BLOWN overcame Fantastic Warriors in thrilling fashion in the 24th KPMG Squash League final at Liguanea Club in New Kingston recently.

Blown were crowned league champions for the first time.

Blown lost the first contest between Anthony Mahfood and Fantastic Warriors’ Nabeel Jawad in a four-setter 21-16, 5-21, 10-21 and 16-21.

Blown’s Captain Jake Mahfood entered the box with his Fantastic Warriors’ counterpart Stewart Maxwell who was immediately on the defence.

Mahfood proved too strong, too skillful, too energetic and accurate for Maxwell who kept chasing the ball on the way to losing the game. The scores were 21-15, 21-15, 21-14. With the tie level, all was set for an exciting third contest to decide the 2024 champions.

Andrew Bicknell was clinical against Andre Sewell to take the decider in straight sets, posting scores of 21-15, 21-20, 21-14. Sewell was all over the court but could not match the skill of Bicknell who was on target with his ball placement.

“It was a very competitive final. I have to thank my teammates for their support; Andrew Bicknell has been phenomenal the whole tournament, he hasn’t lost a match — I don’t even think that he has dropped a game. The coaching, the aspect of the team working together was phenomenal in the final and the semi final,” said skipper Mahfood.

Mahfood also copped the coveted Most Valuable Player award.

“I would share that with my team [as] without them I don’t think I would win,” Mahfood said regarding the Blown team which also included Fraser McConnell.

Fantastic Warriors Captain Maxwell credited his team’s collective bravery against formidable opposition.

“We knew coming into the final that this was a team of youngsters with skill so we always knew that it was going to be a challenge but we put up the best fight that we could. Nabeel Jawad was able to win our first match and then myself and Andre Sewell, we put up the best fight that we could,” he explained

“Simply put, it’s a different level of squash, not only their youth but their skill… we like to say a better player will give you a guided tour of the four corners of the court, and that’s exactly what happened,” Maxwell said, adding that he and his teammates are hoping to place one better next year.

Tarun Handa, KPMG’s senior partner, had high praises for the league.

“It [the league] matches our core values as an organisation — integrity, excellence, teamwork, together for better — so we look forward to constantly affirm[ing] those values through the squash games.”

KPMG has multiple connections to the game as staff and their family members play the sport and represent Jamaica at various levels, regionally and internationally.

Karen Anderson, president of Jamaica Squash, was pleased with the exposure offered by the 2024 tournament.

“I think it was a fantastic event. This year we had 16 teams again. We had four 10-year-olds who played, and even one lady who has never played squash in her entire life — she had taken up the sport three months ago and she played a match here and it drove her to try and continue to improve, so to me those are the highlights of the event,” she said.