Football - Jeannette vs Greensburg Central Catholic

October 14, 2023

GCC Overcomes First Half Deficit to Beat Jeannette 42-24

They are two of the smallest schools in Westmoreland County, but when they meet on the gridiron, it's arguably one of the area's fiercest rivalries.

Greensburg Central Catholic overcame an 11-point Jeannette lead late in the third quarter, outscoring the Jayhawks 35-6 down the stretch, to win 42-24 on Friday, October 13, in front of the homecoming crowd at Jeannette's McKee Stadium.

After GCC received the opening kickoff and was forced to punt when their drive stalled, Jeannette went to work. Relying heavily on the ground game, the Jayhawks marched down the field to break the ice, scoring on a 5-yard run by Noah Sanders. The extra point kick was blocked, and Jeannette held a 6-0 lead.

The Centurions bounced right back, with Samir Crosby's kickoff return setting up an 8-yard Tyree Turner to Crosby touchdown pass. Jacob Reitler, who was a perfect 6-for-6 on the night, booted the extra point through the uprights for a 7-6 GCC lead that held through the end of the first quarter.

Jeannette went back on top with 3:03 remaining in the first half on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Payton Molter to Jayce Powell. The two-point conversion attempt failed, and Jeannette took a 12-7 lead to the locker room.

Following the halftime crowning of their homecoming queen, Jeannette took the second half kickoff and quickly extended their lead. Jeremiah Williamson was on the receiving end of a 36-yard TD pass from Molter, and another failed conversion made Jeannette's lead 18-7.

But like any great rivalry game, it isn't over until it's over. The Centurions racked up two scores in just over 2 -1/2 minutes to regain the advantage over the Hawks. First it was Turner hitting Luke Semelka with an 11-yard TD pass to make it 18-14. Then, following a Jeannette turnover, Crosby carried into the endzone from 2 yards out to put GCC on top 21-18 heading to the final quarter.

Jeannette was forced to punt on their next possession, and with 11:09 left in the game, the Centurions padded their lead on Turner's 44-yard run to paydirt.

The Jayhawks, facing an uphill battle against mounting injuries, brought the game back to a one-score deficit when Michael Mason crossed the goal line in a scrum from one yard out. With another failed conversion, Jeannette trailed 28-24 with 6:56 to play.

It was as close as the Jayhawks would get. Only 37 seconds later. Turner added his second rushing touchdown, from 3 yards away, and put the game on ice. The Centurions added a 14-yard rushing touchdown by Crosby in the final minutes to make the final score GCC 42, Jeannette 24.

With two weeks remaining in conference play, Jeannette (6-2, 3-1) and GCC (5-3, 3-1) are tied for second place in the Class 1A Eastern Conference standings behind 4-0 Clairton. Next up for GCC is a home game with Riverview, while Jeannette goes on the road to Springdale.

Follow this link for a gallery of over 300 action photos from this game, available for purchase or social media sharing.

Keywords: boys, football, gcc, high school, jeannette, westmoreland county