When the Greensburg Central Catholic girls played at Shady Side Academy for the first time this season, the Bulldogs cruised to a lopsided 62-33 victory, limiting Erica Gribble to just nine points. When the teams met less than a month later, the host Centurions played on even terms through three quarters, but Shady Side Academy pulled away in the fourth for a 59-48 triumph, despite 26 points from Gribble. In the third clash between the squads on Thursday night in the WPIAL Class 3A Championship at the Petersen Events Center, the Centurions finally got over the hump, rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit to slay previously-undefeated Shady Side Academy 56-51, with Gribble providing a game-high 31 points and making crucial defensive plays to seal the victory.

As a result, the Centurions (21-5) captured the seventh WPIAL title in program history, and the second in a row, as GCC took gold in Class 2A a year ago. In the process, the Centurions denied the Bulldogs from repeating as WPIAL Class 3A champs.

While Gribble helped the Centurions enjoy a hot start, hitting a 3-pointer well beyond NBA range, the top-seeded Bulldogs held a 14-10 lead after the opening quarter, as Karis Thomas poured in seven points, while Cameron Capel stroked a pair of shots from behind the arc.

That lead grew in the second quarter for Shady Side Academy (24-1), with Thomas and Capel continuing to shoulder the scoring burden. Thomas, who scored 46 points in the semifinals victory against Ellwood City, accounted for 13 points in the opening half, while Capel contributed a dozen points, courtesy of four 3-pointers.

Conversely, Gribble led GCC with seven points in an otherwise sluggish offensive effort for the No. 2 Centurions in the first half.

LISTEN BACK TO BROADCAST

The momentum shifted in the third quarter, though, as Capel was held scoreless, while the absence of Shady Side Academy’s post threat Cassie Sauer began to loom large. Gribble, meanwhile, scored 10 points in the frame, while Jayla Peterson contributed five points after a quiet first half to pull GCC within four, at 37-33.

Gribble would not be denied in the fourth, as she poured in 14 more points, while also helping to slow Thomas and the rest of the Bulldogs’ attack. In addition to her scoring outburst, Gribble racked up a game-best five steals, including one that led to the go-ahead basket by Peterson with just 53 seconds left.

Peterson, who suffered an injury early in the game last year when GCC won the WPIAL title against Serra Catholic, posted 16 points on Thursday, including 14 in the second half. While the rest of the lineup combined for just nine points, Avery Jones and Nolan Althof each snagged eight rebounds, while Erica Rodriguez collected four boards.

In the setback, Thomas anchored the Bulldogs with 24 points, while Capel finished with a dozen points, and freshman Laila Banner added eight points.

Both teams will commence the PIAA Class 3A bracket next Friday.