ADAMS TWP — Mars junior running back Isaiah Johnson hoped to snuff out Armstrong's chances when he carried the ball across the goal line with 2:04 remaining Friday at the Mars Athletic Complex.

The River Hawks didn't fade, marching the ball to the Mars 21 with less than 30 seconds to play.

The Planets scored a reprieve when Armstrong quarterback Dawson Porter's pass on fourth down fell incomplete, giving Mars a 31-27 Greater Allegheny Conference win.

“Our kids drove the ball down the field, were more physical in the second half and that's what I think the difference in the second half was,” Mars coach Scott Heinauer said.

The second half turned into a shootout after the Planets took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

Mars scored on a field goal by Caleb Brake and a 33-yard touchdown pass from Sam Morrissey to Eli Brooks.

“At halftime, we talked about how we thought Armstrong was taking it to us,” Mars coach Scott Heinauer said. “They stifled our running game, and that was something that we pride ourselves on. So, in the second half, we told our kids that we have to establish a running game.”

Zane Dudek scored Armstrong's lone touchdown in the first half on a 75-yard run.

Dudek put the River Hawks ahead 13-10 16 seconds into the second half with a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown.

“We felt good and felt defensively we could shore it up, which gave our offense some time to click,” Armstrong coach Frank Fabian said. “We liked where we were at, and we played badly in the first half but were only down three points, so we felt good.”

A 1-yard touchdown run by Johnson put the Planets ahead 17-13 with 5:01 left in the third. Dudek answered back with another 90-yard kickoff return for a score 16 seconds later.

Mars wide receiver Nate Rosswog ended the third quarter with a 37-yard touchdown run to put Mars ahead 24-20.

“I thought we did well, but we didn't start the way we wanted to,” Fabian said. “We had a lot of reasons to put our heads down and say that this wasn't our night, but I thought our kids fought back.”

Both teams ran the ball effectively, with Mars rushing as a team 46 times for 138 yards. Armstrong had 26 attempts for 225 yards. Johnson carried the ball 29 times for 61 yards for Mars while Dudek had 17 carries for 176 yards for Armstrong.

“The word's out now. We were keeping him a secret, but this is no surprise to us,” Fabian said. “He [Dudek] really bought in this summer, and we named him a captain.”

While it was Dudek who carried his team offensively and had three outstanding touchdowns, Johnson was the one who was able to finish the game.

“Isaiah runs hard, but in the first half he couldn't get loose,” Heinauer said. “Their kids were coming and we weren't blocking real well, but Isaiah is a good running back.”

Neither team focused on passing, but Mars' Morrissey did throw for 138 yards and a touchdown. Armstrong quarterback Porter completed just two of nine passes for 31 yards and one interception. Four of Porter's passes came with less than a minute left.