Huntington Fencers Strong at Manhasset Invitational
January 24, 2024
The Huntington varsity boys’ and girls’ fencing teams traveled to Manhasset last weekend for an invitational tournament. The young Blue Devils performed well against a field of Suffolk and Nassau teams.
The Huntington team includes several fencers from Harborfields as the two districts are collaborating this year for the first time in the sport of fencing.
The field included teams from Half Hollow Hills and Brentwood, Great Neck North, Wheatley/Roslyn, Syosset, Oyster Bay and host Manhasset.
The event was organized to run in pools, with fencers grouped with other fencers in a format that would allow everyone to have five touch bouts.
There were 2 sets of seeding pools, with smaller groups that saw everyone fence before the top 18 fencers moved into three pools of six; then the top 12 into two pools of six and then the final pool of six for the championship round.
“Our team fenced very hard and got in a lot of fencing opportunities, many against schools we do not normally encounter during the season,” said head coach Michelle O’Brien, who is assisted by Vincent O’Garra.
Huntington/Harborfields yielded three medalists, with many other fencers also earning well-deserved place finishes.
Medalists:
Layna Abraham: Bronze medal in Women’s Epee
Jake Amend: Bronze medal in Men’s Foil
Benjamin Edgar-McNerney: Silver medal in Men’s Sabre
Complete Results:
Men’s Sabre:
• Benjamin Edgar-McNerney, 2nd place
• De'Andre Simmons, 20th place
• Thomas Galacia-Martinez, 23rd place
Women’s Sabre:
• Chelsea Drummings, 12th place
• Julia Goodwin, 14th place
• Emily Prieto, 16th place
Men’s Foil:
• Jake Amend, 3rd place
• Chase Williams, 12th place
• Ethan Ambrosio, 27th place
Women’s Foil:
• Veda Gross, 10th place
• Arania Zavala-Nunez, 14th place
• Olivia Lee, 17th place
Men’s Epee:
• Cole Lima, 9th place
• Owen Stevens, 12th place
• Frank Rathbun, 14th place
Women’s Epee:
• Layna Abraham, 3rd place
• Caelan Bues, 14th place
• Charlie Cassatto, 19th place
• Ailish Arenth, 22nd place
