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02/25/2024 03:43 PMThe North Branford fencing team has been a story of resilience, fortitude, and maximum effort, in constructing a program that will be a proficient force for years to come.
Thunderbirds’ fencing is currently rebuilding after the pandemic. Of six active members in the 2021-2022 season, they lost four to graduation, gained seven new first years in the 2022-2023 campaign, and currently have a roster of 15 boys and girls, with all but one of them being first or second year students in the high school.
In the current season, North Branford’s roster was complemented by three students in a co-op arrangement with Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge. Head Coach Carrington Ward explained that there is a strong correlation between increased touches and trekking towards taking titles.
“In general, experience within the sport is a sharp predictor of success, such that consistent four-year and three-year athletes in high school programs can be expected to populate the upper ranks of the state championships and individual competition each year,” said Ward. “In Connecticut, because of the character of the youth fencing scene, there are very few ringers who compete in the high school circuit, [ringers meaning] kids who began or pursued their fencing career in a private club and bring their skills into high school competitive fencing, so, for the most part, juniors and seniors rule the strip.”
Ward went on to add that hurdles certainly invite themselves with a more youthful bunch. Yet for those youngsters, they have stuck with the strip and used bouts against much more experienced competitors to garner their growth–helping the team stay strong even when parting with several seniors.
“This dynamic is, of course, particularly challenging for a young team, and I have been gratified that many of last year's have persisted with the sport, despite being outmatched by competitive rivals,” Ward said. “An ongoing challenge will be to try to even out the current demographic bulge to prevent the kind of mass graduation event that so shaped last year's team.”
The co-op boost was particularly helpful with bringing in three kids from Amity with senior Emily Gu, sophomore Joy Deng, and freshmen Ben Xi, which Ward said, “all of whom brought previous private club fencing experience, and proved to be catalyzing players on the team.”
Also of note, North Branford sophomore Atum Colón and sophomore Logan Green of Vinal Tech began fencing at Shoreline Fencing Center in March of 2023 and September of 2023, respectively, and they are “basically jump-starting their competitive ability and technical skill, all of which has helped the team to 'punch above its weight', so to speak,” per Ward.
Indeed, North Branford started the season on a highly competitive trajectory, with both girls and boys teams maintaining a winning record through late February, and going into the conference championships with a solid seed in the middle of the pack. At the CCFC Conference Championships on Feb. 24, both epee squads placed fifth.
Unfortunately, Deng, one of the top scorers on the women's épée team, suffered a season-ending injury at an away meet at Daniel Hand High School, leaving the Thunderbirds in a very challenging position going into the postseason. Xi is also out with a pulled tendon, and it is unclear whether he will be clear to compete by the time of the conference championships, or the Individual State Championships on Saturday, March 2.
“Given these losses, going into the postseason, the team will likely need to accept a learning trajectory, though both boys’ and girls’ épée teams retain a narrow path into the conference finals,” said Ward. “The girls should field a full slate of three athletes in girls’ épée for the state championships for the first time in the team's history, and of them, Amity team founder Gu brings a wealth of competitive experience and the potential, despite having to switch weapons from foil to épée, to medal.”
Ward added that North Branford sophomores Jayden Rivera and Gwen Leonard, “should also put in credible performances in the context of a very competitive field.”
Depending on Xi's recovery, the boys may have a more plausible shot to qualify for the ensuing Team championships on Saturday, March 9, with both Xi and boys’ épée team captain Colón entering the individual state competition with a high seed, and strong prospects to make top 8 or 16 in the competition.
Regardless of how the postseason projections play out for the Thunderbirds, the future is bright, with the veterans looking at offseason competitions on a national stage, and underclassmen looking to train diligently in that same time span to sharpen their skills.
“Students, particularly Colón, Gu, Green, and XI, will be encouraged to continue training and competing after the postseason, with an eye toward qualifying for USA Fencing's Summer National Championships, and to maintain skills in preparation for next year,” said Ward. “Meanwhile, students earlier in their fencing career will also be encouraged to deepen their encounter with the sport in the offseason, and in preparation for the 2024-2025 season.”
The girls’ épée team is comprised of Gu, Deng, Rivera, North Branford sophomores Leonard and Abigail Crane, and North Branford freshman Edmira Marashi.
The boys’ épée is made up of Xi, Colon, North Branford sophomore Caleb Baxter, freshman Jayden Balliu of North Branford, junior Marcus Brindisi, sophomore Santino Carbone, senior Lucas DeAntonio, and sophomore Gavin Trail. The team manager for the Thunderbirds is sophomore Sitrareh Colon.
Ward is in his third season coaching fencing at North Branford. Previously, he has also run fencing programs at Cold Spring School, the JCC, and currently 3 Judges Fencing at Farnam Community House. Before moving to New Haven, he coached a fencing team at the University of Chicago, and has been involved in the sport for well over 30 years. Early in his career, he was coached by Bakhyt Abdikulov of Fencing Center of Chicago, and currently works with Marat Israelian at Shoreline Fencers Club.