ADAMS TWP — The Knoch boys soccer team had plenty of chances in the first half.

Still, the Knights entered halftime in a scoreless deadlock with Trinity, a team making its first WPIAL playoff appearance in boys soccer in 28 years.

“We had three (opportunities) in the first eight minutes and we should have put one of them away,” said Knoch boys soccer coach Malcolm Cook. “They are pretty defensive. Once we got the first goal, I knew we'd be OK.”

It just took a little longer than Cook expected to get that first tally.

But it finally came — and then another — as Knoch ousted Trinity, 2-0, in the first round of the WPIAL Class AA playoffs at the Mars Athletic Complex.

“It took at least a half longer than I would have liked,” Cook said.

That elusive first goal came off the foot of freshman Caleb Robb with 30:17 on the clock in the second half.

Ten minutes later, Ben Andrews dribbled to his left and uncorked a twisting left-footed shot that found the top left corner of the net for a 2-0 Knoch advantage.

“I've been around the soccer game a long time, and when you score a goal like that, it's worth the entrance fee,” Cook said. “I don't know what they paid to get in, but they should be paying double for that goal. It was a special goal.”

The goal gave Knoch (13-5) the breathing room it needed against the Hillers (12-4-3).

The Knights out-shot Trinity 10-2 in the first half and 18-5 in the match.

Knoch will play South Park (19-0), which has given up just four goals all season and beat Laurel Highlands, 7-1, in its first-round game, Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

“It's always difficult in the first round,” Cook said. “And we had four ninth-graders out there. They were nervous.”

Quaker Valley 2, Mars 0

Stunned.

It was a simple way to describe the look on the faces of members of the Mars boys soccer team after a 2-0 loss to Quaker Valley on their home field in the first round of the WPIAL Class AA playoffs.

And their coach, too.

“I have to give them credit,” said Mars coach Chris Knauff. “They put away their chances. They were strong defensively. We were a little bit off, but you can't take anything away from the game they played.”

Quaker Valley (11-7-2) got a goal from Walter Hubsch in the first half. It was the Quakers' only shot on goal in the first 40 minutes.

Mars (17-2) had plenty of chances, though, especially in the first half.

The Planets came up empty each time.

“We played Saturday (a 2-1 win in a play-in game over Beaver to advance to the first round), and I think it's good to get that first game to get out the jitters,” said Quaker Valley coach Gene Klein. “We had that under our belt, we were relaxed, and we knew we had nothing to lose.”

The Quakers got an insurance goal off a penalty kick from Fritz Wiltman with 23:36 remaining in the match.

Mars tried frantically to get back into the game, but Quaker Valley keeper Jack Regueiro turned the Planets away with four clutch saves.

He also was extremely effective on his goal kicks, which carried in excess of 60 yards.

“We knew he had a big punt,” Knauff said. “But sometimes, even when you know it's coming, when you have a big kick like that, it can still get behind you.”

The loss is a bitter one to take for Mars, which was 17-0 before a 1-0 loss to Pine-Richland last week.

“There's a lot of disappointment — they had high expectations,” Knauff said. “They played well throughout the season. I know it's a hard one for them to take.”