Westmoreland high school notebook: GCC girls going for 4th straight golf title

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, October 6, 2018 | 5:21 PM

Greensburg Central Catholic girls golf could win as many titles in a row as there have been Zambrunos on the team in recent years: four.

The Centurions are in the four-team WPIAL Class AA championship field Thursday at Cedarbrook in Rostraver. If they can get past Elizabeth Forward, Sewickley Academy and Central Valley, they will join three other girls programs with at least four straight titles.

Blackhawk won four in a row from 1977-80. North Allegheny did it from 1986-89, and the standard bearer, Upper St. Clair, won 12 straight from 1994-2005.

WPIAL golf broke into two divisions for the girls in 2012.

GCC, led by the Zambruno sisters — senior Abby and twin freshmen Ella and Meghan — finished the regular season 13-0.

Recent graduate Olivia Zambruno, now at Penn State, helped GCC start its championship run.

Gerry Police took over the coaching duties at GCC this year after the retirement of longtime coach George Janik.

Police admits there isn’t much coaching to do, but this team sometimes needs … a Police escort?

“With Hanna Norton and Angelika Dewicki also playing well, this team only needed me to get them to the course on time,” Police said. “Abby, Meghan and Ella are exceptional young players who help each other as well as their teammates. I have relied on Abby and Hanna to help me structure practices and dress appropriately for matches.

“I am confident that all five girls will take this team far into the playoffs again this year.”

Golf playoffs set

A few other Westmoreland teams will try to join the GCC at Cedarbrook.

GCC and Penn-Trafford have their boys and girls teams in the postseason.

The GCC boys will play in the Class AA semifinal tournament Tuesday at Meadowink Golf Course in Murrysville, alongside Eden Christian, Elizabeth Forward, Hopewell, Mt. Pleasant, Quaker Valley, Riverside and South Park.

Penn-Trafford’s boys will be at the Class AAA semifinal at Buffalo Golf Course in Freeport with Blackhawk, Fox Chapel, Hampton, Mt. Lebanon, Seneca Valley, Shady Side Academy and South Fayette.

The Penn-Trafford girls, who won back-to-back Class AAA titles in 2012-13, open with semifinal play Monday at Rolling Acres Golf Club in Beaver Falls with Blackhawk, Butler, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Mars, Mt. Lebanon, North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and Upper St. Clair.

The Latrobe boys will play at the other Class AAA semifinal at Village Green in Hickory with Baldwin, Belle Vernon, Central Catholic, Moon, Peters Township, Pine-Richland and Thomas Jefferson.

The top three teams at each boys site and the top four at the girls site advance to the finals Thursday at Cedarbrook.

D-I on the diamond

With junior outfielder/pitcher Bobby Lane committing to Cincinnati, Penn-Trafford continues to build a pipeline to Division I baseball.

Warriors coach Dan Miller has coached at least one Division I prospects in his four seasons.

The others are Josh Spiegel (Oklahoma State), Zach Mancz (Pitt) and Scott Koscho (Navy).

Lane, rated as the No. 8 best outfielder in the Class of 2020 by Prep Baseball Report, also had an offer from Seton Hall.

“I just really like the coaches, facilities and the atmosphere of campus,” Lane said of Cincinnati. “It just felt like the right fit for me.”

FR strong

How good has the Franklin Regional boys soccer team been? Consider: the Panthers have posted a shutout in nine of their 11 games. The have yet to allow more than one goal in a game and have outscored their opponents 47-2.

Alumni game

The third annual Norwin Baseball Alumni Game is set for Oct. 20 at the Norwin High School field.

Wooden bats will be used, and batting practice will begin at 10 a.m.

Jason Seidling, director of communications for the Pittsburgh Penguins and a Norwin graduate, is co-running the event.

More information: norwinbaseballalumni@gmail.com.

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

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