The Montgomery High School Girls Fencing Team accumulated an outstanding perfect 16-0 record in its 2015/2016 season. The team members were congratulated in person and by proclamation by the Montgomery Township Committee for their outstanding achievements this year, including winning the team state championship.
"These young women are to be commended not only for their extraordinary athletic accomplishment, but also for the hard work, dedication and professionalism that helped them reach their goal," said Mayor Pat Graham. The Township Committee also had high praise for the team's coaches, who formed the fencing team in 2006 and brought home a state championship only ten years later.
The Montgomery High School Girls Fencing Team earned the titles of Somerset County Champions, Conference Champions, District Champions, State Foil Squad Champions and Team State Champions.
Deputy Mayor Ed Trzaska stated, "I would like to congratulate everyone on a remarkable season and a well-deserved state championship. I watched the team's progress and got more and more excited with each accomplishment. When Coach Sned told me that the girl's fencing team was begun only ten years ago, I was amazed. This truly shows what dedication and teamwork can do. I have always loved fencing and I'm thrilled that the sport is thriving in Montgomery. Perhaps my daughter will be a future team member. Your hard work and success serves as an inspiration to us all!"
According to the Montgomery Twp. proclamation presented to the team, "The Cougar team displayed poise, determination, heart, and extraordinary skill; earning a reputation for good sportsmanship and professionalism."
The team was supported in its efforts by Coaches Johanna Snedeker and Steve Caputo, Assistant Coach Bill Dominick and Boys Head Coach Tim Sullivan.
Steve Caputo is described by his fellow coaches as "the father of Montgomery fencing", having founded the first Montgomery teams. A volunteer competition coach, he is a former fencer for Princeton University, and resides in Montgomery Township. Johanna Snedeker grew up in Rocky Hill and is an alumnus of MHS Class of 1978. Since the early 90's, she has coached soccer teams, cheerleading teams, gymnastics teams, tennis and fencing teams.
Coach Snedeker shared a secret of the team's success:
"Every competition is played like it is the state final. No team or opponent are respected more or less that the one before or the one to come. This is our preparation and our edge, the intensity of a state final is part of every competition," she stated.
Coach Sned, as she is affectionately known, tells her players, 'Never leave practice saying you could have done more to prepare.' Also that 'it is not the wins and losses you will remember; it is the time you spend with your teammates and memories you make together that last'.
"Fencing is unique and exciting - I would encourage members of our community to come to the high school next winter and watch a competition," she concluded.
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| The Montgomery Twp. Committee presented the State Champion Girls Fencing Team and their coaches with a proclamation in their honor at the 4/21 Twp. Committee meeting. |
Congratulations team! The members of the 2016 Montgomery High School Girls Fencing team are:
Athena Barrett, Claire Cai, Niharika Chandrasekar, Jackie Cho, Nasya Hristov, Phoebe Lai, Madison Larkin, Sijia Liang, Peiyuan Lo, Melissa Louie, Megan Luo, Ellen Mei, Pooja Rao, Ruha Reddy, Chandra Sayani, Alina Sigalov, Chloe Sofield, Laura Sun, Elizabeth Tieu, May Tieu, Leona Tomy, Amy Wang, Kim Wang, Kelsey Woodard, Brenda Yang, Helen Zhang, Phoebe Zhang, Emily Zhao
