Erica Gribble’s checklist still has a few empty boxes, a couple of which have been added late in the season.
So far, the standout senior point guard from Greensburg Central Catholic has:
• Broken the GCC girls and boys all-time scoring records.
• Scored more than 2,000 career points.
• Made it to another WPIAL championship game — she took silver this time after two straight golds.
Now, as she chases her first PIAA championship, she is tailing two other benchmarks.
GCC (19-7) will open the 3A state tournament at 7:30 Friday night against Cranberry (15-10) at Hampton.
Gribble has 2,292 career points, which puts her fourth on the girls’ all-time points list in Westmoreland County. While 3,000 points is out of the question, Gribble could finish third on the local list.
Southmoreland alum Vanessa Abel is third with 2,327 points, 35 ahead of Gribble, a Richmond commit.
For reference, two Monessen alums rank first and second. Gina Naccarato, the Monessen athletic director, is first — she has the WPIAL record — with 3,364 points. Charel Allen is second with 3,110.
Something else to watch: Gribble has made 284 career 3-pointers. If GCC makes a state run, she could challenge the WPIAL record for the most career 3-pointers. Katie Bulger of Oakland Catholic holds the mark of 302. She played from 1998-02 before a college career at West Virginia.
Ghost of PIAA past
It has been 17 years since a Westmoreland County team won a PIAA basketball championship.
Terrelle Pryor was the centerpiece of Jeannette’s 2008 Class 2A state-title run.
Three other local boys teams won state titles: Irwin (Class 2A, 1947, ‘48, ‘53, ‘54), Valley (3A, 1979), and Monessen (Class A, 1988, ‘89).
Area girls state champions include Franklin Regional (1979), Greensburg Central Catholic (1997) and Monessen (2004).
The Franklin Regional boys were the last county team to make the state final, in 2024.
Spisak in finals
Craig Spisak is getting ready for a new spring season as coach and hopes for a playoff run as head coach of the Norwin baseball team.
He made the finals in basketball.
Spisak, a longtime PIAA referee, officiated his seventh WPIAL championship when he worked the Class 5A boys game between Chartiers Valley and Thomas Jefferson last Saturday night at Petersen Events Center.
A retired state policeman, Spisak began reffing games in 1996. He has worked four girls finals and three on the boys side.
He also made calls for the 2011 girls PIAA 3A championship between Mercyhurst Prep and Archbishop Wood.
Cager picks
The annual Alle-Kiski Valley Cager Classic senior all-star games will be March 28 at Highlands.
Several players from Westmoreland County were selected to play in the event, which includes a skills competition at 7 p.m. March 27.
The girls East roster will include Casey Brancato of Burrell, Genna Sadoski of Franklin Regional and Gianna DeVito and Allison Pencak of Kiski Area.
Kiski Area’s Tom Brush, the former coach of Franklin Regional and Westmoreland County Community College, will coach the East.
The East boys will include county players Amaree Gonzalez and Aven Shirley of Kiski Area, Colin Holt of Franklin Regional, Sam Conte and Gavyn Orr of Burrell and Jaden Wall of Valley.
The girls game is set for 5:45 p.m. and the boys 7:45 on March 28.