The Huntington High School girls’ fencing team’s fortunes took a turn for the better as the Blue Devils finished second in the league standings, fourth in the conference and sixth in Suffolk.
Coached by Michelle O’Brien and Vincent O’Garra, the squad was captained by seniors Maddy Bavaro and Ally Kustera. The Blue Devils went 6-2 in league meets and 8-5 overall.
Kustera went 27-9 in sabre and Bavaro compiled a 26-11 mark in foil. Juniors Haileigh Smith (28-5 in sabre) and Emely Cruz (20-9 in foil) rounded out the team’s top four fencers.
“This team put its heart and soul into the season,” O’Brien said. “It was amazing to experience how well they worked together. They are truly a family. Each senior on this team is taking a piece of everyone’s hearts with them; especially mine.”
Kustera placed second in Suffolk in women’s sabre. She garnered honorable mention All-County honors and was named Second Team All-League. She also medaled in the always tough Brentwood Tournament. “Ally is a great mentor to all of the younger fencers on both the boys’ and girls’ teams and she will be missed,” O’Brien said.
Smith was First Team All-League and Second Team All-County in sabre. The teenager also medaled at Brentwood. “Haileigh is going to be a top contender in women’s sabre next year,” O’Brien said. “This year she had a college exam or else she absolutely would have been on the medal stand this year at counties.”
A Second Team All-League and honorable mention All-County pick, Bavaro captured the Alan Kuver Fencer’s Fencer Award, which is voted on by Suffolk fencers, who select one male and one female fencer they feel are the best models of the sport as well as for sportsmanship and friendliness. The Blue Devils’ longtime coach, Kuver passed away in 2014 and the award was renamed in his memory shortly thereafter.
“Maddy Bavaro is the most supportive, wonderful, caring person on this team,” O’Brien said. “She is a strong fencer and a great athlete and I could not have been prouder to have her represent Huntington. She truly deserved the Fencer’s Fencer Award.”
Cruz placed ninth in Suffolk in foil. The junior notched Second Team All-League honors. “Emely started out a bit slow in the counties on Saturday and after the second round she said ‘Okay, I can’t lose anymore,’ and she proceeded to win her next seven bouts. She was the only fencer in the individual foil finals who doesn’t train in the off-season.”
Fiona Brosnan was honorable mention All-League in foil and Layna Abraham was honorable mention All-League in epee. Allison Malone earned honorable mention All-County honors in epee.
The “best accomplishment” was placing second in league competition, according to the coach. “Three times this season, the girls’ foil squad of Maddy, Emely, Fiona and Aislyn Franciscovich went undefeated, 9-0 in meets,” O’Brien said. They did the same at the county championships against the same schools.”
The roster also included Sandy Garcia Ulloa, Shaina Linker, Abigail Simon and Julia Goodwin.
Looking ahead, the Blue Devils are expected to field a strong team next winter. “Three ladies graduate, including one from each weapon, so the majority of the team will return,” O’Brien said. “The foil girls (Brosnan, Cruz and Franciscovich) should be a force to be reckoned with. They were only in a losing situation for the weapon three times this season. Current junior Haileigh Smith is an amazing athlete and will be a powerful sabrist across both the league and county next year. Epee fencers Allison Malone, Layna Abraham and Shaina Linker will continue to develop their skills and increase their win totals.”
