The highly anticipated 2026 Saint Lucia Inter-Secondary Schools Table Tennis Championships is set to shift to its competitive knockout phase next week, following the conclusion of all Group 4 preliminary matches at the Castries Table Tennis Centre this week. The upcoming round of 16 singles clashes and team quarterfinal fixtures will officially kick off at the Beausejour Gymnasium starting at 10 a.m. on November 10, showcasing the island’s most promising young table tennis talent.
In the boys’ team Group 4 division, Castries Comprehensive Secondary School (CCSS) delivered a flawless, dominant performance spearheaded by national team standout Leshon Francis. The squad, which also features unbeaten teammates Jay Alcee and Kareem Innocent, swept all three of its group stage opponents — Saint Lucia Sports Academy (SLSA), Corinth Secondary, and Sir Ira Simmons Secondary — with identical 3-0 scorelines to claim the top spot in the group and secure an undisputed spot in the team quarterfinals. The second quarterfinal berth from the group went to Corinth Secondary, whose campaign was anchored by standout displays from Jedd Desir and Kervan Marcel. The team earned hard-fought wins of 3-1 against Sir Ira Simmons, 3-2 over Babonneau Secondary, and a narrow 3-2 edge against SLSA to advance.
The girls’ team Group 4 matches were marked by tightly contested, nail-biting finishes throughout the draw. Led by national champion Shatal Charles, SLSA claimed first place in the group, edging out both Corinth Secondary and CCSS with razor-thin 3-2 victories. CCSS secured the group’s second knockout spot behind the consistent play of Lyzan Seraphin, Nefetari Godard, and Emma-Lee Wells, while Corinth Secondary rounded out the advancing girls’ team cohort with strong contributions from Elizabeth King and Laricia Oculien.
CCSS also put on an impressive showing across all singles qualification brackets, securing dozens of spots in the upcoming round of 16. In the under-13 boys’ category, Jay Alcee of CCSS earned a place, alongside Corinth Secondary’s trio of Jedd Desir, Jelanie Flermius, and Omari Matthew. The under-15 boys’ division will feature SLSA’s Omari McCaunley, plus CCSS’s Leshon Francis, Jay Alcee, and Jedd Desir. Francis and Alcee also locked in their spots in the under-19 boys’ draw, where they will be joined by McCaunley and his SLSA teammate Mitchel Deterville.
CCSS’s female athletes dominated their respective singles age groups, taking five out of six available under-13 girls’ qualification spots: Nefetari Godard, Emma-Lee Wells, Kezie Edwards, Hanah James, and Azelia Emmanuel claimed those berths, with the final spot going to Kelisa Antoine of Sir Ira Simmons. The CCSS squad completed a full clean sweep of all under-15 girls’ qualifying positions, with Lyzan Seraphin, Godard, Wells, and Edwards all advancing. For the under-19 girls’ division, Shatal Charles qualified for SLSA, Seraphin, Godard, and Wells moved through for CCSS, Amia JnMarie earned a spot representing Babonneau Secondary, and Elizabeth King secured her place for Corinth.
With Group 4 now fully wrapped up, the full field for the championship knockout rounds is confirmed. The boys’ team quarterfinals will see CCSS and Corinth Secondary join previously qualified sides Special Education Centre Vieux Fort, Vieux Fort Comprehensive, Soufriere Comprehensive, TVET Building Construction, Ciceron Secondary, and St. Mary’s College. The girls’ team quarterfinal lineup includes Vieux Fort Comprehensive, St. Joseph’s Convent, Entrepot Secondary, SLSA, CCSS, and Corinth Secondary. All upcoming matches will be hosted at the Beausejour Gymnasium, as the island’s top secondary school table tennis players compete for the 2026 championship titles.
*(Photo credits: Leshon Francis and Shatal Charles portraits courtesy of the Saint Lucia National Table Tennis Association)*