‘We want to win another one’: Greensburg C.C. girls earn another finals meeting with rival Shady Side Academy

By: Antonio Rossetti
Sunday, February 22, 2026 | 3:00 PM

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Greensburg Central Catholic girls basketball has traveled the path to the Petersen Events Center for the third consecutive season.

The Centurions will don the maroon and gray in a WPIAL Class 3A championship rematch against Shady Side Academy at 7 p.m. Thursday.

GCC downed the Bulldogs last season 56-51.

“It’s super exciting,” GCC guard Erica Gribble said. “You don’t get this opportunity all the time, especially senior year, so we’re really excited and we want to win another one.”

Gribble, a Richmond commit, tallied 27 points to spearhead the Centurions in a 67-30 victory against No. 2 Beaver Falls on Saturday.

The Centurions boast three senior leaders: Gribble, Jayla Peterson and Abby Dlugos.

Gribble shined in the previous two championship victories, scoring 28 as a sophomore in a win over Serra Catholic in the Class 2A final and notching 31 points against Shady Side Academy last season.

Dlugos missed the WPIAL title victory last season while recovering from an ACL injury.

“These two mean the most to me,” Gribble said of her senior teammates. “They’re my best friends. We’ve played together all four years. Missing Abby last year hurt a lot, so being able to experience this together now is awesome.”

Peterson, who scored six straight points to stake her team to a 54-51 lead against Shady Side Academy last season, is excited for her chance on the grand stage at Pitt.

“When she got hurt last year, I cried,” Peterson said of Dlugos. “Having her back with us, I just want to see how we do with all three of us. We want to win it for her.”

Dlugos provides scrappy play on defense and on the glass, along with an ability to score around the basket and make smart passes to open teammates.

“I’m really excited to be back,” Dlugos said. “I was hurt last year and missed it, so I’m just excited to play in it this year.”

Reaching three straight finals was no easy task, said GCC coach Chris Skatell. He credited his team for persevering against Beaver Falls as well as OLSH in the quarterfinals.

“You have to play with confidence,” Skatell said. “You can’t worry about the missed shot or the turnover. You just have to be confident and let it flow.”

Skatell said defense is the most important part of playoff basketball. For the Centurions, their defense can turn into offense in transition, leading to quick scores and open shots. Getting stops gives them a chance to push the ball and prevent opponents from setting up on defense.

“I always tell them defense travels,” Skatell said. “If you defend and rebound, you give yourself a chance every night.”

A team with five starters who can shoot from beyond the arc has created problems for opponents.

Juniors Nolan Altoft and Avery Jones played a major role in their trip back to the finals.

“The juniors bring a lot,” Gribble said. “They played at the Pete last year, so they have experience, and they play with confidence.”

Jones pulled in 15 rebounds and tallied 13 points against Beaver Falls. Skatell said she has gotten better every game.

“Avery means a lot,” Dlugos added. “She’s improved so much as a player. She’s a huge asset for us. We’re all really close. We all get along. Our starting five are good friends, and that helps us play well together.”

GCC brings a strong starting five for another shot at Shady Side Academy. The Bulldogs defeated the Centurions both times in section play this season.

“You’ve got an opportunity. You’ve got a chance,” Skatell said. “Now let’s see what you do with it. It’s not like you don’t know who they are. And they know exactly who we are.”

Despite losing twice, this is a familiar situation to last season as Karis Thomas and the Bulldogs downed GCC in both regular-season games.

“Last year we lost to them twice in the section and then beat them when it mattered,” Peterson said. “We’re trying to do that again.”

Tags: Greensburg C.C.