Jayla Peterson hits milestone in Greensburg Central Catholic’s statement win over Bishop Guilfoyle

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, January 31, 2026 | 10:39 PM

Milestones have a way of following high-level basketball teams on their journey through banner seasons.

They are organic rewards that come with the territory. Bonus material on a pathway to the prize.

The milestones keep coming for the Greensburg Central Catholic girls, who saw senior Jayla Peterson score her 1,000th career point in a hard-fought 57-51 victory over Bishop Guilfoyle on Saturday night at the Shootout at Saint Vincent.

The win at SVC’s Carey Center capped a big week for the Centurions (14-4), the No. 2-ranked team in WPIAL Class 3A that has now won six in a row and eight of nine.

Senior point guard Erica Gribble was nominated for the McDonald’s All-American Game on Friday, and Chris Skatell picked up his 100th win as head coach a night earlier.

Gribble, a Richmond recruit and GCC’s all-time leading scorer, made five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 24 points, Peterson added 12, and junior Nolan Althof had 11 as GCC held back the physical Marauders (17-1) and handed them their first loss.

Bishop Guilfoyle is ranked No. 1 in the state in Class A.

“That is a really good team we just played,” Skatell said. “They ran some good stuff and used their bench well. This shows what happens when you commit to playing team defense.”

Peterson, who needed 10 points for 1,000, reached her goal with a scooping bank shot from high off the glass at the 5:40 mark of the fourth quarter. A defender was late on a switch, and Peterson saw an opening.

“I took a Euro-step and chucked it up, and it went in,” said Peterson, a Division II Wheeling commit. “I put a lot of pressure on myself tonight.

“(Bishop Guilfoyle) is a good team. They might be better than Shady Side (Academy). This shows we can play with them.”

Defending WPIAL champion GCC plays at Shady Side Academy (15-2) on Monday, looking to earn a section split.

They will need continued strong play from Gribble and Peterson — and the usual supporting cast — to beat the Bulldogs, the state’s top-ranked 3A team.

Skatell appreciates coaching players like Peterson, who scored a small percentage of her points at Indiana before transferring as a sophomore.

“She is such an unselfish player,” he said. “She’s a point guard by nature. She understands she is going to find (her points). She is a complete player and a great kid to have on the team.”

GCC led 18-9 after the first quarter, 26-23 at the half and pulled into the fourth ahead 41-29.

But the Marauders didn’t go quietly into an icy night. Despite GCC seeing its lead shrink to six before growing it back to 11 at 51-40, Bishop Guilfoyle closed the gap to three with just less than a minute to play.

Junior Morgan Ruggery hit a 3 and then scored off a steal to make it 51-45. Then, sophomore Layona Williams and sophomore Mary Haigh both made 3s to pull within 54-51 with 46 seconds left.

Gribble, though, made two free throws, and Peterson made one as GCC calmed the situation.

“This is our best win of the year,” Skatell said. “It gives us confidence. You need to have games like this. One of those games you’re not sure you can win. This shows us we can win it.”

Peterson is glad to share company on the scoring list with Gribble, a longtime AAU teammate and friend.

“Me and Gribbs have known each other since fifth grade,” Peterson said. “She is a great player. She finds me on the court. We play well together.”

GCC made 16 of 22 free throws, including 7 of 12 in the fourth.

Ruggery finished with 16 points and Haig had 13 for the Marauders.

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.