Titans Beat Blanchet, 45-23

On Friday, March 31, the West Salem High School Titans met up with the Blanchet Catholic School Cavaliers in their second meeting of the season. Fencing for the Titans were Benjamin Bond (captain), Chris Marsaglia, and George Berry. Representing the Cavaliers were Lindsay Pirelli (captain), Scott Mendzer, and Alyssa Tompkins.

In the 45-point relay match (score is cumulative), the results were as
follows:

1. Bond vs. Mendzer: 5-0 bout, 5-0 match
2. Berry vs. Pirelli: 4-9 bout, 9-9 match
3. Marsaglia vs. Tompkins: 6-2 bout, 15-11 match
4. Berry vs. Mendzer: 2-4 bout, 17-15 match
5. Bond vs. Tompkins: 8-1 bout, 25-16 match
6. Marsaglia vs. Pirelli: 5-5 bout, 30-21 match
7. Berry vs. Tompkins: 3-2 bout, 33-23 match
8. Marsaglia vs. Mendzer: 7-0 bout, 40-23 match
9. Bond vs. Pirelli: 5-0 bout, 45-23 match

Final score, 45-23, victory for the West Salem High School Titans.

This was the second time that the Titans and the Cavaliers had met. This time Blanchet did a little better that they did in October.

West Salem had first-time competitor George Berry on their team, but they also had veterans Bond and Marsaglia. West Salem has a very deep roster from which to draw, although most of their fencers are in the first year of fencing.

Blanchet, on the other hand, has only four active fencers, two of which were unable to compete this time. The Cavaliers were less experienced to begin with, and also had to draft Alyssa Tompkins at the last minute in order to be able to field the minimum three fencers and thereby avoid a forfeit. The Cavaliers have made significant progress this season as a team, but this match showed that they still have plenty to work on.

Blanchet had the score tied at 9-9 after the second bout, thanks to a nine-point run by Lindsay Pirelli, but they never managed to get the lead. West Salemite Chris Marsaglia racked up a 6-2 advantage over Alyssa Tompkins in the third bout. Next, Scott Mendzer outscored opponent George Berry to bring the Cavaliers back within two, but then Bend Bond clobbered Tompkins in the fifth and the Titans never looked back.

Offensively, Benjamin Bond and Chris Marsaglia each scored 18 points for the Titans, followed by George Berry with a very respectable 9 points in his first competition. Bond had two perfect bouts, and Marsaglia had one perfect, as well.

Lindsay Pirelli again led the scoring efforts for the Cavaliers with 14, followed by Tompkins (5) and Mendzer (4).

For the Titan defense, Benjamin Bond built a wall of steel, giving up just one touch (and tying the record held by Gary Girod and Alex Kohan). Marsaglia's defense was solid, with just seven touches received. George Berry's inexperience caused him to give up 15 hits -- the price paid for improvement.

The Cavalier defense had problems, with team captain Lindsay Pirelli paying one-for-one for every touch she scored (14 touches received). Scott Mendzer also gave up 14, and Alyssa Tompkins was touched 17 times.

Their victory puts the West Salem Titans in first position for the season so far at 4-1. In second position are the Salem Homeschool Byzantines at 3-1. The Blanchet Cavaliers are in third position at 2-3, with the North Salem Vikings in fourth at 0-4.