Girls fencing: Harborfields' Caelan Bues, Lindenhurst's Shelly Banegas, Newfield's Sophie Chen win titles
Caelan Bues of Huntington smiles after winning gold at the Suffolk girls fencing championships at the Mission Fencing Center in Rocky Point on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. Credit: Sam Johnston
Harborfields epeeist Caelan Bues backed away from the strip as Sayville’s Catherine Carberry did the same, with the two tied at 11 following three periods. Bues had just managed to stay alive, securing a touch with 27 seconds left.
“I was sitting there like, ‘Of course it’s me that comes down to overtime and one single touch,’” Bues said. “I’m thinking, what am I going to do? What on earth will work on her, because I haven’t had much experience fencing her before.”
Then, 25 seconds later, a touch to the chest made No. 5 Bues Suffolk’s newest epee champion in a 12-1 win over No. 3 Carberry Saturday at Rocky Point’s Mission Fencing Center. Bues bested No. 1 Anna Petrizzo of Commack, 15-11, in the semifinal round and No. 4 Sophia Vitevitch of Whitman in the table of eight.
“I have a lot of amazing competitors here, and I’ve had a lot of difficulties within my own head, even if I’ve beaten them in the past,” Bues said. “After I lost to [Lindenhurst’s Melonie Erdman] in the pool round, I remember thinking that I didn’t even know if I would go on.”
“I had no idea I’d end up here in first place. It’s been like an emotional roller coaster of feelings.”
For Lindenhurst sabreist Shelly Banegas, Saturday’s tournament has been a long time coming. Having taken silver two years ago, Banegas suffered an ACL injury playing lacrosse months later that sidelined her from fencing last winter.
Healthy and back on the strip, Banegas marched her way to a 15-6 win over teammate Elisa Lin. The senior, who thanked her club coach Brian Chen from Hicksville’s Titan Fencing Academy, said she never doubted that she would make it back to the podium where she then shared a hug with Lin.
“I feel like the weight is just gone,” Banegas said.
On a day where no fencer had it easy while facing the best of the best, no one dominated more than foilist Sophie Chen of Newfield. The top-seeded barely conceded a touch en route to her second gold medal in three years, beating No. 3 Victoria Lachko of Ward Melville, 15-1.
“I definitely try to do my best and don’t look back,” Chen said. “If I’m up 14-2, fence it like it’s 0-0.”
Chen had won four pool bouts and two direct elimination bouts by a combined score of 50-6. From the time she put in on varsity to the countless hours spent at East Coast Fencing Club, the junior called Saturday’s achievement “an accumulation of everything.”
“I’ve been working very hard in the offseason,” Chen said. “Honestly, it’s been really rewarding to have a great support system at Newfield. My coaches have been great, and it’s always been amazing to work with them.”
Ward Melville sabreist Allie Harrison, Whitman’s Mackenzie Marsden and Commack epeeist Petrizzo all took bronze.
Michael Sicoli covers high school sports for Newsday. He graduated from Quinnipiac in 2022 and left with a master’s degree in sports journalism in 2023.
