WPIAL girls basketball Class 3A season preview for 2025-26

By: Bill Hartlep
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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The Greensburg Central Catholic and Shady Side Academy girls basketball teams had their share of battles last season.

After the Bulldogs swept GCC in two Section 2 games, the Centurions got revenge in the WPIAL Class 3A final, winning 56-51.

Both teams return talented rosters and again should contend for section, WPIAL and possibly PIAA titles in Class 3A. Several others in the classification are hoping to find their way into the conversation as well.

Here is a rundown of players to watch, Top 5 teams and other notables in WPIAL Class 3A girls basketball this season.

Preseason Player of the Year

Mimi Thiero, Quaker Valley

6-4, senior, guard/forward

22.4 ppg last season

Players to watch

Skyler Gates, Brownsville

6-4, senior, forward

20.7 ppg last season

Erica Gribble, Greensburg Central Catholic

5-11, senior, guard

22.4 ppg last season

Jayla Peterson, Greensburg Central Catholic

5-8, senior, guard

14.3 ppg last season

Cassie Sauer, Shady Side Academy

6-2, senior, forward

15.2 ppg last season

Karis Thomas, Shady Side Academy

5-7, senior, guard

19.4 ppg last season

Preseason Top 5

1. Greensburg Central Catholic (22-6 last season)

The Centurions are chasing a third straight WPIAL championship behind a talented backcourt that includes senior all-state guard Erica Gribble (22.4 ppg), a Richmond recruit, and fellow senior guard Jayla Peterson (14.3 ppg), an all-section selection and Wheeling commit. Also back is guard Abby Dlugos, who was sidelined most of last season with a knee injury. Gribble is an ESPN Top 100 player who has 1,714 career points and needs 12 more to break the school girls scoring record.

2. Shady Side Academy (28-2 last season)

Shady Side Academy lost twice last season, both in championship games. Coach Jonna Burke returns an experienced roster that will try to avenge losses to GCC in the WPIAL final and to Loyalsock Township in the PIAA championship. The Bulldogs, who won a WPIAL title in 2024, were Section 2 champs at 14-0. Senior Karis Thomas, a Purdue Fort Wayne recruit, was selected first-team all-state after averaging 19.4 points. She scored 89 points in three district playoff games, including 46 points in a semifinal win over Ellwood City. Also back is senior Cassie Sauer (15.2 ppg), a third-team all-state forward committed to Chicago.

3. OLSH (25-5 last season)

OLSH claimed the Section 1 title at 14-0 last season. The Chargers went on to reach the WPIAL semifinals before falling to GCC but avenged that loss in the PIAA tournament. Coach Don Eckerle has more than 400 career wins. OLSH graduated all-state guard Claudia Ierullo (16.0 ppg), who is now at Slippery Rock. Seniors Lola Garner (8 ppg, 5 rpg), Leah Parker (10 ppg, 6 rpg) and Sara Daeschner are among key returning players, though Daeschner will be sidelined with an injury to start the season.

4. Keystone Oaks (20-5 last season)

Keystone Oaks shared the Section 3 title last season and reached the PIAA tournament. The Golden Eagles held opponents to 36.8 points per game. Guard Laney Wagner graduated after averaging 19.2 points. Senior forwards Payton Hamilton and Hannah York and junior guard Nina Deweese are among returning contributors.

5. Quaker Valley (15-10 last season)

Led by one of the nation’s top talents, Quaker Valley will try to again challenge for the Section 1 title. Senior Mimi Thiero, a 6-4 guard/forward, averaged almost 23 points, 16.5 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 blocks and 3 assists last season in earning first-team all-state recognition, leading the Quakers to the WPIAL quarterfinals. In September, Thiero — ranked No. 27 nationally by ESPN — committed to Maryland.

Notable

• The top four teams in sections of seven teams or less and top five teams in sections of eight teams qualify for the WPIAL playoffs.

• Beaver Falls (12-8) returns two all-section players — seniors Dreaven Haskins and Taylor Pullen — after finishing third in Section 1 at 9-5.

• Ellwood City (15-11) reached the WPIAL semifinals last season but will miss graduated all-section guards Kayla Jones and Delaney Sturgeon.

• Avonworth (18-9) was a PIAA qualifier last season after finishing third in Section 2. The Lopes graduated all-section guards Greta O’Brien (20.6 ppg) and Emma Obersteiner. O’Brien was an all-state honoree. Senior guard Bria Onyshko returns. Junior Peyton Lynch transferred from Allderdice but was ruled ineligible for the season.

• Seton LaSalle (16-7) shared the Section 3 title at 11-1 last season. The Rebels will miss graduated all-section guard Tiara Curry (17.3 ppg).

• Brownsville (13-10) will feature Skyler Gates, a 6-4 senior forward and Virginia volleyball commit who was a third-team all-state selection after averaging 20.7 points.

• Senior guard Olivia Woods (18 ppg) returns to lead Washington (8-14) after earning all-section laurels.

Alignment

Section 1: Beaver Falls, Ellwood City, Mohawk, New Brighton, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Quaker Valley, Riverside, Sto-Rox

Section 2: Avonworth, Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Greensburg Central Catholic, Ligonier Valley, Shady Side Academy, South Allegheny, Steel Valley

Section 3: Brownsville, Charleroi, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey, Seton LaSalle, Washington, Waynesburg

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Brownsville, Ellwood City, Greensburg C.C., Keystone Oaks, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Quaker Valley, Seton La Salle, Shady Side Academy, Washington