The Mars football team is coming off a superb defensive effort, shutting out Blackhawk last Friday, 32-0.

But getting the upper hand on this week's opponent should prove a more difficult task.

In a pivotal Northwest Nine Conference clash, the Planets will visit Montour Friday night. The Spartans (2-0, 2-0) are tied atop the conference standings with South Fayette, which defeated Mars in Week 1.

“We didn't have to worry about (Blackhawk's) quarterback running the ball last week,” said Mars coach Scott Heinauer. “Montour has a great quarterback who can run and throw and that's a concern for us.”

Heinauer was referring to senior and two-year starter Kavon Morman, who has passed for 259 yards, rushed for 128 and accounted for seven total touchdowns in wins over New Castle (42-21) and Indiana (51-14).

Morman has connected with six different receivers.

“It adds an element to our offense,” said Montour coach Lou Cerro of Morman's dual-threat ability. “He's very accurate (11-of-14) with throwing the football.”

The Spartans also feature senior halfback Brayden Jones, who has 265 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He's running behind a line that sports three starters from last year — left tackle George Padezanin (6-foot-3, 250), center Matt Jablonski (6-1, 250) and right tackle Mike White (6-3, 255).

Montour finished 4-6 last season, the program's first season under .500 since 2006, and made a quick exit from the district playoffs.

Cerro knew there would be question marks surrounding his team entering this year.

“I figured our offense would be ahead of our defense and it is,” he said, “but our defense has been tremendous early on. We lost two 3-year starters at linebacker and two 3-year starters on the defensive line, but we're breaking in some younger kids.”

Cerro knows that beating Mars begins with stopping Planet fullback Garrett Reinke, who has rushed for 245 yards and six touchdowns so far this season.

“He's tremendous,” he said. “Everything they do runs through him.”

But Mars has other threats in the ground game as evidenced by junior wingback Chuck Green's 160 yards last week, including an 85-yard scoring run.

Green's father, also named Chuck, was Mars' leading ground-gainer during the team's run to the WPIAL Class AA championship game in 1996.

“Chuck's dad played a different position, he was a fullback for us,” said Heinauer. “So, it's hard to compare the two. But when Chuck runs, I see some of his dad in him.”

Mars defeated Montour last season, 35-14.