The girls of Germantown Academy last Tuesday defeated Penn Charter for the second time in a week, but once again, the PC Quakers didn't make it easy.

Ahead by nine points at halftime and also after three quarters, the host Patriots bumped their lead up to 11 points with under six minutes remaining. The Quakers had the margin down to six points with three-and-a-half minutes to go, but they were outscored 7-3 after that as GA secured a 66-56 victory.

With that, the Patriots wrapped up the 2025 Inter-Ac League schedule with a second-place record of 10-2, their only losses coming against league champion Academy of Notre Dame (12-0). Penn Charter ended up with an Inter-Ac mark of 6-6, ranking fourth behind Episcopal Academy (7-5).

For the Pa. Independent Schools tournament, GA has been seeded fourth and will receive a bye in the first round. Penn Charter is the eighth seed, and will play number nine George School on February 21 at PC. The Quakers logged a road win over George back in mid-December, 61-39.

In last week's Inter-Ac finale at GA, lay-ups by sophomores Jo Owens and Claire McKee and the first of senior Gabby Bowes' four three pointers got the Patriots out to a 7-2 lead. A short jumper from the lane by senior Kaylinn Bethea furnished the first points for Penn Charter. Freshman Aubrei Smith added to the Quakers' offense, but with another two buckets by Owens and two drives by eighth-grader Azzure O'Connor, GA was ahead 17-11 at the end of the opening period.

Late in the second quarter, a trey by Bowes from the left corner opened up the score to 30-19. The Quakers were able to draw closer in the final minute with four free throws, two by Bethea and one each by Smith and junior Marleigh Jackson. GA picked up a short baseline jumper from junior Sylvie Harrington as the half ended at 32-23.

The Patriots' superior height was having an effect in the rebounding game, but in the third quarter the Quakers fought them to a 15-15 draw, and the fourth frame began with a 47-38 tally.

With Bowes popping in two more three-point field goals early in the last quarter, Germantown nudged its lead into double digits, ahead 57-46 with six minutes to go. Motivated during a time-out, the Quakers held GA at 57 points while Bethea made a lay-up off a steal and Jackson scored in transition after Charter pulled down a defensive rebound.

Now GA paused the action to talk things over, leading 57-50 with 3:46 on the ticker. The Patriots' McKee received a pass from senior point guard Jessica Kolecki and put in a lay-up, but then Bethea canned an extra-long three-pointer from the right wing to get the Quakers within six points, 59-53.

McKee continued to step up for GA, scoring on a drive and then rebounding a PC miss at the other end. The Pats took another time-out, now up 61-53 with 2:12 to go.

Charter then committed its fifth team foul of the quarter, and McKee went to the free throw line. She put in her first toss and missed the second, and after the loose ball was batted around in the air several times, McKee recovered it herself and made a lay-up, spreading the score to 64-53.

GA committed a foul on the open floor, but it was only the Patriots' second of the period. The Quakers maintained possession, and with 32 seconds left Smith lobbed in a "three" from the right flank. This would be the final field goal of the game, and two made free throws by Bowes locked in GA's winning margin of 10 points, 66-56.

McKee and Bowes scored 19 and 18 points, respectively, for the Patriots, who received 10 points from Owens and seven from O'Connor. Bowes has signed with Millersville University, while her classmate, Kolecki, does not plan to play in college. GA will still have plenty of returning talent, along with some new additions.

In Tuesday's game Bethea poured in a game-high 23 points for Penn Charter, while sophomore Laila Sharp contributed 15 points and Smith scored 10. Bethea is moving on to play for St. Joseph's University, but Jackson will be back as a strong senior leader. Injured sophomore Mia DeBenedetto should return to action, and the young Sharp and Smith flourished this season for the Quakers.