BY JEREMY GOODE

(PHOTOS BY MIKE SZCZEPKOWSKI)

FORT WASHINGTON, PA--In a way, it is a sprint to the finish for any team wanting to win the Inter-Ac in girl’s basketball this season. And unlike soccer, you can not tie, so it’s either a win or a loss. 

The difference between one regular season win or less in mid January?

That could be the difference in league champions. 

Last year, Academy of Notre Dame de Namur finished their league schedule undefeated, a perfect 12-0 record, winning the league outright. Germantown Academy finished in second place at 10-2. Their two losses… you can figure out who the opponent was.  

It’s a tough system, but the no-playoff league ensures the importance of every regular season game. Based on the structure, it suggests that the regular season games feel like playoff games. One loss could very well be the difference in the final standings. 

When Notre Dame traveled to Germantown Academy on Fri., Jan. 16, both teams knew what was at stake. And with Notre Dame’s 46-40 win, they inched a little closer to winning their third league championship in a row. 

“It’s a great step in the right direction,” Notre Dame’s Maddie DeFronzo said. “But you know, we have to get back out at practices, and go at each other.”

It is a massive win for Notre Dame, but the Inter-Ac schedule and system forces teams to have an “off to the next game mentality.” Any divot in the middle of the season opens up opportunities for other teams. What keeps your chances remaining good is winning. 

Of course, that’s what separated Notre Dame from every team last season… they won every game. But it’s not just that you’re improving your chances when you win in the Inter-Ac. You decrease other teams' chances as well. 

With Germantown’s Academy’s loss at home to Notre Dame, they have to split the series on the road the next time they play Notre Dame. They also have to take care of their other league games.  

Germantown Academy is a young team and have battled injuries throughout the year, including losing senior point guard captain Jennifer Fox to a torn ACL, and Emma Seckinger is coming off a broken foot. Sylvie Harrington had a foot injury in the fall. Taylor Williams had a 15 percent ACL tear and was out for three months. 

Even as Germantown Academy still is trying to get their footing, their schedule goes on. A valiant attempt at a major comeback against Notre Dame fell just short, 

Coming into enemy territory, Notre Dame understood the assignment and stuck with it from the start. They opened up with a 23-3 lead, after ending the first quarter up 19-3. They held Germantown Academy to 1-7 shooting after eight minutes. It was difficult for Germantown Academy to get off a shot early on.

In fact, when Joanna Owens stepped to the free throw line with just over two minutes to play in the first half, it was the first free throw Germantown Academy shot all evening. 

“I think our communication on defense was really good… talking through everything, making sure everyone knows where they are, and listening to each other, I think that’s a huge thing,” Notre Dame’s Riley Davis said.

While head coach Terry Mancini has a talented Notre Dame team with nice depth, he leaned on his starters early, subbing them out for the first time with five and a half minutes left in the second quarter. This strategy helped them establish a 20-point lead 10 minutes into the contest. 

Notre Dame starters Davis, DeFronzo, and Emma Anthony took it upon themselves to take over the game, as the trio were responsible for 29 of Notre Dame’s first half points, and 40 of their 46 in total. While Notre Dame’s starters held the fort down offensively, their bench was vital at the end of the game as well, according to Mancini.

“I usually like to get them out in the first quarter but they were playing so well and the quarter went fast, I thought,” Mancini said. “You could see in the fourth quarter we were tired. That’s where your bench is key and I thought the girls that came off the bench even if it were for 20 seconds, it was a good 20 seconds.”

A 16-point lead heading into the fourth quarter turned into a four point lead with 10 seconds left. But two free throws from Davis iced the game with eight seconds remaining, improving Notre Dame to 4-0 in the Inter-Ac, and separating the two teams that everyone thought going into the season would battle it out for the top spot. 

“I think confidence is the biggest part… knowing that I will make them is the big key in them,” Davis said. “It was a high when I made both of them because it made us two possessions ahead.”

This being one of the more anticipated games of the season, both teams will get another shot at each other on Feb. 6. Until then, Germantown Academy has work to do, while hoping they can get some help from other teams in the league. 

While down 23-3 to start the game, Germantown Academy outscored Notre Dame 37-23. That is not lost on Germantown Academy head coach, Lauren Power. They are a team that believes they can still win the league this season, and the final 20 minutes of play against Notre Dame proves that.

“We can hang with anyone in the region, there is no doubt about that,” Power said. “I think Notre Dame is a top five team in the region, and not only can we hang with them, I have no doubt in my mind we can get them next time.”