Greensburg Central Catholic football team staggered by death of 2 assistant coaches in 5 days

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, November 4, 2021 | 10:53 PM

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Greensburg Central Catholic is dealing with the unfathomable loss of two assistant football coaches.

A pair of assistants died within five days of each other this week, leaving the Centurions stunned and saddened on the eve of their WPIAL playoff opener.

Joseph Oslosky was killed Thursday in a vehicle accident, head coach Marko Thomas confirmed, and William “B.J.” Farrell died Sunday from an undisclosed cause.

Oslosky, the offensive line coach, was 44. Farrell, who guided the defensive linemen, was 41.

State police said Oslosky, 44, was driving east on College Avenue in Hempfield at 9 a.m. Thursday. He crashed into the rear of a Ford F-550 that troopers said was traveling slowly near Spanish Villa Drive. Oslosky died at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital.

The driver of the truck also was taken to a hospital. Police said the Ford’s passenger was not hurt.

Both coaches leave behind young families.

The news of Oslosky’s death came in while GCC was practicing Thursday, hours after Farrell’s funeral.

“They both have two middle-school aged kids. I feel so bad for their kids and families,” Thomas said. “I lost two of my best friends in a matter of days. They coached with me for a long time. It’s heartbreaking. It’s pretty hard to concentrate on football right now, to be honest.”

Thomas said practice came to an abrupt stop after about an hour Thursday, and he broke the news to his players and immediately tried to console them.

GCC is scheduled to play Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at 7 p.m. Friday at Hempfield in a Class A first-round game.

GCC athletic director Dan Mahoney said the Centurions will play.

“The kids said they want to play (Friday),” Thomas said. “They want to play for those guys. I just hope they’re in the right state of mind. I’m still just sick to my stomach.”

Oslosky and Thomas were high school teammates at Penn-Trafford.

Both Oslosky and Farrell were assistants with Thomas at Connellsville.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Greensburg C.C.