Greensburg Central Catholic girls basketball ready for new class

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, July 26, 2024 | 10:32 PM

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Greensburg Central Catholic was a class above the competition in WPIAL Class 2A last girls basketball season when it captured its sixth district championship.

Next season, the Centurions won’t be able to defend their title because they are moving up a classification, to 3A.

The move is because of a PIAA rule.

Mostly indifferent to the change, coach Chris Skatell was surprised at first when the PIAA alerted the school that the team had collected enough competitive-balance points to move up.

“You try not to worry about things you can’t control,” Skatell said. “We were getting familiar with the teams we were playing. At least the travel seems normal, and we won’t be traveling all over God’s green earth, so to speak.”

GCC finished 23-7 and made the PIAA semifinals for the second straight season, which added competitive-balance points to its count. The PIAA’s fairness system is reflective of state-playoff success the past two years and also takes transfers into account.

“It will be different,” Skatell said.”You had teams that won state titles and did not go up. We lose in the state semifinals two years in a row and get moved up. We didn’t want to appeal it. When you look at the language of the rule, it’s correct.”

GCC was hoping to get another chance at Kennedy Catholic, but the two-time defending PIAA champions are staying in 2A. Kennedy Catholic has Class A enrollment and tallied more competitive-balance points than GCC but does not have to move up, likely because it had less transfers.

“We always wanted the challenge,” Skatell said. “We wanted to try to beat them.”

Key players set to return for GCC include standout guard Erica Gribble, Jayla Peterson and Abby Dlugos.

Skatell said GCC needs to tweak its nonsection schedule to make room for more section games. The Centurions will have to play 14 section games.

Section 2-3A will include GCC, Avonworth, Shady Side Academy, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Ligonier Valley, South Allegheny and Steel Valley.

Shady Side Academy is the defending WPIAL 3A champion. Avonworth won the title two years ago.

“This is for two years,” Skatell said. “We’ll see what happens after that.”

GCC’s move will reunite a pair of coaches who used to work together on the GCC staff: Former Centurions coach Sam Salih coaches Deer Lakes.

GCC has made the WPIAL playoffs 24 straight times.

Basketball practice officially starts Nov. 15.

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.