As senior Emily Wells stepped onto the fencing strip at the District Six championships at the NJSIAA tournament, Coach Lampe was intently focused. After the numerous two-hour practices, the team was determined to succeed at “districts,” the colloquial term for this stage in the fencing state tournament.
After earning third place in the Girl’s Epee division at districts, the girl’s fencing team advanced to the squad’s state tournament, which occurred on March 5, 2022. This tournament included Emily Wells ’22, Jewell Jacobs ’24, and Simran Kaur ’22.
Emily Wells ’22, who has been a member of the MFS fencing team since 9th grade, served as the “A strip” for the girl’s epee team for the duration of the season. Since her introduction to the team in 9th grade, she has dramatically improved her skills and abilities from going to the club and practicing on the MFS fencing team.
Wells has learned many new “strategies and skills” she says, while participating in club fencing. Additionally, she stated that she began her fencing career as an “aggressive” fencer; she learned to combine this with “technique and strategy.” As a result, Wells served as the A strip for the team in the squad state tournament.
Simran Kaur ’22 acted as the “C strip” fencer for the Epee team throughout the season. Alongside Wells, Kaur joined the MFS fencing team in her ninth-grade year. Regarding her introduction to the sport of fencing at MFS, Simran said, “learning was hard at first. Confidence helped me improve.”
In addition, Simran has remarked that her coach, Richard Lampe, “has provided support, skills, tricks, and he helped with the basics [of fencing].” After her successful performance at districts, Simran performed well at the squad’s state tournament.
“Consistently staying active for states” was crucial to her, as she recognized that her team had already prepared for districts: “I think [Girl’s Epee] have improved so much over this season,” says Kaur.
Epee Fencer battles an opponent in the Red Gym. Photo by Dinah Megibow Taylor ’24.
Alongside Wells and Kaur, Jacobs had also been training intently for the state tournament. Through practicing at school and her fencing club, she had eagerly been preparing.
Within the 2020-2021 athletic year, the fencing season was largely canceled due to the status of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the resumption of fencing bouts with other schools and the ability to participate in the state tournament, the MFS fencing team thoroughly enjoyed supporting their girl’s epee squad.
This trifecta of hard work, dedication, and ambition was put to the test on March 5th for the epee squad’s state tournament, where they finished in twelfth place.
