Greensburg C.C.-Southern Columbia PIAA soccer championship capsule for Nov. 20, 2021

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, November 19, 2021 | 5:50 PM

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PIAA Class A girls soccer championship

Greensburg Central Catholic (18-2) vs. Southern Columbia (18-7)

11 a.m. Saturday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey

Coaches: Olivia Kruger, GCC; Derek Stine, Southern Columbia

Players to watch: Sara Felder, Jr., F, GCC; Loren Gehret, Jr., F, Southern Columbia

Road to Hershey: GCC — Defeated Mercer, 3-2; Freedom, 1-0; and Steel Valley, 2-1; Southern Columbia — Defeated Harrisburg Christian, 5-1; Faith Christian, 2-0; and South Williamsport, 2-0

PIAA titles: GCC 2 (2012, ’13); Southern Columbia 2 (2018, ’20)

TV: PCN (live)

Corner kicks: This is a title rematch, and the teams’ third meeting in the PIAA championship in eight years. … WPIAL runner-up GCC returns to the PIAA final after losing last year to Southern Columbia, 2-1. Then-sophomore forward Loren Gehret had both goals in that game for the Tigers, who also bring back senior Myranda Malacusky, senior defender Colby Bernhard and senior goalkeeper Mackenzie Palacz, among other starters from last year’s final. … Gehret had 52 goals last season and has 40 this year (20 assists). She has more than 50 career assists. … Senior Tatum Gretz, a Villanova commit, had the lone goal for GCC in last year’s physical game that saw the Tigers play five in the back line. She has over 100 career scores. Gretz (26 goals), junior Sara Felder (38 goals) and freshman Riley Kerr (23 goals) are all double-digit scorers for the Centurions, who have played in six straight one-goal games. … Kruger returned to the sideline in the semifinals 11 days after having her first child. Assistant Hope Creamer, a Greensburg Salem and Seton Hill alum, had been in charge in the meantime. … Felder overcame a knee injury in the first half against Steel Valley to score a goal in the 2-1 win. Freshman Addison Vacanti also scored, and senior goalkeeper Lyndsey Szekely had eight saves, including one from point-blank range in the 79th minute. … Gehret and Malacusky scored for Southern Columbia in a 2-0 win over South Williamsport in the other semifinal. Palacz was strong in goal in the win, which moved the Tigers closer to their third title in four years. The first time was in 2018 when they defeated Freedom, 3-2, in overtime. … When GCC won its last state title in 2013, it lost the WPIAL final to Shady Side Academy, 4-2. It defeated Southern Columbia, 2-1, in the state final. … It beat Conwell-Egan, 5-1, to win the title in ’12. … This will be the Centurions’ seventh appearance in the PIAA championship. They lost Class 2A finals in 2005 (Villa Maria, 4-2), ’06 (South Williamsport, 3-1) and ’14 (Trinity, 3-0). … Southern Columbia is known for being a state football powerhouse.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C.