Newsday's All-Long Island girls fencing team 2021

Meet Newsday's All-Long Island girls fencing team from this past winter season.

Newsday Fencer of the Year: Mandy Li, Jr., Great Neck South

With three straight Nassau championships there is no doubt that the Great Neck South girls fencing team has put together something special. But even on a talented team with great senior leadership there still is one fencer who stands out.

Each and every time Mandy Li has stepped onto the fencing strip the last three seasons she has left victorious. Being consistent is always a good thing, but being consistently great like Li is something special.

"The girls look to her for stability," Great Neck South coach Catie Sagevick said. "Mandy is our rock. We always want to build off what Mandy does."

Li, who was also Newsday’s girls fencer of the year in 2019 and an all-Long Island selection last season, finished the season 24-0 at foil.

"She had her own challenges to kind of persevere over like many students did," Sagevick said. "I think her performance this year and for a lot of the girls has been extra special."

Claire Becchina, Jr., Ward Melville

No stranger to the All-Long Island team, Becchina went 22-2 at foil and won the final bout in the Suffolk championship that clinched Ward Melville’s 18th Suffolk title in the last 19 years.

Olivia Becchina, Jr., Ward Melville

Last season’s Suffolk champion in epee went 22-2 this year for the Suffolk champs. She helped rally her team to a seven-match winning streak to end the season.

Olivia Jin, Jr., Half Hollow Hills

Jin was once again one of the top sabre fencers on Long Island, compiling a 23-1 record. She led Half Hollow Hills to the Suffolk regular-season title and a spot in the team final.

Ella Nguyen, So., Great Neck South

Nguyen put together an impressive 27-1 regular-season record in sabre and helped her team capture the Nassau championship.

Tina Zhang, So., Syosset

Zhang had a stellar 26-1 record in epee for the third-year program.

Coach of the Year: Ginny Siskidis, Ward Melville

In her first year at the helm of the Ward Melville dynasty, Siskidis helped the Patriots overcome a rocky 2-3 start before having the team in top form down the stretch as it won its final seven matches and the Suffolk title.

By Gene Morris

gene.morris@newsday.comGeneMorris

Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.