Salem Homeschool Byzantines
Beat Blanchet Cavaliers, 41-13

On Friday, December 2nd, the Blanchet Cavaliers faced the Salem
Homeschool Byzantines. The Cavaliers were represented by sophomores Lindsay Pirelli (captain and reserve fencer) and Scott Mendzer, along with freshmen Sarah Olafson and Ethan Syron. Fencing for the Byzantines were veteran fencers Joshua Keatley (captain) and Charles Allen (both 14), and Gary Girod (reserve fencer) and Alex Kohan (both 15).

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

1. Mendzer vs. Allen: 0-5 bout, 0-5 match
2. Syron vs. Kohan: 0-4 bout, 0-9 match
3. Olafson vs. Keatley: 1-6 bout, 1-15 match
4. Syron vs. Allen: 3-2 bout, 4-17 match
5. Mendzer vs. Keatley: 1-8 bout, 5-25 match
6. Olafson vs. Kohan: 0-5 bout, 5-30 match
7. Syron vs. Keatley: 4-2 bout, 9-32 match
8. Olafson vs. Allen: 0-6 bout, 9-38 match
Pirelli substituted for Mendzer (Cavaliers)
9. Pirelli vs. Kohan: 4-3 bout, 13-41 match

Final score, 41-13, victory for the Byzantines.

As with the Byzantines' previous match (11/18), the 41-14 score doesn't
tell the entire story. The Byzantines have an average of three years of
fencing, while all of the Cavaliers are first-year fencers except for
team captain Pirelli. The Byzantines were never behind on the
scoreboard, but they didn't completely overwhelm Blanchet, either. Five
out of nine bouts went to the time limit, including three bouts in
which Blanchet outscored the Homeschool team.

Of particular note was the final bout, in which the score was 38-9
going in. Lindsay Pirelli faced Alex Kohan. Pirelli had the herculean
task of scoring more than 29 points in three minutes, and she knew that
wasn't going to happen. Despite the impossible odds, Pirelli fenced
well and kept the more experienced Kohan on the defense for the entire
bout with an almost non-stop series of attacks. Kohan was often stuck
straddling the end line of the fencing strip, just inches away from
giving up a point by stepping over. In the end, Pirelli beat Kohan 4-3
for the bout, with the last point scored at the buzzer. But her best
efforts, while probably her best fencing ever, were still not enough to
make up a 29-point deficit.

The Byzantine offense was led by Joshua Keatley with 16 points,
followed by Charles Allen and Alex Kohan with 13 and 12 points,
respectively. Defensively, Allen and Kohan were brick walls, giving up
only three and four points, respectively. Keatley gave up six points.
Charles Allen had two "no hit" bouts in which he was not touched at
all, as did Alex Kohan. Team captain Joshua Keatley wisely kept veteran
Gary Girod in reserve for the entire match, giving new team member
Charles Allen some valuable experience.

The inexperience of the Blanchet Cavaliers is what did them in. This
was their second match as a team, and they worked better together this
time, but it was definitely not enough. Ethan Syron again led the
offense for the Cavaliers, not only scoring a total of seven points,
but also two of his three bouts (a personal best). Lindsay Pirelli
contributing four points to the effort and Scott Mendzer and Sarah
Olafson scored one point each. On the defense, Syron was again the
leader, giving up eight touches in three bouts. Pirelli was almost as
good, being touched three times in her single bout. Olafson was hit 17
times in three bouts, and Mendzer 13 times in two bouts.

The win puts the Byzantines solidly in second position for the season
so far at 2-1. In first position are the West Salem High School Titans
at 2-0, with the North Salem Vikings in third at 0-1 and the Blanchet
Cavaliers slipping to fourth at 0-2.