Though Greensburg Central Catholic has spent much of the high school hockey season hovering around the .500 mark, the Centurions have reason to believe they can qualify for the PIHL Class AA playoffs and make a spirited run once they get there.
Greensburg Central (9-11-1) had been playing some of its best hockey of the season during a late-season stretch run, having won three in a row before hitting the skids earlier this month and dropping three in a row. But with just one game to play against winless Knoch (0-19), the Centurions still have a shot at advancing to postseason play.
A more poignant reason for optimism is that they can still harbor dreams of reclaiming the glory of a program that won three state championships in the 1990s is the fact that the Centurions' strengths and style of play lend themselves to pulling off an upset or two come playoff time.
"We're confident we can beat anybody, keep up with anybody in this league," said Brett Bucholtz, one of the team's captains. "Not one person in this locker room thinks differently. I think if we keep that attitude, we'll stay right in there in the thick of things."
Greensburg Central Catholic had allowed the third-least amount of goals this season among PIHL Class AA teams. The team's lone seniors -- and two of the three captains -- are defensemen, and its goalie was named to the all-star team.
To boot, the Centurions are an extremely young team, so it would stand to reason they would improve with each game and play their best hockey come playoff time.
Tight-checking teams strong on defense should be able to stay in games and, with a bounce here or there going the right way for a goal or two, who knows what can happen?
"We have a defensive system, and the kids are picking it up very well," said Bill Bucholtz, the Centurions' coach and Brett's father. "We play man-to-man in the defensive zone and a 1-2-2 forecheck, and the kids are improving with it. We go back into a 2-1-2 at neutral ice and man-to-man in the defensive zone. The kids have been with me a long time -- since they were pretty young, on and off. They understand the system."
The goalie is junior Ryan Homanics, who has a 2.73 goals-against average and .898 save percentage. He also plays for the Amateur Penguins traveling team.
"He saves us in games a lot," Brett Bucholtz said. "He shows up and plays hard for us every night. We can't ask for anything more than what we get out of him."
The defensemen are led by seniors Bucholtz and Dan Denezza, who have taken on leadership roles on the team this season with the loss of three of the team's best players this offseason to high-level junior amateur teams across the country.
"We've done a good job at preventing goals," Bill Bucholtz said. "We just had trouble scoring them sometimes. But we do have some younger kids who are picking it up."
Among the Centurions' top three scorers, two are freshmen. Junior Nick Vukmaravich has team-highs in points (30) and goals (21), with juniors Chris Kovalchuk (24 points) and Nick Persichetti (19) next on the Greensburg Central scoring list. Junior David Mattock was second on the team in goals with 14.
Despite being in only fourth place in the Class AA East Division, the Centurions are in good shape to earn a playoff berth, and from there, anything can happen. GCC is currently tied with South Park for 10th in the overall AA standings and the top 12 qualify for the playoffs.
Of course, a victory Monday against Knoch would help take away any doubt.
"By the looks of it, Pine-Richland is a cut above everybody," Bill Bucholtz said. "But from 2 down to 10, I think anyone can beat anyone. "
Bucholtz pointed to a victory against Thomas Jefferson Nov. 30 as proof. The Jaguars are ranked among the top teams in the state.
First Published: February 22, 2007, 5:00 a.m.