PITTSBURGH — Champions aren't always great. They're just great when they have to be.

For members of Mars' boys lacrosse team, their true test of fortitude began with eight minutes left in Friday's WPIAL Division II championship game against Hampton.

The Talbots had scored five of the previous six goals to slice the Planet lead to 11-10.

Mars sophomore midfielder Andrew Moyer snapped Hampton's run with a goal with 7:50 remaining, sparking a game-ending run that clinched the title for the Planets in a 15-10 victory at Highmark Stadium.

“It all started with faceoffs,” said Moyer, who ended the game with a team-high four goals. “I don't think Garrett Reinke lost one in the third or fourth quarter. Possession leads to goals.”

“They (Talbots) tried to slow us down, just like every team does,” said Mars senior attack Blake Thompson, who scored three times. “But we played 48 minutes to get this win.”

Following Moyer's goal, Zac Sicher scored twice and Jake Porter once to give the Planets a 5-goal lead with 4:50 left to play. The Talbots were unable to manage a shot on goal the rest of the way.

“We weren't playing Mars lacrosse there for a while,” said Planet coach Ed Monahan. “We were struggling on defense to stop the fast break, but once we started scoring again, it gave us some breathing room.”

“Mars played a good game,” said Hampton coach Jim Vollberg. “Our guys didn't quit. But sometimes, there's nothing else you can do.”

Hampton (13-7) faced a 9-4 deficit entering halftime, but Talbot goalie Rob Voinchet stopped three straight Planet shots early in the third period. At the other end of the field, goals from Isaac Capezzuti (2), Rich Myros and Hugh Kelley pulled the Talbots to within 10-8 by the end of the quarter.

Reinke found the net for Mars early in the fourth, but Capezzuti and Ross Andersson quickly answered for Hampton.

“The adjustment was simply going through our gameplan,” Vollberg said. “We didn't execute it in the first half.”

Little did the Talbots know it, but Andersson's goal — with 8:08 left in the fourth — would be the team's final goal of the game.

While Reinke controlled the faceoffs in the second half, Moyer did so in the first half, winning 11 of 13.

“Those two guys have done a great job this season,” said Monahan. “Andrew won 68 percent of faceoffs for us and Garrett was at 78 percent.”

Eight different players scored for Mars. Porter and Sicher both scored twice while Anthony Grieco, Ben Lewis, Reinke and Joe Horvat each scored once.

The balanced scoring was nothing new for Monahan.

“We have 27 guys on our roster who had double digits in points this season,” he said.

Capezzuti led the Talbots with four goals.

Voinchet stopped eight shots while Mars' Pat Morrow had four saves.”

It was the second time this season that Mars (19-1) toppled Hampton. The first was a 21-9 regular season decision earlier this month.

Boys lacrosse reached varsity status at Mars in 2013. Thompson was a starter on that team, which lost in the first round of the playoffs and finished with a record of 7-7. He stood on Highmark Stadium's turf Friday, basking in the knowledge that he finished his high school career as a district champion.

“We've been building this for four years,” he said. “We got better every year and knew where we wanted to be. The guys were committed to the program.”