A handful of Barrington athletes performed well at the recent Pomme de Terre fencing tournament at Brandeis University.

Barrington's Anika Breker won third place in the senior women's foil division. It was the best individual finish for any member of the Rhode Island Fencing Academy and Club at the tournament. Barrington's Dahlia Pahlavi placed seventh in the E and under women's foil division, while fellow resident Lia Douglas finished eighth in the senior women's epee. 

The RIFAC women's foil team, which included Barrington's Breker, finished third, and the RIFAC men's epee team, which featured Barrington's Brian McDermott, also finished third. 

The women's epee team, which included Barrington's Dasha Smuk, Douglas and Anna Saal, finished fifth. The RIFAC men's foil team, which included Barrington's Timmy Zhou, finished seventh.

The Pomme de Terre (French for potato) tournament has absolutely nothing to do with vegetables. It was invented by a tournament manager 31 years ago as a spoof of a familiar Canadian competition. Pomme de Terre began as a small, regional event which drew a modicum of athletes, but the funny name has attracted substantial numbers since then to become a major draw for athletes at the end of the fencing season. 

The RIFAC fencers who medaled in the top three won a variety of potato-themed prizes. Bronze medalists were awarded potato peelers of questionable quality. Silver medalists got an old-fashioned, hand-held potato masher. And gold medalists won a classic Mr. Potato Head toy, complete with a variety of accessories.