By: centraljersey.com
Sarah Caputo will be in Detroit today to finish a North American Cup event, but she is excited to return home for the close of her high school fencing career.
The Montgomery High School senior is one of the epee favorites for the Tournament of Champions that will be hosted by her home school.
"It’s pretty great," said Caputo, the MHS team captain. "I’ve gone the past two years to the tournament. Having it at our school makes it a little more special. I have a pretty good chance at medaling this year. To have it at our school puts a cherry on top of the whole situation."
Montgomery was asked to replace Rider University as the host site one month ago. They have been working to ensure that the 18 strips they will be setting up in the main and auxiliary gyms are ready and that the 12 strips in the main gym are grounded to prevent touches of the strip being registered as touches on the fencer, particularly for epee.
"It’s a huge thing for the school and for us as a team, being so young and being asked to be the host site," said Montgomery girls coach Johanna Snedeker. "It’s stressful because it’s new. We’re trying to put into place the things we want to see in a perfect world.
"There are a lot of things we’re trying to put into place to take the tournament to a new level. It’s exciting. It’s exciting to be in the center of this new meet and hosting and welcoming everybody to Montgomery."
Caputo and Ting Liu will fence for the Montgomery girls, while Nick Sledeski will fence for the Cougar boys. Caputo has climbed each year at the TOC. She did not make the second round as a sophomore. Last year, she tied for the eighth and final spot after the second round, but lost out on a spot in the TOC finals by indicators.
"I was frustrated," Caputo said. "It was so close. It was nice knowing I had this year to make up for it."
The A strip epee fencer for the Cougars has responded with a determined senior season. She is 31-4 in the top spot and finished second individually at the District 2 tournament while leading the Cougars’ B strip Ting Liu and C strip Katherine Couch to a repeat of the epee squad championship last month and their first epee squad state championship two weeks ago.
"It’s been amazing," Caputo said. "We had a good season last year. This year, we didn’t do as well (as a full team). The epee squad, we won the squad states. That was our ultimate goal. We knew we could do it, but weren’t sure we would. We delivered on our goal so we were really proud of ourselves.
"We were a little scared going in," she said. "We worked really hard with Katherine to build her up to be a good fencer. I think after I leave, they’ll be just as good. We have a good tradition at our school of making sure we build up the freshmen. We make sure they’re good by sophomore year and excellent by senior year."
Caputo has followed that pattern even though she started ahead of many true beginners as a freshman. She has developed into an outstanding fencer, one who will be in the mix for the state title Sunday.
"She’s improved in her repertoire of skills, the number of things she can pull out and the strategies," Snedeker said. "She’s in better physical condition. I think she’s ready for this competition. I think she’s going to do very, very well."
Caputo has several things going for her this year, primarily her experience. It makes a big difference from her first two trips to the TOC. "You’re a more relaxed fencer," Snedeker said. "The first time in that company, you can be a little tense and stressed out. I think she’ll be relaxed. She’ll put her energies where they need to go. She’ll be ready to gear up for who she has to. I think she’ll be able to pace herself a little better, being home and having been there before. I think you’ll see a relaxed, confident fencer."
Caputo, who is still finalizing where she will fence in college, is plenty motivated to go out with a bang to her high school season.
"My goals for this year aren’t over yet," she said. "Everything comes to a head on Sunday. I’d like to medal but so will all of the other girls. I wanted to do well in districts. I was fifth the last two years. This year, I got second to Ting, the only one I was OK with."
Caputo will have the chance at the TOC to avenge some of her losses this season. It’s a good time for her as she’s seen improvements while working with the Cougars and at her club, New Jersey Fencing Alliance in Maplewood.
"In the last couple of months, it’s been getting good at epee," Caputo said. "It’s more of a little kid club, but they have two solid coaches there now. I’m improved dramatically in the last couple months.
"I don’t quite know what’s different. It just kind of starts to click after a while. My results have been better. That’s the only way I know I’ve been improving."
The NAC competition will give her a look at some tough competition heading into Sunday’s final. It should have her ready to take on the best epeeists in the state at home.
"I think we’re all pretty good," Caputo said. "My initial goal is to get out of the first round. I’m not even thinking about getting to the finals. I’m hoping to fence well, get there and see what happens.
"I think it’s just who’s having a good day. Epee is the hardest to be consistent in. It’s who goes out with the best luck. You know someone is better if they can be more consistent. I know I’ve been improving that because I haven’t lost that much this year."
Caputo had fencing experience when she started with the Cougars. She began fencing with her older brother and sister.
"The choice to remain with fencing was mine," Caputo said. "I decided to stick with it. I started in sixth grade. I just loved it. I pressured my parents to get me back into classes."
When Sarah Caputo looks back at her growth, she can hardly believe how far she has come. She was fencing varsity as a freshman for a squad on the rise, and she will exit as a squad state champion and has the chance to add to her accolades at home Sunday.

