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 The Masters School girls varsity foil team has lunged to success! Not only is the team the 2007 Independent Schools Fencing League champion, but the team was also victorious against seven other schools in the recent ISFL tournament. The girls team previously won the title in 1987 and 1988; the boys team was league champion in 2003. Members of this year's championship team are Sasha Shishkoff '08, Oriana Mayorga '09, Katy Drury ' 08, Lily Capozzalo '10, and Liza Ciaramella '07.
“It is a great success for a fencing team to win both the league and the league tournament in the same year,” remarks fencing coach, Francisco Martin. “Our league included teams from Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Westchester, and many of the fencers from these schools fence year-round in clubs and compete in national and international tournaments. All of our fencers began to fence and practice at our school. They work to be the best. They attend summer camps. They practice as much as they can during the year despite their involvement in other sports. Part of their success is due to the tremendous support of their parents, who attend every match to encourage the fencers and provide them with everything they need to be successful. I am very proud of the fencers as well as their parents. It’s an important combination: students-parents-coach working together.”
 Coach Martin is also optimistic about the future of boys fencing at The Masters School. This year, ninth grader Andrew Hsu won the foil competition in the 33rd edition of the prestigious Mamaroneck High School Tournament early in the season. Andrew began fencing at The Masters School when he was in sixth grade, and demonstrated excellent abilities and passion for the sport. Because he was interested in fencing all year, at the recommendation of Coach Martin he joined the Fencing Academy of Westchester.
“Our boys foil team was third in the league, but Andrew finished the season ranked number one in the Independent Schools Fencing League among 55 students from seven different schools,” says Martin. “His teammate, Bryce Biederman ’09, finished the season ranked number seven. Considering that our junior varsity boys team finished the season with a record of 9-1, the future of our boys fencing team looks very bright indeed!”
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