Just 16 seconds into the game, Rachel Balzer '19 fired a shot from three-point range and hit nothing but net. About a minute later, she did it again. On the next possession, Elle Stauffer '20 got herself three points and gave Germantown Academy a 9-2 advantage.

This early lead proved crucial to the Patriots, who defeated Shipley School in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association Championship, 58-43. GA led the entire game.

"I think it was really important on a big stage like this," Head Coach Sherri Retif said. "The last couple of years, Shipley has jumped put on us with a quick start. We were trying to get the adrenaline up."

The contest with Shipley was the second time this season the teams squared off, with GA winning both. Last season, the Gators upset the Patriots in the PAISAA Semi-Final.

Shipley had gotten the best of the Patriots the previous three times that they met in the PAISAA Championship. However, this year things were different.

"We've been upset before and we weren't letting that happen this year," Balzer said. "We had something to prove this year and we proved it. We had one loss, I couldn't be prouder. We deserve this."

"This year we went into it a lot more open minded," Stauffer said. "It's our game and we knew we could do it."

That confidence was evident from the start of the game. The Patriots hit five shots from behind the arc in he first quarter, and led 22-9 after one. Scoring slowed down in the second, but GA was able to keep Shipley at a distance and led 29-16 at halftime.

In the second half, GA got an influx of points from Becca Booth '21. The 6'2 sophomore scored 13 of her 15 points after the half and played a crucial role in shutting down Shipley's Anna Camden, who also stands 6'2.

"I like playing against tall people," Booth said. "I feel like it's more even. I feel like it pushes me to play stronger and more aggressive. I just felt it and went for it."

Retif said that Booth was "all grit" against the Penn State signee. She said that Booth played well against Camden earlier in the year and that they looked at game film to see how "aggressive and balanced she was."

Going into the fourth, GA held a 40-30 lead. With 4:32 left to go, the Gators made it a 48-43 game, but could not find a basket after that point. GA ended the game on a 10-0 run.

"It feels amazing," Stauffer said. "This would've been a three-peat and they wanted it so bad. We showed that we wanted it more."

Balzer said that she could not be happier for the team and that she's lucky to be a part of it. She added that the win was for everyone who had played in the past few years.

Germantown Academy finishes the year with a 30-1 overall record, with their lone loss coming against the then No. 2 nationally ranked Miami Country Day School.

"It's a magical experience," Retif said. "We were moving the ball, we defended. It's so well deserved. I love these kids, I love this coaching staff, it was a total team effort. It's been one day at a time. We're always trying to get better, and it shows up on a day like today."