Hare ‘driving force’ behind Haverford Fencing

Contributing Writer

John Hare is wrapping up an outstanding career with the Haverford College fencing team.

The senior from East Greenwich and an East Greenwich High graduate has been a key performer competing in the sabre for the Fords the past four seasons. He kicked off the second semester by going 9-9 in the tough Penn State Invitational on Jan. 12 in State College, Pa and posted 9-6 mark in the Philadelphia Invitational on Jan. 18. He beat Penn All-American honorable mention Adam Green in each tourney. And, he went 3-0 in the Penn State event against the host Nittany Lions.

“John has been the driving force for success and the pursuit of excellence since his freshman year,” coach Chris Spencer said. “He applies his prodigious intellect to analyze his opponents and has the physical skills to compete with the best in the country.”

The coach said that Hare is a constant inspiration to the rest of the team and his love for the sport is contagious.

“The most fundamental skill for fencing is will-power and John has that in spades,” Spencer said. “Since his time at Haverford, he has developed the technical skills and tactical knowledge to be among the very best in the NCAA.”

Hare and Haverford are gearing up for the end of the season. The Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Fencing Association Tournament is March 1 in Madison, N.J. The Mid-Atlantic/South Regional is set for Mary 7 in Durham, N.C. The NCAAs will be held March 19-22 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Mich.

Courtney Jacobson (East Greenwich)

The senior, with junior eligibility, kicked off the second semester with the Michigan women’s indoor track team by setting a personal record in the weight throw at the Wolverine Open on Jan. 10 in Ann Arbor, Mich. when she finished second with a toss of 66 feet, 1 ½ inches. On Jan. 18, in the Simmons-Harvey Invite, also in Ann Arbor, the East Greenwich High graduate was second with a 66 foot, 5 inch effort. Last weekend, she was ninth with a toss of 64 feet, 11 ½ inches at the Rod McCravy Memorial in Lexington, Ky.

Gabe Felicetti (Charlestown)

The 6-foot-4 junior middle blocker is off to a good start with the No. 4-ranked Endicott men’s volleyball team. The Chariho Regional graduate has 25 kills, eight total blocks, six digs and five services aces for the 2-2 Gulls. He had a season-high 16 kills in a 3-2 loss to No. 14 UC Santa Cruz in the Johnson & Wales Tournament on Jan. 24 in Providence. Felicetti had 106 kills, 33 total blocks, 21 service aces and 19 digs to help Endicott capture the New England Collegiate Conference title and make it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III tournament last season.

Jeffery Pedersen (East Greenwich)

The sophomore set two personal records in the first two meets of the second semester for the Iowa State men’s indoor track team. The East Greenwich High grad finished fifth out of 19 runners in the mile at the school’s Cyclone Open last Saturday in Ames with a time of 4:17.84. He was the fourth collegian finisher. Pedersen finished 12th in the 3,000 meter run with an 8:33.09 effort at the annual Larry Wieczorek Invitational on Jan. 18 in Iowa City.

Skylar Fontaine (East Greenwich)

The 5-foot-4 junior scored the game-winning goal for the Northeastern women’s hockey team in a 2-1 Hockey East victory over Boston University last Monday in Boston to push the Huskies to 22-3-1 overall and first place in the league with a 19-2 record. The East Greenwich High graduate has played in all 26 games and has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points with two game winners. Fontaine had a career-high point streak that lasted 10 games (Nov. 11-Dec. 30) when she had five goals and eight assists.

Quindel Wilson (West Warwick)

The sophomore finished 10th out of 38 entrants in the high jump for the Rhode Island men’s indoor track team at the BU John Thomas Carrier Classic last weekend in Boston. The West Warwick High graduate cleared 6 feet, 6 ¾ inches, a career best. That was an improvement over his effort at the URI Sorlein Invitational on Jan. 18 in Kingston when he tied for fifth with a 6 foot, 3 ¼ inch effort. Wilson’s previous best jump came at the Beantown Challenge last January when he finished fifth with a height of 6 feet, 5 inches.

Claire Greineder (East Greenwich)

The sophomore has had two solid outings competing with the Plymouth State women’s indoor track team the second semester. The East Greenwich High graduate finished second out of 45 entrants in the 200 meter dash in 27.14 at Southern Maine’s USM Invitational last Saturday in Gorham, Me. In Smith College’s Mary Grinikar Invitational on Jan. 8 in Northhampton, Mass., Greineder was second out of 21 sprinters in the 400 meter dash with a personal best time of 1:01.11.

Shileigh Martinez (North Kingstown)

The sophomore posted a personal best mark when she finished 15th out of 29 in the pole vault at the BU John Thomas Terrier Classic last weekend in Boston. The North Kingstown High graduate cleared 10 feet, 8 inches. She took three attempts at 11 feet, 1 ¾ inches but missed on all of them. That was a big improvement over her showing at the Bates Invitational on Jan. 18 in Lewiston, Me when she was ninth with a 9 foot, 2 ¼ inch effort.

Sophia Vingi (Narragansett)

The junior forward has played in all 19 games for the Castleton women’s hockey team, the Spartans 10-8-1 overall and 7-3 in the New England Hockey Conference. The Winchendon School graduate has two goals and three assists. She had the game-winner in a 2-0 victory over New England College on Dec. 7. Her other goal came in a 3-1 triumph over Suffolk on Nov. 9. One of her assists led to the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Southern Maine on Nov. 16.