US and MS Kudos: Champions in synchronized swimming and hockey; fencers medal, compete well in many events
Synchronized swimmer Kate Chow, grade 12, recently competed at the U.S. Senior National Championships at Oro Valley Aquatic Center in Tucson, Ariz. The event is the most prestigious national competition for amateur swimmers. Chow won the individual high point award as she took home two first places, a second and a third while competing in technical team, free team, combo and free duet. This is Chow’s eighth year in synchronized swimming. She swims for the Santa Clara Aquamaids.
Congratulations to Carter Chadwick, grade 8, and his San Jose Jr. Sharks teammates on their California Amateur Hockey Association State Championship win last weekend in Southern California. Chadwick and his team went 8-0 and defeated the Anaheim Jr. Ducks in the finals on the road to the 14U B state title. Carter has been playing since he was 4 years old.
In the world of fencing, John Cracraft, grade 7, fenced in the Silicon Valley Regional Youth Circuit, held in Mountain View in early April, taking 30th out of 73 fencers in the Youth-12 boys foil event. Cracraft won two pool bouts and lost a third 4-5, seeding 42nd into the table. He then ran up against the 22nd seed, a tough left-hander and beat him 7-6 in overtime, flipping himself into the 32 bracket. He next fenced the No. 10 seed, an even tougher left-hander to end his day at 30th, a respectable finish in a tough event. Cracraft fences for Halberstadt Fencing Club and The Fencing Center, and is unrated. Ratings are earned in competitions and run A-E, A being the best fencers, combined with the year earned.
Ishani Sood, grade 6, fenced in the Super Youth Circuit in Escondido in mid-April and turned in some excellent results. In the Youth-14 women’s foil event, Sood, who holds a D-2017 rating and has earned several medals at national events, took 18th out of 62 fencers. She won all six pool bouts, seeding sixth into the table. She won her first elimination bout 14-5, then fell to the 27th seed. In the Youth-12 event, Sood medaled, taking fifth place out of 56 fencers. She again won all of her pool bouts and seeded sixth into the table. She had a bye in the first round, then cleaned up, winning 15-3 and 14-9 before hitting the 14th seed and losing 9-15. Sood fences for California Fencing Academy.
Harker had a solid contingent of fencers at the Regional Junior-Cadet Circuit held in San Jose this past weekend. The event drew fencers from all over the state and from as far away as Denver.
Ethan Choi, grade 9, took 15th in the cadet (16 and under) event out of 62 fencers, an exceptional finish in a very tough field. Choi went 4-2 in pools to seed into the 19th slot on the table. He cleaned up his first opponent, then ran into the 14th seed, who he flipped in a tough 15-13 bout. Choi then lost to the No. 3 seed. Choi also fenced in the junior event (19 and under) and finished 21st. He went 3-2 in pools, seeding 21st. He won his first elimination bout handily, then ran into the No. 12 seed, and that finished his day in a tournament that included a substantial contingent of college-age fencers. Choi fences for M-Team and is rated D-2018.
Sana Pandey, grade 10, participated in the Harker Research Symposium on Saturday and then fenced in cadet women’s epee on Sunday. Pandey, a co-president of the Harker Fencing Club, did well in pools, coming out 4-2, seeding 15th into the table. She had a bye in the first round, then fenced the 18th seed, losing 11-15 to finish up a busy weekend. Pandey fences for the International Fencing Academy of California and holds a C-2017 rating.
Nerine Uyanik, grade 10, co-president of the Harker Fencing Club, fenced in two foil events, finishing 28th out of 50 in the junior event and 30th out of 48 in the cadet event, following a break to recover from an injury. In the junior event, Uyanik was 2-3 in pools, seeding 27th into the table, where she won her first bout and lost her second to the No. 6 seed, an A-rated fencer who eventually won the tournament, pushing the bout to time. In the cadet event, she went 2-4 in pools, seeding 34th, won her first elimination bout then fought the No. 3 seed to a standstill in an incredibly tough bout, losing 15-14. Uyanik fences for San Francisco Fencing Academy and holds a B-2017 rating
Kishan Sood, grade 9, also coming off an injury, fenced in men’s cadet foil, finishing 41st out of 62. Sood went 2-4 in pools to seed 36th. He lost his first elimination bout to the 29th seed. Like his sister, Sood fences for California Fencing Academy. He holds an E-2017 rating.
Jerrica Liao, grade 12, fencing one of her last events as a high schooler, had a fine day, finishing third in junior women’s foil for a bronze medal. Liao, who has signed on to fence at Northwestern University, cleaned up in pools, 5-0, seeding fourth out of 50 fencers. Following a first round bye, she had one easier and two hard elimination bouts, with scores of 14-8. 14-13 and 14-13, before ending her day 14-8 against the top seed. Liao fences for Silicon Valley Fencing and holds a A-2015 rating.
William Cracraft, Harker Fencing Club advisor, fenced in the Bay Cup Series Veteran (40 and over) foil event on Sunday, taking the gold and improving his rating. He went 5-2 in pools, then ran through the table, beating two B-rated fencers and an A-rated fencer, all national point holders (as is Cracraft) to take top honors. The gold medal match score was 10-1. Cracraft, who has been fencing for more than 35 years, fences for Halberstadt Fencing Club and The Fencing Center. He now holds a B-2018 rating.
To report non-Harker athletic results and other student accomplishments, email news@harker.org.
Tags: Sports, topathletics