CAMBRIDGE — The Concord-Carlisle boys and Boston Latin girls fenced their way to titles at the state championship Saturday, hosted by Cambridge Rindge & Latin School.
Eight boys and eight girls squads competed in 3-weapon team events, seeded, and faced off in a direct elimination tournament.
The Patriots won a hard-fought 14-13 battle over Buckingham, Browne & Nichols in the final.
“The kids are just great … it doesn’t matter who’s who, it doesn’t matter what weapon, it’s nothing but joy,” said C-C coach and five-time Olympian Michael Marx, coming off his third state title in eight years.
The Wolfpack girls, the two-time defending champs, were led by first-year coach Sammy Shortall and cruised to a 17-10 victory over BB&N in the final.
“I am really proud of this team. It was an intense day. Our second round with Dana Hall was 13-13, so everybody was super tense. It was like the most stressful hour of my life,” said Shortall. “But we were so psyched that we were able to make it to the next round, and then we were fortunate enough to win the last round.”
“Huge wins across the board. Throughout the day, different weapons were going up or down, depending on the competitor. So, I think everybody got some really great wins, and I’m just really happy with the quality of fencing. They all seem like a really tight-knit group, and I’m just happy to be a part of it and be able to lead them.”
BB&N’s boys and girls teams each finished second in their respective competitions. The reigning champion Weston boys placed third, while Dana Hall took third on the girls’ side.
The sport is experiencing a pivotal moment in the state, as USA Fencing recently announced it will relocate its national training facility from Colorado Springs to a new complex in Stow, cementing the state as a rising hub for fencing.
State fencing championships
At Cambridge Ridge & Latin
Boys’ standings: 1. Concord-Carlisle; 2. BB&N; 3. Weston; 4. St. John’s Prep; 5. Cambridge; 6. Northampton; 7. Brookline; 8. Bishop Feehan
Girls’ standings: 1. Boston Latin; 2. BB&N; 3. Dana Hall; 4. Concord-Carlisle; 5. Weston; 6. Cambridge; 7. Northfield Mt. Hermon; 8. Brookline.
Rumsha Siddiqui can be reached at rumsha.siddiqui@globe.com. Follow her on X @rumshasidd.
