Essex County Freeholders Honor CHS Fencers

The much-lauded Columbia High School fencing program enjoyed yet more accolades on Wednesday night, April 13, as the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored the CHS Boys Fencing Team and State Epee Champion Haley Hart at South Orange Village Hall.

The Columbia H.S. Boys Fencing Team was honored for having won the 2011 New Jersey Boys Fencing Team Championship for the second year in a row. The boys had a 15-0 record for 2010-2011, extending their win streak to 33 games stretching back to 2009. They were also recognized by The Star-Ledger as the “2011 Boys Fencing Team of the Year.”

CHS 2011 Boys Fencing Team members include: Seniors Michael Frederiske, Devon Good, Brian Kaneshige, Quinn McCann, Jonathan Polson, Joe Santos, Jon Schneider and Connor Thompson; Juniors Evan Accardi, Mat Binder, Nick Doddo, Stowe Hammarberg, Andrew Kelley, Teddy Lavon, Cade Prenovost, Nick Stellini and Henry Willshire; Sophomores Adam Block, James Brier, Connor Davenport, Max Fine, Dan Heffley, Esa Jones, Matt Michaels, Daniel Rego, Martin Santos and Josh Singer; and Freshmen Antoine Basile, Jacob Bard, Ravi Cho, Max Gould, Ethan Hein, John Kirk and Jared LaBron.

The team was recognized along with coaches Ibtihaj Muhammad, Jason Kohn and Daryl White.

Meanwhile, Haley Hart of Maplewood, a member of the Columbia H.S. Girls Fencing Team, was honored for having won the 2011 New Jersey State Individual Epee Championship. Hart, a junior, went an impressive 47-7 for the 2010-2011 season, and won the district championships in her event for the second year in a row.

The Board presented both the boys team and Hart with board resolutions, attached here.