WPIAL Class A boys soccer preview: No. 1 Greensburg Central Catholic vs. No. 2 Winchester Thurston

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, November 6, 2020 | 5:03 PM

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Class A

Championship

2-Winchester Thurston (14-1) vs. 1-Greensburg Central Catholic (14-1)

3 p.m. Saturday, Antimarino Stadium, Gateway HS, Monroeville

Coaches: Adam Brownold, Winchester Thurston; Tyler Solis, GCC

How they got here: Winchester Thurston defeated Riverside, 6-0; Brentwood, 6-2; and Sewickley Academy, 2-1. GCC beat Aquinas Academy, 7-5; Eden Christian Academy, 1-0; and Springdale, 2-0.

WPIAL championships: Winchester Thurston 1 (2014); GCC 4 (2003, ‘04, ‘09, ‘19)

Corner kicks: This is one of the hottest-running rivalries in Class A. The Section 2 co-champions have met three times in the postseason since 2017 and all three have been one-goal games. GCC won the WPIAL final, 1-0, over the Bears, who then answered with a 2-1 overtime win in the PIAA semifinals. … In 37 all-time meetings since 2004, GCC is 27-10 against the Bears. The series has seen 12 one-goal finishes. This year, each team won at home: GCC, 3-2, and Winchester, 3-0. … GCC sophomore speedster Carlo Denis has 31 goals. Senior defender Seth Skowronek had two goals in the semifinals, giving him five for the season. Four have come on penalty kicks. … Alex Hauskrecht had the game-winning goal for the Bears in overtime against Sewickley Academy. Winchester has nine shutouts and has scored six or more goals eight times. … Beck Buchanan scored two breakaway goals in the state semifinal win last year. … The winner advances to the PIAA playoffs and will open against the District 5 champion Nov. 14 in WPIAL territory.

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., Winchester Thurston