Esha Nayak of Syosset poses after winning the gold medal...

Esha Nayak of Syosset poses after winning the gold medal in sabre at the Nassau fencing individual championships on Saturday at Garden City. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.

For the third consecutive year, Nassau’s girls' sabre title will stay in the same Syosset household.

Syosset junior Esha Nayak defeated Oyster Bay’s Scarlett Shelley, 15-11, to win gold Saturday at the 2025 Nassau Individuals at Garden City High School. She picks up right where her sister, Anika, left off, with the 2024 graduate having won the same title in both 2023 and 2024.

“[Anika] always loved coming here and I was never able to because of other tournaments,” Nayak said. “This is my first year going and I’m really happy.”

Nayak boasted an impressive plus-18 touch differential across her three direct elimination bouts after holding just a plus-11 differential across five bouts in pool play. The junior took an 8-1 lead against Shelley, but the Oyster Bay star battled back to tie it at 11. Nayak then ripped off four consecutive touches to keep the title at home.

“I just had to calm myself down again,” Nayak said. “I was just relieved that I finally won after all that.”

The sabre title isn’t the only gold medal staying where it remained a year ago. Oyster Bay's Gabriella Sherlock left the tournament as the only boy or girl fencer to repeat her title, defeating Ashka Shah of Jericho, 15-11, in the foil championship.

“It’s really rewarding and it’s good for the school since we’re such a small school,” Sherlock said. “It proves the work I’ve been putting in is paying off.”

The junior trailed 4-1 to open the championship bout against Shah, who had a terrific tournament herself as the seventh-seeded fencer. Sherlock entered the final break period with the score at 12-11 and rattled off three straight touches to take gold.

Now a back-to-back champion, Sherlock admitted that she never thought this day would come. In 2023 she cleared pool play as a substitute before finishing in sixth. Even when she won last year’s title, she had doubts, with her nursing a torn hamstring from the fall.

“Repeating it is just unreal,” Sherlock said.

Gabriella Sherlock of Oyster Bay poses after winning the gold...

Gabriella Sherlock of Oyster Bay poses after winning the gold medal in foil at the Nassau fencing individual championships on Saturday. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.

But does it finally satisfy Sherlock’s determination to be the best fencer she can be? Not quite.

“It just makes me want to win more, honestly,” Sherlock laughed.

While Sherlock sets the standard in girls foil Great Neck South’s epee team once again did the same on the strip. The championship featured a battle of teammates between Michelle Wu and Justina Hom, with Wu taking gold in a 15-9 finish.

“Every touch can be laughed at,” Wu said. “But it’s also hard because you fence them so often. They know how you fence, and you know how they fence. So, it can get in your head.”

Michelle Wu of Great Neck South poses after winning the gold...

Michelle Wu of Great Neck South poses after winning the gold medal in epee at the Nassau fencing individual championships on Saturday at Garden City. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.

The most impressive part? Wu is only in eighth grade, making her achievement even more memorable.

“Last year I didn't have the chance to come here,” Wu said. “I’m really glad that I took my opportunity today and win.”

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