PHILADELPHIA — It had been almost 1,100 days since Germantown Academy’s ice hockey team last won the Independence Hockey League Championship, something that once seemed like a guarantee for the Patriots. After winning four IHL titles from 2017-22, Germantown Academy made its return to the championship game, facing off against Academy of the New Church, the same team they defeated 3-2 on Feb. 17, 2022, for their last title.

Just like three years ago, the red, black, and blue proved to be too much for the Lions. This time, however, the Patriots dominated with an 11-4 victory.

“They left everything out there and fought hard,” Head Coach DeLane Doyle said. “It just shows that every skater and every minute matters. We took a lot of penalties tonight, so everyone needed to step up in different moments and dig deep. It was an awesome way to put the season together.”

The championship win caps off a seven-game streak for the Patriots, who were unbeaten in their last 11 games, with their only setback being a tie to ANC on Jan. 7. Doyle said that the turning point of the season came after just the third game.

“We lost to Hill School and we’re sitting there with seven guys on the bench, wondering how we could keep going, and then we had a huge win against EA,” Doyle said. “That moment, I think, brought us all together and we’ve been running since.”

In the third matchup of the season against ANC, GA was running early. Daniel Alexander ’25 tallied his first of four goals with 9 minutes to play in the first period, while Kelly Matozzo ’28 scored his first of three goals 8 minutes later. JP McGill ’26 put GA ahead, 3-0, with 12:48 left in the second period, only for the Lions to find the back of the net 13 seconds later. After a flurry of goals from both teams, including one each by captain Dominic Perazza ’25, McGill, Alexander, and Mick Tronoski ’28, GA led 7-4 entering the final period. In that frame, the Patriots outscored ANC, 4-0, with Matozzo and Alexander netting two apiece.

“This feels awesome,” Perazza said. “I feel like we should’ve won in 2023, but we choked a game away to Episcopal Academy in the semifinals. This game wasn’t over until the final buzzer, and when it sounded, it felt amazing.

It’s been a battle to get back here, and a lot of it was knowing our roles. Daniel and Kelly are goal scorers. Our three in the back -- JP, Jack Stone (’27) and me -- we have great chemistry. And we can’t forget about Joey [Lonergan ’27] in net. They had 34 shots, and he kept us in the game when they were really pummeling them in there.”

Germantown Academy finished the season with a 10-1-2 overall record, going unbeaten in league play at 7-0-1. The Patriots were prolific on offense, scoring 98 goals, an average of 7.5 per game, while allowing 50, an average of 3.8 per game.

GA Stats

Daniel Alexander: 4 goals, 3 assists

Kelly Matozzo: 3 goals, 2 assists

JP McGill: 2 goals

Dominic Perazza: 1 goal

Mick Tronoski: 1 goal, 2 assists

Jack Stone: 2 assists

Harrison Steinberg: 1 assist