The Deserved Sparring Ticket

The Stuyvesant boys’ varsity fencing team, the Cobras, has been leading with another near-perfect season. After two undefeated seasons and a second-place finish last year, the current roster has locked down a well-deserved spot within their divisional playoffs.

The Cobras ended their season 6-2, having only lost to John Jay Campus 83-89 in their second game and 74-90 in the last regular season game. Aside from the undefeated John Jay Jaguars, no team has put up over 60 points against the Cobras.

Now, fencing may seem complicated to non-fans. However, we can break down the sport into two groups that use different blades: the Foil and the Epee. Points are earned through touches by hitting the opponent with the blades. Foils are limited to only touching the torso area, while the Epee is essentially no-holds-barred, allowing for touches on any part of the body. A game consists of two parts, one for the Epees and one for the Foils. Each part consists of nine bouts. Between two opposing players, the first to score five touches wins a bout. The winner of each part is decided once one of the teams reaches 45 points total.

During their game against the Jaguars, senior and co-captain Jonathan Wun led the Foil group with an accumulated 20 touches, followed by senior Carter Lim and sophomore Henry Woodcock with 10 and 15 touches respectively. This gave the Cobras a 45-44 lead over the Jaguars. The Epee group, on the other hand, struggled to keep up. Junior Andy Xian led the group with 17 touches, followed by senior and co-captain Charles Tang with 14 touches and senior Louis-Philippe Janssen with seven touches.

However, during their season opener against NEST+m, the Foil and Epee groups scored 45 points each, leading to their victory over NEST+m’s 29 points. Another dominant showing saw the Cobras defeat Beacon High School by a score of 90-43. Similar domination has become commonplace for the Cobras this season, and this comes as no surprise to the team. “Our team has a wide array of skill levels and helps create an environment where everyone is either pushing himself to be as good as someone else on the team or helping a fellow teammate grow as a fencer,” Tang said.

In addition to Stuyvesant practices, many players play outside of school, occasionally skipping practice. “On the fencing team, it’s a regular occurrence, but it does have its benefits. Everyone who goes to a club is improving under the guidance of collegiate and Olympic-level coaches. So maybe it’s not the biggest challenge to the team itself, but it definitely is a pain to keep track of,” Wun said. The consistent practices and work put in during the regular season built up and facilitated an eventful season for the Cobras. Fencers showed commitment on and off the stage, which only benefits the team’s skill level and competition.

The Cobras’ dynamics, despite occasional problems, have fostered immense growth. “In the end, we are a team. One member’s struggles are the team’s struggles. When one of us falls, the others need to be there,” Wun said. The ceaseless communication among the Cobras allows for them to grow. The strong relationships help players, new or returning, learn more from their upperclassmen. Each player helps offset others’ shortcomings and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. The Cobras’ firm mindset and cooperation are what allow them to be so successful. “We are currently focusing a lot on improving our skill set and making adjustments in terms of our game plan, and acquiring a mental shift to not underestimate or overestimate any opponent will be the icing on the cake,” Xian said.

Now coming off of their 6-2 record and placing only fifth in the playoffs, the Cobras will be entering next season with a chip on their shoulder. The loss of eight seniors, four of whom were starters, will certainly create a void in the team. The junior and sophomore classes are prepared to lead the team, eager to prove to everyone that they are capable of replicating the team’s past achievements.