Before the 2025-26 high school basketball season began, the Greensburg Central Catholic girls set their sights on several goals. While some of those goals were denied by Shady Side Academy, including a three-peat in the WPIAL Championship, one goal remained intact after that loss. That final objective was a state title, and after getting vengeance against the Bulldogs earlier this week, the Centurions achieved that goal on Thursday, defeating Holy Redeemer 52-41 to capture the PIAA Class 3A Championship at the GIANT Center in Hershey.

As a result, Greensburg Central Catholic (24-7) won state gold for the second time, and first since 1997. Additionally, the Centurions became the first basketball team from Westmoreland County to win a PIAA final since the Jeannette boys in 2008.

“We’ve talked about it as a team from when we started in November - this was our end goal,” noted GCC head coach Chris Skatell.

“You have three seniors who lead the team. They understand that there’s two sets of playoffs,” Skatell said, referencing the team rebounding after the WPIAL title setback. “The goal kind of came back into focus.”

On Thursday, the Centurions faced a team with a similar objective in Holy Redeemer, as the Royals finished as runners-up from District 2.

Although GCC had the upper hand for most of the first half, the Royals made surges in the third and fourth quarters, briefly taking the lead. However, the Centurions ultimately withstood that flurry, and an 8-0 run allowed them to restore control. With star senior Erica Gribble leading the way, the Centurions closed the game out with success at the foul line.

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Gribble, who finished her storied career with the third-most points in Westmoreland County girls basketball history, paced GCC 18 points, including 5-of-6 at the foul line in the fourth quarter, while also collecting nine rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Jayla Peterson, also a 1,000-point scorer, contributed 17 points and five assists, while Avery Jones and Nolan Althof scored seven and six points, respectively.

The contest opened with both teams knocking down shots from behind the arc, as Gribble and Peterson staked GCC to a 6-0 lead, but McKenzie Chimock hit a pair of 3-pointers of her own to tie the score. Peterson and Chimock continued to exchange baskets, as each player tallied nine points in the quarter, with GCC holding a narrow advantage, 16-15.

Defense came to the forefront of the next two quarters, as both teams were held to single digits in the second stanza. Jones picked up the slack for GCC, scoring six of the nine points in the frame, while Chimock continued to do the heavy lifting for the Royals, scoring five more points.

Greensburg Central Catholic’s 25-22 halftime edge was quickly erased in the third, as the Royals scored the first four points to take the lead. That would be the last time that Holy Redeemer had the upper hand, though, as the Centurions hit a trio of trifectas in the period to take a 36-30 lead to the fourth.

The Centurions continued to play strong defense in the final quarter, and went 12-of-18 at the foul line to hoist the trophy.

While just six players saw the floor in the contest for GCC, Skatell noted that the success of the entire season was a group effort.

“It’s nice to have great players, but in the end, you need everybody that’s there to help you get to where you’re going,” he stated.

“I told them in the locker room ‘You guys will walk together for the rest of your life,”’ he continued. “No matter what else happens, no one can take a state title away from you. It’s very hard to get, and you guys got it.”

Chimock paced the Royals with a game-high 20 points, while Gillian Parsons added seven points and nine rebounds for Holy Redeemer.