After a season defined by resilience, teamwork, and steady determination, the women’s sabre fencing squad has claimed its first-ever state championship title, marking a historic moment for the program.
The victory did not come easily according to the sabre squad, senior Lena Flaherty, Eli Barden, junior Molly O’Donnell and sophomore Paige Abbott. The team ended the regular season with only two losses and established themselves as strong contenders for the state title. Still, the journey to the top required overcoming internal challenges as much as external competition.
“The only doubt we had were mental blocks,” said Flaherty. Flaherty elaborated on the squad only knowing that they were physically capable of winning, but had to stay out of their heads and not let losses affect them.
That confidence carried into the postseason. After placing second at the conference championship to qualify for states, the team entered the state tournament as the top seed, earning a first-round bye. However, the pressure quickly mounted in the semifinal round, where they faced Hand, the same team that had defeated them at conferences.
In a tightly contested match, Morgan edged out a 5–4 victory. The championship round presented an even greater challenge: Hopkins, a team Morgan had never beaten before.
“We then fenced Hopkins in the championship round, a team we have never beaten during my time at Morgan,” said Flaherty. The sabre squad won 5–4, with the score in the last bout also being 5–4. For Morgan, it was a close win to wrap up the winning match.
The narrow victory was a testament to the team’s depth and unity. Unlike teams that rely heavily on a single standout athlete, Morgan’s strength came from its collective effort that was built all season. “It felt great knowing that all the hard work we put in had paid off,” said O’Donnell.
“It took all of us working together to achieve different things,” said Flaherty. According to her, she believes that other teams have one good fencer and carry them through the season but for her squad they have three. “When one of us doesn’t perform as well as we would have liked, we have each other’s backs and know when to step up,” noted Flaherty. The sabre squad believes the constant communication on and off the strip is what helped the squad work effectively, and made every match a team effort.
Inspiration also came from their fellow teammates on the Morgan fencing team. “Watching our men’s sabre squad fight to a second place win against two of the best teams in the state gave us a lot of motivation,” said Barden.
For the team’s seniors, the win carried an even deeper meaning. Years of dedication culminated in a moment many once thought was out of reach because the squad has never won a state title. This felt amazing to Flaherty due to working towards something not only all season but for the past four years, and winning something she didn’t think was possible.
This championship marks only the second state title in Morgan fencing history and the first ever for a women’s sabre squad. The program’s only previous win came in 2023 with the men’s epee squad.
With this breakthrough victory, the Morgan women’s sabre team has not only made history but also set a new standard for future fencers proving that dedication, teamwork, and belief can turn long-held dreams into reality.
“Being able to accomplish something so big in my senior year is so rewarding. Looking at where I was freshman year, I would have never imagined I would help lead my squad to a state title,” said Flaherty.
