On a mission
ADAMS TWP — Junior forward Tori Kopchak has been thinking about last year's WPIAL girls Class AA soccer championship match for the last 11-plus months.
Thinking about the sinking feeling after a 3-1 loss to Montour.
Thinking about getting back and winning it this season.
“It motivated us a lot this year, actually,” Kopchak said. “We have a lot of younger players on this team this year, I guess you could say, but we have a lot of seniors who have been on a team that won (final of three straight WPIAL titles in 2012) and we want to do the best we can for them. We want to win it for them.”
Mars took a big step toward that goal on a soggy Wednesday night with a 4-0 blanking of Waynesburg Central in the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals at the Mars Athletic Complex.
Kopchak scored the first two goals for Mars in the first 15 minutes of the match.
It took any thought of an upset off the table for the Raiders, who were coming off the first playoff win in program history Saturday against Yough.
“It was very important to come out very strong and score early,” Kopchak said. “That way it kind of shuts down the other team. It's kind of our way to attack the game.”
Mars (15-2) was almost always on the attack in this match.
Jody Kahn scored off a header early in the second half for a 3-0 lead and Kiara LaRocca closed out the scoring with 15 minutes remaining.
Waynesburg (12-4-1) had just one shot on goal and that came late in the second half when the match was already long decided.
Mars coach Blair Gerlach reminded his team of another disappointing outcome in the Planets' history to drive home a point before this playoff match.
“Two years ago we were in the same exact position,” Gerlach said. “We were the No. 1 seed and we had a bye and we played the winner of the No. 8-No. 9 game and we lost to Hopewell. The girls know it's real, especially the juniors and the seniors who were here. They know it's one and done.”
Mars will play Central Valley (16-0-1), which was a 3-1 winner of Belle Vernon, Monday in the WPIAL semifinals.
Even if the Planets should lose that match, they will have a consolation game to earn a spot in the state playoffs.
Kopchak, though, isn't thinking that.
“It's exciting,” Kopchak said. “Playoffs is always a great time of the year. We're lucky this year to have a very dynamic team and to have players who are very versatile. We have girls who can play both offense and defense and are good at both.”
