MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Columbia High School boys and girls fencing teams advanced to the semifinals of their respective New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s South Jersey sectional tournaments.
The third-seeded boys team defeated Newark Academy and St. Benedict’s to advance to the semifinals.
The Cougars defeated No. 14 seed Newark Academy 17-10 in the first round on Feb. 11 at CHS. In saber, sophomore Emeka Onugha went 3-0, and sophomore Sander Beckerman and senior Nathaniel Eads each went 2-1. In foil, senior Gareth Krecke went 3-0 and junior Liam Wojciechowski went 2-1. In epee, senior Benji Kohol went 2-0 and freshman Ethan Lavin went 2-1.
CHS defeated No. 11 seed St. Benedict’s 18-9 in the quarterfinals on Feb. 12 at CHS.
Onugha went 3-0 and Beckerman went 2-1 in saber; Krecke went 3-0, sophomore Kai Khaw-Briot was 2-0 and Wojchiechowski was 2-1 in foil; and Kohol and freshman Henry O’Briant each went 2-1 in epee.
The Cougars, who won their 13th straight match to improve to 14-1 on the season, will visit No. 2 seed Pingry in Martinsville on Feb. 19 in the semifinals. The other semifinal pitted No. 4 seed Princeton at No. 1 seed Millburn. The final is Feb. 24.
The fifth-seeded CHS girls fencing team defeated No. 12 seed West Windsor-Plainsboro North 20-7 in the first round on Feb. 11 at CHS.
In saber, freshman Chloe Frazier and senior Saanvi Rohatgi each went 3–0, and Karol Agila went 2-0.
In foil, junior Lillian Clark and senior Talia Goldberg each went 3-0, and senior Samara Berg went 2-0.
In epee, sophomore Simone Swingle went 2-1.
CHS defeated fourth-seeded Montgomery 17-10 in the quarterfinals on Feb. 13 at Montgomery.
In saber, Rohatgi went 3-0 and senior Madeleine Benson was 2-1. In foil, Clark and Berg each went 3-0, and Goldberg was 2-1.
The Cougars, who won their fourth straight to improve to 13-2, will visit No. 1 seed Ridge in the semifinals on Feb. 19. The other semifinal pitted No. 3 seed Chatham at No. 2 seed Pingry. The final is Feb. 24.
Correction: The boys and girls team both are in the South Jersey section tournaments.
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