GA downs Olney, improves to 3-0
FORT WASHINGTON » The climb to 3-0 had some tough sledding and a few missed steps, but Germantown Academy got there nonetheless.
“The three wins weren’t some of the scores we were looking for, but we’ll take the ‘and oh’ any day of the week,” said a smiling Brian Allen after Saturday’s contest.
Allen powered for 129 yards on 22 persistent carries, helping to lead the Patriots to a 23-12 victory over Olney Charter.
GA sputtered to a 3-0 lead at the half, but the Patriots put some things together after the break and pulled away to another nonleague win.
“We’re not happy with (the overall performance), but we got the win,” Allen said. “We were without one of our star players, (wide receiver/defensive back Jake Hsu), and this was our first week battling that war not having him, and not having him hurts us but it’s next man up. And that’s the mentality we have to have.
“We came out flat but in the second half, we turned it up and started playing our kind of football.”
GA hosts Rock Creek Christian Academy Saturday at 1 p.m. and then West Philadelphia the following Saturday at 1 p.m. The week after, the Pats open their Inter-AC schedule with a road game at Episcopal Academy on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.
After Jared Smith booted a 28yard field goal for the only points of the first half, GA struck quickly in the third quarter.
On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Tristian Machado hit Evan Spivey in stride down the right sideline for a 48yard score and a 10-0 lead.
But Olney (1-3) came right back, as Jabari Morgan returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown that sliced the margin
down to 10-6.
A busy third quarter was just getting started.
Morgan scored on a 17yard reception from Jaheim Miller to give the Trojans their only lead of the game, 12-10. The Trojans again went for two and again were stopped on a pass attempt.
GA pushed ahead for good when Machado made a nice toss to Aidan Donahue in the back corner of the end zone, and Donahue made the grab for an 8-yard score and a 1612 Patriot lead. GA did not convert on the two-point pass attempt.
The Patriots capped off the third quarter with another touchdown, this one a 16-yard run right up the gut by Allen that extended the lead to 23-12 and provided the final margin.
“I think just our energy (changed in the second half),” Allen said. “In the first half, our energy wasn’t there on the sideline or on the field. We walked into that locker room at the break and something just clicked. We started playing hard again.”
The Patriot defense came up with a big stop inside their own 10 with about four minutes to play, forcing a turnover on downs.
GA was then able to run out most of the remaining clock, thanks in part to a 22-yard run by Allen.
“I couldn’t believe how flat we came out in our first home game in front of fans in two years. I was super bummed about that. But our senior leaders basically said let’s fix it, and good for them, they did,” coach Matt Dence said. “Brian and Taj (Dyches) both ran the ball pretty effectively. If we eliminate the turnovers, we’ll be fine.”
After giving up that lone score in the third quarter,
the Patriot defense forced two punts and a turnover on downs.
“All year, the defense has done a good job,” Dence said. “We’re gonna play some more multiple offenses coming up and we’ll have to find a way to match up. We can play better than we did today. Part of that is (Olney) forced us into some mistakes. If we had scored 40, I’d probably be skipping around a little bit more. But give credit to Olney. Their physical play is gonna get us prepared for the Inter-AC.”