That’s the mentality for the Great Neck South girls’(10-0) and boys’ (8-2) fencing teams, as the program as a whole continues to etch its name into Long Island sports history.
On Feb. 10, the girls’ team won their 10th Nassau County title against Jericho and on the same night, the boys’ team won their 17th over No. 4 Wheatley/Roslyn, 14-6.
Fast forward two days, and the boys’ team brings home their third Long Island Title with a win over Commack/Northport, while the girls’ team matched the boys and beat Ward Melville.
“We’re not big on the ‘let’s just go out and have fun’ mindset,” said Great Neck South boys’ fencing coach Joshua Baravarian. “Our goal is to win and be the best. I know in today’s environment that mentality sometimes gets frowned upon, but it gives the kids something to focus on. It creates a goal-oriented program and a championship culture. The kids understand they’re part of Long Island fencing history, and there’s an expectation to perform at a high level.”
“In past years, that had been the attitude because we won seven Nassau County titles in eight years,” said Great Neck South girls’ fencing head coach Catherine Sagevick. “Last year, there was a lot of pressure to maintain that streak. This year felt more like a rebuilding year. The goal was to get back there again. But the girls took that and said, “Not only are we getting back — we’re going to surpass it.”
It took all nine boys to make an impact and turn a rebuilding year into a championship-caliber roster. It started with all-national epee Max Tse and all-national junior epee Amir Karimov. Even though they had a national tournament that they couldn’t miss, South managed to take home the Long Island title.
“It says a lot about our program,” Baravarian said. “Even without two of the top fencers on Long Island, we still had the depth to win a Long Island championship.”
The next-man-up mentality guided the boys to victory. Eighth-grade epee Matthew Wu and seventh grader Jasper Zheng replaced the All-National fencers in the win. Every bout mattered, as South won 14-9. Foil’s in freshman Rhan Zhao, junior Qinrui Zhang and sophomore Eugene Lee, along with the three sabers in sophomore Brendan Chen, senior Brandon Reed and junior Lawrence Lam, impacted this team all season.
The girls defeated Ward Melville/Port Jefferson/Rocky Point/Comsewogue, 14-6. Freshman foil Emma Kandalaft, sophomore epeeists Surabhi Deiz and Seling Wang, and three senior captains in epeeist Ashley Nguyen, saber Justina Hom and foilist Annabelle Qi.
“Our success really developed throughout the entire season, and a large part of that is due to these three captains,” Sagevick said. “Each of them took time to build relationships with the athletes on their squad. They led by example and worked toward our common goal of returning to Nassau County and Long Island [championships]. They also helped work on the mental side of fencing — confidence, supporting each other, and pushing through difficult situations. During the playoffs, I was probably more nervous than the girls. I think I went through a bottle and a half of Tums. But the girls kept telling me, “Coach, we’ve got this.”
Source: LI Press
