SQUASH
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IF they keep going at this rate, Orange’s Jesse Keegan and Ryan Bushel-Keegan could become the most well-known step-siblings since Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly graced our screens in 2008 side-splitter Step Brothers - in squash circles anyway.
Already boasting bulging squash resumes, Keegan and Bushel-Keegan are kicking off their preparations for the 2015 Australian Junior Championships at Cairns later this year after earning state selection last weekend.
Keegan, 18, and Bushel-Keegan, 14, produced magnificent performances at last weekend’s NSW State Junior Championships at Thornleigh, both going through undefeated to win their respective under 19 and under 15 titles.
Both were named to represent their state as a result.
“We were both seeded number one going into it, so it was a good result,” Keegan said.
“I didn’t drop a game and I think Spud (Bushel-Keegan) dropped one.”
“Yeah, one in my final, I was playing with a calf injury,” Bushel-Keegan said.
“It was good to able to win [the titles] together too, we both finished second last year,” Keegan explained.
Both have represented NSW on several occasions before, and both have tasted success on the national stage as well.
In fact, Keegan’s won three national titles and Bushel-Keegan one.
“It’ll be tough up there,” Keegan said.
“The first week is individual, you’re playing for your ranking pretty much, then the second week is teams. We play all the other states.”
“It’s all singles though, and the points are added up afterwards,” Bushel-Keegan added.
“So you need to be winning each game by as much as possible,” Keegan said.
Keegan finished fifth in the under 19 competition last year, winning all his games except one.
Crucially, that game was his quarter-final against the top seed, resigning the 18-year-old to the bottom half of the draw.
“I won the rest to finish fifth which I was pretty happy with. It was a strong draw,” he said.
“I think I’ll be seeded around four this year. I’d like to at least make the semi-finals.”
“I didn’t play at nationals last year, I didn’t play much at all last year. I had a break,” Bushel-Keegan said. “I think I’ll be seeded two, but with my age group you don’t really know what you’re going to get.”
Cairns hosts the 2015 Australian Junior Championships from Sunday, September 26 to Saturday, October 4.