Long Island girls fencing preview

When it comes to girls fencing on Long Island, Ward Melville has been head and shoulders above the competition for the past 10 years. The Patriots entered this season on a 144-match win streak, including 10 straight Suffolk and Long Island Championships.

But after graduating five fencers from last year's team and adding five first-time starters, coach Jennie Salmon believes this year could be a challenge.

"I think the competition is getting tougher, and that's great for our sport," she said. "But we're just going to stick with the formula that has gotten us this success. We're going to perform the best we can and perform as a team. We focus on what's ahead of us, not what happened in the past."

After so much success, Salmon admits that it does put extra pressure on her team to continue the winning streak.

"It's a lot of pressure because there's always a bull's-eye on our backs," she said. "The girls definitely feel that pressure, but that's why we try not to focus on the past and do the best we can."

The Patriots have a wealth of talent in returnees Demi and Alexa Antipas. Demi, a senior, is a foil fencer and is a two-time defending county champion and Alexa is a junior competing in sabre. Alexa is currently ranked sixth nationally under the age of 17. Both sisters became the first national champions in school history this past summer, with Demi winning Division II nationals and Alexa winning Division I-A. Alexa is also an international medalist.

Also returning for Ward Melville is junior sabre Alexa Rohan, who is ranked 17th nationally in the under-17 age group. Along with Alexa Antipas, Rohan has competed for the U.S. international team.

But the conversation doesn't stop at Ward Melville. Half Hollow Hills returns six starters from last year's team, including three seniors in sabre: Carly Perlman, foil Shannon Beller and epee Mackenzie Schneider. Juniors Lindsay Squires in sabre and Julie Park in epee add more depth to the Thundercolts team.

Foils Vivian Vuong and Crystal Gonzalez and epees Briana Velazquez and Lily Lima all return for Brentwood.

Commack senior sabre Savina Kim enters this season with a 72-18 record since her freshman year. Foils Kristin Bucki and Ally Murphy and epee Kristin Ranaldo are also top fencers for Commack.

Great Neck South looks to defend its Nassau County Championship this year after defeating previous champion Garden City in a close bout, 15-12. The 2010-11 season marked the first time the Rebels have won a division, league or county title. Senior Michelle Niederman returns after winning the Nassau sabre championship last year. Junior epee Jackie Bai was an All-Long Island selection last year while senior epee Isabelle Thenor-Louise earned all-county honors.

JoAnn Alerte, Silvana Fazzalari and Sabrina Sandler, all junior foils, return to lead Oyster Bay.