Girls’ Fencing Team in Suffolk Semifinals on Tuesday

It’s been a spectacular winter season for the Huntington varsity girls’ fencers who along with their Harborfields teammates captured the co-League I championship. The squad is seeded No. 2 in the Section XI playoffs and will square off against No. 3 Commack next Tuesday, February 3 at 5 p.m. in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School gym.

Huntington invited Harborfields to combine with the Blue Devils in 2023. Such collaborations are common in the sport and the Tornadoes have been a splendid addition and strengthened and deepened the roster. This marks the girls’ team’s first league title in 25 years.

The Huntington/Harborfields girls are currently 10-3 overall this winter. The team is coached by Michelle O’Brien, Malcolm Eugene and Lauren Blackburn. They are outfitted in brand new warmups.

The Blue Devils on the roster include Chelsea Drummings, Danna Garcia, Julia Goodwin, Veda Gross, Cecilia Lee, Olivia Lee, Marilyn Mendoza, Mary Padovani and Ariana Zavala Nunez.

Harborfields fencers on the girls’ team include Caelan Bues, Cierra Bues, Ava Fauvell, Nora McCloskey, Zeonna “Z” Rathbun and Lila Sheehan.

The combined team has enjoyed the strong support of Huntington Superintendent Beth McCoy and Director of Athletics Jim Hoops as well as Harborfields Superintendent Rory Manning and Director of Athletics Robert Franco. The two districts have worked seamlessly on the initiative, which has proved to be wildly successful.

Huntington’s history in the sport dates to 1935 and it is considered just as important to the Blue Devil athletic program today as it was the day it was founded 91 years ago.

The county finals will be held at Centereach High School on Thursday (February 5) at 5 p.m.