WMCHS Girl's and Boy's Fencing Team Both Win Their Openers

LONG VALLEY, NJ— The West Morris Central Girls and Boys fencing teams both opened their 2016-17 seasons with wins.

The girls team kicked their season off with a solid 22-5 victory over conference rival Morris Catholic at home on Thursday.

After losing the opening bout in Sabre WMC Girls rebounded by taking 7 out of the next 8 bouts to take the first round 7-2. WMC also took the second round 7- 2 The fencers did not show signs of letting down as they took the last round 8 - 1, making the final score 22-5.

The Highlanders/Wolfpack had several fencers finish the night undefeated. Foil fencers, Senior Devon Howell and Junior Uma Kommienini went 3 - 0 for the night. The foil squad lost only one bout posting an 8 -1 record, leading to the team victory.

The epee squad also had two fencers go undefeated. Senior Katherine Santsevich posted a 3 - 0 record as well as Varsity starter Junior Anna Klaassen. The epee squad posted a 7-2 record.

An entirely new starting sabre Squad posted a 4-5 record led by Junior Maddie Ashton who posted a 2-1 record. A 5-0 bout by rookie fencer, Hayley Capilitan a Junior, put WMC Girls in the lead during the first round.

Behind that win the team never looked back and led throughout the evening.

The WMCHS Boy's Fencing team also defeated Morris Catholic, winning with a narrow victory (15-12).

Throughout most of the meet, neither team ever had more than a one point lead and at the end of the second squad rotation, the teams were tied at 9-9.

Senior Zach Mange however started a run of four bout wins when he took his second victory of the night.

The boys foil squad consisting of Sophomore, Nate Mange, Junior, Christian Garcia, and Sophomore, Dusty Howell, which went 6-3 for the night, won the next three bouts putting the team within one victory of winning the meet. Sophomore, Nic Constantino was up next following an Epee loss.

It took an exciting touch in overtime when Constantino did not have priority to push the team ahead with his 5-4 bout win; finishing 2-1 for the night. Christopher Infinito, a junior, sealed the 15-12 victory with his second win of the night.

WMCHS will be represented on December 30th at the Morris Knolls Annual Freshman/Sophomore Invitational by nine fencers across the three different weapons.

Both Girl's and Boy's teams return to action after the holiday break with a dual meet at Morristown High School on January 5th.

Image via Eugene Kim, Flickr