The Ridge fencing teams continue to show their strength this past week with wins against Oak Knoll and Morris Hills, ultimately preparing themselves for next week's competitions for the state title.  Both teams improved their overall record, the girls to a winning record of 10-4, while the boys improved to 9-3.

This week was busy for the girls' team, as they fenced Oak Knoll on Tuesday, Feb. 2 and Morris Hills on Wednesday, Feb. 3. Against Oak Knoll, sabre fencer Nicole Daukszewicz, foil fencer Allison Douglis, and epee fencer Claudia Nguyen scored vital victories as they each acquired an individual record of 2-0. Ridge won the meet before the third round with the final score of 17-10.

On Wednesday, the Ridge girls claimed a swift victory versus opponent Morris Hills, with the sabre squad of Katherine Simeon, Nicole Daukszewicz, and Rachel Swanwick starting off the meet with wins. Ridge's strong epee line, comprised of Sarah Stein, Emily Schumann, and Claudia Nguyen, swept its opponents in the second round. Then, sabre fencer Jen Baulier beat her opponent 5-2 to win the meet at a clinching score of 14-5. In the end, Ridge stayed strong with a winning score of 17-10.

"I think that we've really improved over the course of the season and that this meet showed the vast improvement in the foil and epee [fencers] and that we are fencing better and doing well" said epee squad leader Sarah Stein.

The Ridge boys also defeated Morris Hills with a final score of 19-8. Ridge's epee squad, with fencers Jon Wong, Paul Padian, and Connor Pelos, shined with an overall 9-0 record. Helping boost the team to victory, foilist Adrian Trentesaux went 2-0, while sabre fencer Scott Kaplan won his third bout 5-1, winning the meet by a score of 14-6.

After a successful week, both teams hope to ride on this momentum to perform well as they compete in the first round of meets that contend for the state title. Boys face Don Bosco Prep in a home meet on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. Ridge girls will fence the Academy of The Holy Angels in an away meet on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.