Redemption Athanaze – By Samuel Peters
Redemption Athanaze Says Mentore
Princess Margaret School captain Jquan Athanaze described the Under-19 T20 triumph as a moment of redemption after leading his team to a 17-run victory over Antigua Grammar School (AGS) to secure the title outright.
“It’s been a long time. The first time we went to the final, we met the same team earlier in the competition and we lost. So this time, it’s revenge, and I’m happy that we won this trophy for our school,” Athanaze said following the win.
Reflecting on the match, the captain credited his team’s bowling effort despite early challenges with the bat.
“We bowled very well. You know what happened in the first six overs, the AGS was dropping the balls around so I couldn’t get a good knock, but I’m happy for my team.”
Looking ahead, Athanaze made his ambitions clear after an outstanding season in which he amassed 1,044 runs across competitions, including four centuries and three half-centuries, with a top score of 207.
“I just want to continue scoring runs, dominate, and see if I can make it into Antigua’s senior team.”
Joining him was birthday boy Kerique Mentore, who also played a key role in the team’s success and reflected on a memorable week that included a century alongside his father in a 235-run partnership against the Tertiary Institutions and Schools.
“It was a lifetime memory. It helped me to be more positive,” Mentore said of the experience.
Speaking about the final, Mentore highlighted the team’s mindset after a steady start. “Positivity. Look to push on, run more between the wickets—just stay positive, but not take unnecessary risks.”
He also outlined his goals moving forward: “Score runs, be consistent, get wickets, and look to make it to the big league.”
The victory capped a dominant campaign for PMS, who had shared the Two-Day title just a week earlier before returning to claim the T20 crown outright, powered by the leadership of Athanaze and the all-round contributions of Mentore.
