Newsday's All-Long Island boys fencing team

NEWSDAY FENCER OF THE YEAR

Jake Hempe, Newfield, Sr.

It was fitting for Hempe to end his career with a sweep of the field in the Suffolk individual playoff. Hempe defeated eight of the county’s best to claim the foil title for the third consecutive season. During that stretch, the USA A-rated fencer was 125-3 in dual meets, including 39-1 this season.

Hempe, who was also Newsday Fencer of the Year as a sophomore in 2017, will fence at Brandeis University next year.

“He’s an overall great leader and a mentor to the younger boys and girls fencers who always put in the work to make sure everyone was on the same page as him,” Newfield coach Kyle Schirmer said. “He controlled the room when he walked in, and he’s unlike anyone we’ve ever had walk through Newfield before.”

NASSAU FENCER OF THE YEAR

Jonathan Sheng

Jericho, Sr.

After winning the county individual championship in sabre and helping the Jayhawks win the Long Island championship as a junior, Sheng went 31-0 in dual meets and won another county individual title in sabre this season. He posted a 53-2 record in dual meets over the past two years.

THE ALL-LONG ISLAND TEAM

Ben Rogak, Ward Melville, Sr.

The USA A-rated fencer won his third straight Suffolk individual title in epee and helped lead Ward Melville to a Long Island championship, his third in four years. Rogak was 24-2 this season to finish his career 101-16, making him the winningest (86 percent) epee fencer in school history. Rogak will fence at Brandeis next year.

Zach Ortiz, Garden City, Jr.

Ortiz was 25-2 in dual meets and won the Nassau individual championship in foil. He also earned a silver medal at the Jeff Wolfe Holiday Tournament for the second year in a row. 

Brian Li, Jericho, Soph.

Li posted a 24-6 record in dual meets and ran the table against an experienced epee group to win the Nassau individual title.

Leo Takemaru, Ward Melville, Jr.

Takemaru won the Suffolk individual championship in sabre and registered a 21-1 record in dual meets for the Long Island champs.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jeff Salmon, Ward Melville

Ward Melville (15-0) extended its regular season win streak to 180 matches, defeated Commack in the county championship and won its 14th Long Island title with a win over Great Neck South.

For the first time in school history, Ward Melville advanced all nine of its fencers to the finals of the Suffolk individual tournament.