Maplewood Fencers Take Top Honors in RYC Tournament

On Sunday, October 24, fifteen fencers from Maplewood's New Jersey Fencing Alliance competed in the Denise O'Connor Regional Youth Circuit (RYC) fencing tournament in Jersey City. The group competed against over 375 fencers. Named after two-time Olympian Denise O'Connor, this RYC is one of several required tournaments to qualify for the Y10/Y12 competitions at Summer National Championships and Y10/Y12 events at North American Cups.

Led by Max Gould and Melissa Du's gold medals in Y14 men's epee and Y10 women's foil, NJFA fencers took home medals in every event entered. Max Gould went 6-0 in his pool bouts and completed his undefeated day with a 15-9 win over a fencer from the New York Fencing Academy. Melissa Du won five of six pool bouts. After advancing three rounds in direct elimination, she successfully captured her gold medal by winning two of three bouts from a fencer from Five Town Fencer's Club in Long Island in the final.

Other NJFA fencers finishing on the podium included five bronze medal winners: Samantha Viqueira in Y14 Women's Foil, Jayson Thomson in Y12 Mixed Epee, Marissa Viqueira in Y12 Women's Foil, Jack Woods in Y10 Men's Foil and Louise Tang in Y8 Mixed Foil.

Aubrey Molloy took home two medals, finishing 5^th in Y10 Women's Foil and 7^th in the Y10 Mixed Epee.  John Kirk also placed 5^th in the Y14 men's foil, going undefeated in the pool round. But after advancing three rounds in direct elimination, he lost 15-9 to a fencer from Fencing Academy of Westchester.

The New Jersey Fencing Alliance will hold its next Youth Cup tournament on November 14 and will feature events for fencers in all three weapons from Y8 to Y14.