Germantown Academy and Penn Charter to play for share of Inter-Ac title
Broken down into its simplest form, perhaps six minutes of excellence is all the Germantown Academy defense needs to earn at least a share of the Inter-Ac championship on Saturday.
Broken down into its simplest form, perhaps six minutes of excellence is all the Germantown Academy defense needs to earn at least a share of the Inter-Ac championship on Saturday.
The Patriots will host longtime rival Penn Charter in the season finale, which, depending on the outcome, could create the first four-way title split in league history.
According to senior captain and linebacker Patrick McGettigan, defensive coordinator Steve Moll - a math teacher at the school - says about six minutes is all it should take.
"The average snap is 4.6 seconds. There are about 170 plays in a game, and defense is half of them," McGettigan said. "So if you're playing one way, you're only playing for about six minutes. Anybody can give six minutes. It doesn't matter how hurt you are, how tired you are. Just give those six minutes as hard as you can."
Moll's math doesn't really apply to McGettigan.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder isn't just the middle linebacker on one of the league's stingiest defenses. He also plays tight end, long-snapper, short-snapper, and special teams during kickoffs.
"I don't know what I'm going to do without him next year," said GA coach Matt Dence, who added later, "He's the glue. He's just that guy who is a steady, calming presence."
After beating Haverford School for the first time since 2006 last week, the Patriots (3-1) are tied atop the league with Malvern (3-1), which crushed GA, 45-14, two weeks ago.
Despite allowing those points, the Patriots have allowed just 79 points during league play. Conversely, the Germantown Academy offense has mustered just 61 points.
Since at least the 2000 season, no team has won or shared the championship while scoring fewer points in league play than it allowed, according to TedSilary.com.
McGettigan, who will play at Penn next season, doesn't shy away from his duties as middle linebacker. His job includes making on-field adjustments and ensuring teammates are in the proper position.
"It's really on my shoulders sometimes to make the right decision for other people for certain plays, and it's cool to have that responsibility," he said.
The load also falls on the defense's two other captains, Matt Gorman, a senior, and Tanner Long, a junior. Both are linebackers who, in addition to McGettigan, make up one of the better triumvirates in the league.
Luke Stansfield and Brendan Pell, both senior linebackers for Penn Charter (2-2), lead a stout Quakers defense.
With a win, Penn Charter also has a chance to force a four-way split of the Inter-Ac championship.
If Springside Chestnut Hill (0-4) upsets Malvern Prep on Saturday and Penn Charter topples Germantown Academy, the Friars, Quakers, Patriots, and the winner of Haverford School (2-2) and Episcopal Academy (2-2), also Saturday, will all tie for the title.
Since 1887, four teams have never tied for the Inter-Ac football championship.
Springside Chestnut Hill (formerly Chestnut Hill Academy) rejoined the Inter-Ac for football in 2006 after leaving the league because of low roster numbers in the 1970s.
Three teams have shared the title three times since 2000. Most recently, Haverford School and Malvern Prep shared glory in 2013.
My players "don't need any motivation for this," Dence said. "They know that Penn Charter is playing for a piece of the title, too. Our kids are going to be fired up to play this football game. There's no doubt about it."
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