FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 15, 2011

ESSEX COUNTY FREEHOLDERS
HONOR THE COLUMBIA H.S. BOYS FENCING TEAM
2011 NEW JERSEY STATE CHAMPIONS

(Newark, NJ) – The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored the Columbia High School Boys Fencing Team for winning the 2011 New Jersey State Championship when they defeated Montclair High School, 14-13, on March 2, 2011.  The ceremony was held during the Board’s April 13, 2011, meeting held at South Orange Village Hall.

Members of the 2011 New Jersey State Championship Columbia High School Fencing Team were honored by the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders during their meeting held at South Orange Village Hall on Wednesday, April 13, 2011.  Also joining the team were Coaches Ibtihaj Muhammad (front row, left) and Daryl White (back row, left).  The team was congratulated by Freeholders Linda Lordi Cavanaugh and Juan M. Rivera, Jr. (left edge of photo), and (right edge of photo, from back to front) Freeholder Carol Y. Clark, Freeholder Clerk Deborah Davis Ford, Freeholder Patricia Sebold and Freeholder President Blonnie R. Watson.  (Photo by Glen Frieson)

En route to its state championship, the team defeated Somerville H.S. (20-7), Millburn H.S. (17-10, and then Mendham H.S. (16-11) in the semi-finals.

In capturing the program’s second consecutive state championship, the team completed the 2010-2011 season undefeated in match play, 15-0, and extended their unbeaten streak to 33 matches, last losing in 2009.  The team also placed second in the prestigious Cetrulo Tournament held on January 9th, when they competed against 55 other teams from across New Jersey.

In recognition of its outstanding accomplishments, the Columbia High School Boys Fencing Team was named the “Fencing Team of the Year” by The Star-Ledger.

The team is comprised of the following members: Seniors Michael Frederiske, Devon Good, Brian Kaneshige, Quinn McCann, Jonathan Polson, Joe Santos, Jon Schneider and Connor Thompson; Juniors Evan Accardi, Mat Binder, Nick Doddo, Stowe Hammarberg, Andrew Kelley, Teddy Lavon, Cade Prenovost, Nick Stellini and Henry Willshire; Sophomores Adam Block, James Brier, Connor Davenport, Max Fine, Dan Heffley, Esa Jones, Matt Michaels, Daniel Rego, Martin Santos and Josh Singer; and Freshmen Antoine Basile, Jacob Bard, Ravi Cho, Max Gould, Ethan Hein, John Kirk and Jared LaBron.  The team was coached by co-coaches Daryl White, Ibtihaj Muhammad and Jason Kohn.

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For Additional Information:
Gary Kroessig, Public Information
Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
973-621-4452 (phone) 973-621-5696 (fax)
gkroessig@freeholders.essexcountynj.org