr 6-1, 6-1.

Boys under-14 singles - Dentry Mortimer Jr. def. Zion Gape 6-0, 6-0 and Sharano Hanna def. Vontenken Rolle w/o walkover.

Boys under-16 singles - Michael Major Jr. def. Anthony Burrows 6-1, 6-1 and Zion Gape def. Vontenken Rolle w/o walkover;

Boys under-18 singles - Denali Nottage def. Om Dhadwal 6-0, 6-0 and Kofi Bowe def. Saket Pendharkar 6-0, 6-0.

Day 1 results

Girls under-8 singles - Kstelyn Beukes def. Eleanor Nash 4-1, 4-2.

Girls under-10 singles - Tatyana Madu def. Jasmaine Salkey 4-0, 4-1; Sarai Clarke def. Srae Rodgers 4-0, 4-0 and Marlee Martin def. Kayla Fox 4-0m 4-2.

Girls under-12 singles - Sarai Clarke def. Alyssa Godet 6-0, 6-0; Jariah Murphy def. Diamond Stubbs 6-0, 6-2 and Millie Beukes def. Tatyaru Madu 7-5, 6-2.

Girls under-14 singles - Jordan Munroe def. Jalae Clarke 6-0, 6-4 and Matson Bowleg def. Ciara Renaud 6-0, 6-0.

Girls under-16 singles - Peyton Anderson def. Sierra Rodgers 6-2, 6-2; Kirza Johnson def. Jordan Munroe 6-1, 6-2 and Perjae Major def. Jianna Munroe 6-1, 6-0.

Girls under-18 singles - Elana Mackey def. Perjae Major 6-2, 6-1; Peyton Anderson def. Saachi Pendharkar 6-0, 6-1 and Gabrielle Simms def. Kinza Johnson 6-4, 6-2.

Boys under-8 singles - Julius-Aquil Williams def. Corey Conyers w/o (walk over).

Boys under-10 singles - Dominick Stubbs def. Khadin Evans 1-4, 5-4, 10-7 and Dionsio Hepburn def. Kovin Strachan w/o (walk over).

Boys under-12 singles - William McCartney def. Dionsio Hepburn 6-3, 6-0 and Miguel Smith def. Dave Griffin 6-3, 6-0.

Boys under-14 singles - Michael Major Jr. def. Shavano Hanna 6-0, 6-0; Zion Gape def. Patrick Mackey Jr. 6-3, 6-0 and Miguel Smith def. William McCartney 6-4, 6-1.

Boys under-16 singles - Michael Major Jr. def. Kofi Bowe 6-4, 6-3; Anthony Burrows def. Om Dhadwal w/o (walk over) and Dentry Mortimer Jr. def. Saket Pendharkar 6-0, 6-2.