Junior Abbey Bensman threw two touchdown passes to lead Pope to a 19-6 win over Pace Academy in the Division 3 final on Tuesday and claim its second straight championship.

Last year Bensman’s sister Riley led the Greyhounds to the title in 2023. Abbey played last season but has only been the Pope quarterback for six months. She completed 10 of 16 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns, giving her 83 this season.

“Having a good quarterback is one of the things that is vital,” Pope coach Kevin Fraser said. “There were two of the best quarterbacks in the state in this game and that’s not a coincidence. Abbey has only been playing quarterback for six months, so we get a whole other year of her.”

Pope (26-2) also got 34 yards rushing from Claire Huebecker, who caught two passes. Sarah Gentry completed two passes for 16 yards and intercepted a pass.

Pace Academy (21-4) was led by quarterback Harper Auchincloss, who completed 13 of 28 passes for 157 yards and one score. Katharine Nuckols, Lucy Fleming and Kiyah Burrell each had three receptions. Burrell had a game-high seven tackles.

Pope converted an interception into points when Bensman found Julia Acker for a 6-yard touchdown. After Pace turned the ball over on downs, Pope took advantage of the short field and scored on a 23-yard pass from Bensman to Addie Daughtry, who was wide open for the score.

Pope put the game away with a fourth-quarter touchdown, a 1-yard run by Gentry.

Pace Academy got its only touchdown with 4:15 remaining on a 13-yard pass from Auchincloss to Fleming.