High school notebook: Greensburg Central Catholic girls look to extend WPIAL golf title streak

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, October 10, 2021 | 5:23 PM

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Greensburg Central Catholic is climbing the stairway to seven.

The girls golf team will go for its seventh consecutive WPIAL championship Thursday at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Rostraver.

The Centurions will have to beat only three teams: Central Valley, Elizabeth Forward and Mt. Pleasant.

Last year, GCC won by 99 strokes.

Central Valley could push them as it returned its entire lineup from last year’s third-place team, including juniors Kennady Norton and Mya Mrkonja.

GCC, though, has been unbeatable against Class 2A competition. And it has a senior-heavy lineup that includes Meghan Zambruno, Ella Zambruno and Olivia Kana and sophomore Izzy Aigner, all of whom qualified for the PIAA 2A individual finals Oct. 18 in York.

GCC has won 60 straight section matches dating to 2016.

“It’s about carrying on tradition after what my sisters did here,” Meghan Zambruno said. “Winning championships is always the goal.”

The WPIAL girls golf team record for consecutive titles belongs to Upper St. Clair, which won 12 straight from 1994-2005. GCC’s streak ranks second.

The Sewickley Academy boys, who will have to advance out of a 10-team semifinal Tuesday at Meadowink Golf Course, will look to add to their WPIAL mark with a ninth straight title.

The boys finals also are Thursday at Cedarbrook.

Defending champion Franklin Regional, Belle Vernon, Hempfield and Penn-Trafford also will be in action in Tuesday’s 3A semifinals.

Franklin Regional and first-year program Hempfield, meanwhile, will compete in the girls 3A championship.

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Pitt offers Whitlock

Belle Vernon football star Devin Whitlock has his second preferred walk-on offer from a Power 5 school, and another local one, at that.

Pitt extended an opportunity to Whitlock, the 5-foot8, 165-pound senior, who plays quarterback and defensive back for the WPIAL Class 4A No. 1-ranked Leopards.

He also has a preferred walk-on offer from West Virginia. Youngstown State has offered a full scholarship.

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Derry wins “Ship”

Derry was one of five schools to win the annual WPIAL Sportsmanship Award, joining Hampton, Laurel, Moon and Upper St. Clair.

Derry previously won the award four times. The award has been around for 25 years and recognizes schools that “best demonstrate the elements of good sportsmanship.”

The WPIAL accepts nominations, then the district’s sportsmanship committee chooses the five winners.

Derry will receive a 4-by-6 banner to hang in its gymnasium.

The winning schools will be honored at the WPIAL Sportsmanship Summit set for Nov. 17 at Heinz History Center and Sports Museum.

Past winners from Westmoreland County are Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Southmoreland, Greensburg Salem, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford, Norwin, Hempfield, and Yough.

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On the run

The next Westmoreland County Coaches Association event will be this week. The annual boys and girls cross country championships are 3 p.m. Wednesday at Westmoreland County Community College.

Corinn Brewer of Greensburg Central Catholic will be back to defend her girls meet title from 2019. The races were canceled last year.

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P-T No. 1

The ranking and review website, Niche.com, lists Penn-Trafford as the No. 1 school district in Westmoreland County for athletes.

The school received a four-and-a-half star rating with an A-plus grading for athletics and an overall grade of A.

The top-9 list also includes Mt. Pleasant at No. 2, Norwin No. 3, Hempfield No. 4 and Jeannette No. 5, followed by Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Burrell and Greensburg Salem.

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Recruiting

Franklin Regional senior baseball player Thomas Nicely announced he will continue his playing career at Penn State Behrend.

– Sophomore basketball player Alayna Rocco, who plays at North Catholic but has ties to Westmoreland County, has four Division I offers after receiving one from Bowling Green.

The others are from Akron, Charlotte and Toledo.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Penn-Trafford