RANDOLPH — Avery Bernstein was nervous leading up to the Morris County Tournament in fencing on Sunday morning. A junior sabre, it was her first time representing Chatham at the MCT after watching her older sister, Aiden, for two years.
“Being on the strip, there’s a different mindset,” Bernstein said. “You know what to do, but sometimes you don’t do what you intend to do. … As soon as I got into ninth grade, I saw I was capable. Now I have more confidence, and I like fencing more as a sport now than growing up.”
Bernstein and fellow MCT rookie Shayndel D’Souza teamed with veteran Alessandra Cooney to win the team sabre title. That helped Chatham sweep all three weapons and defend its overall girls championship for the fourth straight year.
The Cougars boys claimed their sixth straight overall title. Randolph won the boys team sabre, and Mendham the boys team foil.
“There’s an expectation for us,” said D’Souza, a senior sabre. “Because I’m a senior, it feels like your one shot. It’s a good feeling because you get off the strip knowing what you could do.”
The individual weapon finals have been postponed due to the forecast snowstorm. They will most likely be held on a weeknight, according to host athletic director Dave Hutchinson, to avoid the upcoming NJSIAA District tournaments.
“I love our school, so it’s great to show what we’ve got,” said Mendham freshman foil Nate Perkins, who went undefeated on Sunday. “I’m preparing for the individuals. It’s going to be hard, but I’ve fenced some of these people before, and I’ve beaten some of them. I think I have a chance.”
There are 61 NJSIAA-affiliated fencing programs this winter, a significant increase from when the MCT launched in 2011. Morris, Passaic and Somerset remain the only New Jersey counties to host coed tournaments, with about 250 fencers competing at Randolph on Saturday. Bergen County holds separate boys and girls fencing tournaments.
The newest squad is the Morris Catholic/Pope John co-op, which joined veteran programs like Morristown and Morris Hills — which launched in the 1950s — and Morris Knolls (1964). Chatham’s fencing team was born in 2011, the same years as the MCT.
“It’s sort of different, because I don’t have the seniors to look up to,” said Chatham senior epee Carter Newman, who started the sport as a freshman after being cut from the basketball team. “(Our success) says a lot about Chatham and the program, the culture of the team. It’s good to see our hard work paying off.”
More:Morris Hills fencing coach recognized by National Federation of State High School Associations
Girls results
Overall: Chatham 73, Morris Hills 56, Morris Knolls 48, Morris Catholic/Pope John 47, Randolph 44, Mendham 42, West Morris 34, Morristown 26, Kinnelon 21, Butler 14
Foil team: Chatham 25, Mendham 19, Morris Hills 18, Randolph 17, Morris Catholic/Pope John 16, Morris Knolls 15, Kinnelon 8, West Morris 7, Butler and Morristown 5.
Epee team: Chatham 25, Morris Hills 19, West Morris 18, Mendham and Randolph 14, Morris Knolls and Morris Catholic/Pope John 12, Kinnelon 9, Morristown and Butler 6
Sabre team: Chatham 23, Morris Knolls 21, Morris Catholic/Pope John and Morris Hills 19, Morristown 15, Randolph 13, Mendham and West Morris 9, Kinnelon 4, Butler 3.
Boys results
Overall: Chatham 64, Morris Hills 55, Randolph 54, Morris Knolls 47, Mendham 41, West Morris 36, Morristown 33, Kinnelon 31, Morris Catholic/Pope John 21, Butler 19
Foil team: Mendham 23, Chatham 21, Morris Knolls 20, Kinnelon 19, Morris Hills 18, Randolph 10, West Morris 11 Butler 5, Morristown and Morris Catholic/Pope John 4
Epee team: Chatham 23, Randolph 21, Morris Hills 19, West Morris 16, Morristown 14, Morris Knolls and Morris Catholic/Pope John 11, Butler and Mendham 10, Kinnelon 0
Sabre team: Randolph 23, Morris Knolls 21, Chatham 20, Morris Hills 18, Morris Knolls 16, Morristown 15, Randolph 13, Kinnelon 12, West Morris 9, Mendham 8, Morris Catholic/Pope John 6, Butler 4
