GA junior Trae Vance cuts around Ford defenders Saturday. Vance's ending line was respectable - 87 yards on 17 carries - but it betrays a day where the Pats struggled to find any offensive rhythm. (Photo by Jonathan Vander Lugt)

“Overall, it was a really frustrating day,” Germantown Academy head coach Matt Dence said after his team’s 38-11 loss to the Haverford School Friday. “We just weren’t in sync the way we have been, and they’re a good football team. When that happens, it’s a problem.”

GA started with a bang – Brian Kelley blocked the Fords’ punt on the game’s opening drive, setting Patriots up with a stellar opportunity at their opponent’s eight-yard line.

After three plays and just one yard, the Pats had to settle for a field goal. Offensive inconsistency would become a theme throughout.

“I thought we could get them on the ropes early on,” Dence said. “But we just couldn’t get it going.”

Part of the issue was that Germantown Academy lost sophomore quarterback Jordan Longino to a yet-unknown knee ailment. Dence shrugged and said only that he “had a knee” and that the Patriots were hopeful as late as Thursday that he’d play. He wasn’t wearing a brace on the sideline, but it was apparently serious enough to hold him out of the contest.

Senior Matt Brittingham started in his place and, though he showed flashes, struggled to find a consistent rhythm.

“We love what Matt Brittingham brings to the table – he’s a good quarterback and did some really nice things today,” Dence said. His 16-for-30, 157 yard day was marred by three interceptions, two of which came off of deflections from his own receivers’ hands.

What’s worse is that each pick came shortly after a big GA gain. On the Pats’ second drive, Trae Vance tallied 33 yards in three carries to get to the Haverford School 26-yard line, but Brittingham telegraphed a pass into the hands of Logan Keller, who returned it to the Fords’ 45-yard line. HS marched 55 yards on the subsequent drive to take a lead.

Then, Lacey Snowden ripped a 57-yard kickoff return to rebound, but the Pats went three-and-out. It took the Fords just two plays to go 80 yards and score after GA punted.

“Every time we had a big play, we’d either get a tackle for loss or we’d turn it over,” Dence said. “If we hit Jerry on a bender, Timmy on a screen, or if Trae ran it for 20, the next play was a TFL or a turnover. Every time.”

The next drive provided a glimpse of what a clicking Patriot offense could look like. Brittingham was locked in with Griffen-Batchler, a sophomore, and found him four times for 61 yards and a touchdown on an 80-yard drive. It proved, however, to be the last time the Pats would find pay dirt.

That’s not to say GA didn’t have more opportunities, but two second-half interceptions – each immediately following a double-digit Vance run – stymied anything the Patriot offense could muster. The second was particularly damaging, as Haverford School’s Shane Fordham ran it back for a 31-yard touchdown return to put the game fully out of Patriot reach.

Vance finished the day with a respectable 87 yards on 17 carries, but struggled to string together positive gains. 54 of those yards came on the runs mentioned above, leaving just 33 yards his other 13 tries.

“We just didn’t establish the run,” Dence said. “We played every one of their looks, thought we practiced really well and just didn’t execute.”

Germantown Academy senior Matt Brittingham attempts a pass against the Haverford School Saturday. Brittingham started in place of the injured Jordan Longino. (Photo by Jonathan Vander Lugt)

“Haverford School did a really good job - I think I got outcoached today,” Dence said. “We got them the last couple years and they got us today.”

The loss is the first one of the season for GA (5-1, 0-1). The Inter-Ac slate is unforgiving – it lasts only five games, so one loss can easily derail any hopes at a league championship. Two losses will almost certainly mean that a team will only be playing for pride the rest of the way.

“Being 0-1 in the league puts your back on the wall for the championship, but we’re a good football team and we have four games left,” Dence said. “There’s a lot to play for.”

“Winning out is a tall task, but we have a chance,” Dence went on. “We just have to focus on next week.”

Up next is a date against Springside Chestnut Hill. The Blue Devils will be similarly hungry, after suffering a close, 35-26 loss to the Episcopal Academy last week.

“Our kids are great,” Dence said. “When I talk to them, I’m very sincere about what winning teams do and what losing teams do. The eye contact and body language they had was great - they’ll be ready to get back to work.”

“I hope that’s the silver lining,” Dence went on. “Besides that, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

HS: 7 7 7 17 38

GA: 3 8 0 0 11

1Q:

GA: Nick Niemynski 24 FGA good (3-0)

HS: Mekhi Ajose-Williamson 15 run; Thomas Ward PAT good (3-7)

2Q:

HS: Ben Gerber 60 pass to Dan Whaley; Ward PAT good (3-14)

GA: Matt Brittingham 9 pass to Jerry Griffen-Batchler; 2pt run by Luke Strauss good (11-14)

3Q:

HS: Gerber 32 pass to Ajose-Williamson; Ward PAT good (11-21)

4Q:

HS: Ward 32 FGA good (11-24)

HS: Shane Fordham 31 interception return; Ward PAT good (11-31)

HS: Logan Keller 8 run; Ward PAT good (11-38)

Around the Area:

La Salle notched its first consecutive win of the season with its 35-0 victory over Archbishop Ryan, while the Inter-Ac’s other teams in Northwest Philadelphia struggled. Springside Chestnut Hill lost to the Episcopal Academy 35-26, and Penn Charter fell to Malvern Prep, 51-17.

The Blue Devils’ loss was particularly tough - SCH raced out to a 13-0 lead, only to give up 28 unanswered points before pulling within a two-point conversion attempt in the fourth (28-26). SCH couldn’t convert, and watched Episcopal march back for a touchdown to seal the game. Junior halfback Aaron Rascoe continued to impress, rambling for 127 yards and a score on 15 carries, and Ke’Shawn Williams hauled in six catches for 101 yards to lead all receivers in the contest. The Blue Devils (5-2, 0-1) will head to Germantown Academy on Saturday.

Penn Charter got as close as 29-17 against the defending league champ Friars, but a second-half Malvern Prep flurry put the game out of reach. Junior running back Edward Saydee had his worst game of the season - 54 yards on 12 carries - and was held without a touchdown for the first time all season. Quarterback Kyle Jones performed admirably in the loss, with 164 yards and a score on 14-of-18 passing to go along with another score and 73 yards on the ground. The Quakers (4-2, 0-1) will look to rebound against the Haverford School on Saturday.

La Salle, coming off of a 35-point victory last week over Father Judge, registered another in its shutout of Archbishop Ryan. Quarterback Sean Daly stood out, leading the Explorers in rushing with 103 yards on 13 carries, while throwing for 105 yards and three scores on 11-of-15 passing. As usual, La Salle spread the ball around - 12 different players received touches on offense. La Salle will look to make it a three-game win streak against Archbishop Wood next week.