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Germantown Academy QB Xavier Stearn is coming off a record-setting season, and he’s not done yet | Aaron Carter

ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON INQUIRER.COM ON SEPT. 13, 2024 | BY AARON CARTER

As if Germantown Academy quarterback Xavier Stearn wasn’t enough of a challenge for opponents, the 6-foot-6 junior with the rocket right arm added another element to his arsenal.

Stearn, who set two school records last year, finished with five touchdown passes in a 49-26 victory against Father Judge on Sept. 6.

Perhaps just as concerning for opposing defenses should be the two rushing touchdowns Stearn authored.

“I can probably count on my hand how many times [I ran] last year,” Stearn said, sitting inside an office on the private school’s sprawling Fort Washington campus. “The two rushing touchdowns felt good. We’ve been working on the run game for me all summer and into camp. Last week in practice, we ran it a bunch. It was good to finally see it all work out in a game.”

Last year, Stearn, whose first offer came from Penn in July, threw for a single-season school-record 2,226 yards and 188 completions.

Then-coach Matt Dence marveled at Stearn’s arm strength and how his footwork helped him navigate the pocket.

Stearn, though, rarely used his feet to get downfield.

“I would throw the ball away or force something,” Stearn said. “There were a couple plays [last week] where I’m rolling out and just got 5 [yards], got down, and lived to fight another day. I feel like that’s a big part of my game that’s taken a jump from last year.”

Dence, who had taken over the program in 2012 and won a league title in 2016, stepped down after last season. One of his former players, Kyle Donahue, a 2014 grad, took over this season.

Donahue has worked with Stearn since he was in middle school and has noticed much growth in his pupil.

“Just the way he’s attacking the details of pass protection, the run game,” Donahue said. “The details of playing QB besides just throwing it.”

In previous seasons, Donahue explained, he has been reluctant to risk quarterback-designed runs for fear of injury.

Caution still wins the day, but last week Stearn coaxed his coach into adding a few QB runs in the game plan.

It isn’t just the designed runs, though, that have added to Stearn’s game.

The Patriots’ first touchdown last week came during a broken play. Stearn rolled right, bought time with his legs, and hit Mick McKee for a score.

Through two games this season, Stearn is 28-for-51 passing for 436 yards and nine touchdowns with two more tallies on the ground.

He also has yet to throw an interception.

McKee is a 6-2 junior receiver who leads the Patriots (1-1) with 13 receptions and five touchdowns. Senior receiver AJ Towsen, who last year set single-season school records for receptions (70), receiving yards (984), and touchdowns (11), figures to make GA’s offense formidable during Inter-Ac play.

GA didn’t win a league game last year and lost to rival Penn Charter to end the season.

“Going 0-5 just motivates me and everybody else in the building to get better,” Stearn said, “and just win more games this year.”