West Morris Central Fencing Teams Celebrate 2018-2019 Season

West Morris Central (WMC) Fencing Teams had many things to celebrate at the end of the season banquet held at The Chandelier at Flanders Valley on March 21.

Senior Kaitlin Cheung was named to the All-Conference Team for women’s foil, second team, and senior Rachel Hefner received an honorable mention for her fifteen wins in conference meets for epee during the season. Cheung received the MVP award, and Hefner received the Coach's award for the women’s WMC team.

For the men’s team, senior Nate Mange, and junior Charlie Daum were named to the first team, All Conference, for foil, with senior Nick Constantino also representing WMC as a member of the first team for epee, All Conference, with his 18 wins in the season. Mange received the MVP award for the men’s WMC team.

Overall, the men’s team had a winning season in the conference again with a record of 5-4; placing 20th in the NJSIAA State Tournament.

Throughout the season, the men’s foil squad (Mange, Daum and senior Dusty Howell) was a highlight. Beginning with their first place finish in the Morris County Tournament, bringing home a silver medal for the District 1 Championships, and finishing the season in ninth place in the NJSIAA State Squad Tournament.

Earlier in the week, on Monday March 18th, the New Jersey Interscholastic Fencing Association (NJIFA) of New Jersey high school fencing coaches announced members of the 2018-2019 All State Fencing Teams at the Zeris Inn in Mountain Lakes. Mange was named to the 2018-2019 All State Men’s Foil Team, first team.

Points for the All State Team are earned throughout the season via NJSIAA District Individual Championships, individual fencing record at the NJSIAA District Squad Championships, NJSIAA State Individual Championships, and from earlier in the season at the Cetrulo tournament for men. Mange was third in the state for points across those events.

Being named to the First Team reflected the strength of the season that Mange had representing WMC. Individually, Mange achieved something that had been elusive for fencers in Men’s foil by winning the Morris County Individual Championship and the NJSIAA District 1 Individual Championship in the same season. He had won either tournament in previous years, but this was the season when it came together for Mange; winning the District title by going 17-0 that day in January.

At the end of the WMC fencing banquet on Thursday, two fencers were named to the Career 100 Wins club—Cheung and Mange.