No stranger danger
Being unfamiliar with an opponent may seem to be a hindrance for any team, but it aided Mars' girls basketball squad last Saturday in a state semifinal victory.
Now, as the Planets prepare for the program's biggest game in 41 years, it may be just what they need to play up to their capabilities.
Mars' dreams of a district title ended Feb. 28 with a loss to Oakland Catholic, but the Planets have not lost since, winning four straight games to reach Wednesday's Class 5A state final in Hershey.
“When we play teams from the WPIAL in the playoffs, our girls know the other teams' girls from AAU,” said Mars coach Dana Petruska. “They play with and against them. They know how good they are, how talented they are. I think it often gets in our players' heads.
“But when we face teams that we aren't familiar with, it becomes just another game and they can just go out and play.”
And play well the Planets did on Saturday, never trailing in a 52-39 win over Archbishop Carroll, a team from Philadelphia's Catholic League.
Another team from the same league, Archbishop Wood, awaits the Planets in Hershey. The teams will decide the state championship, beginning with a 6 p.m. tip off.
The Vikings are no strangers to playing this late in the season and in Hershey's Giant Center, a 10,500 seat arena. They are the two-time defending state champions and will be playing in their eighth state final in nine years.
Archbishop Wood (22-7) has won a total of five state championships.
“We lost in the title game (to Blackhawk) in 2015,” said Vikings' coach Mike McDonald. “I think it gave the younger girls in the program a lot of motivation and had a lot to do with us winning the last two years.”
Mars (23-6) will be making its second appearance in the final. The 1976-77 team finished runner-up to Carbondale.
“Absolutely, I think they (Vikings) will have a huge advantage just because some of their players have been there before,” said Petruska. “We are going to watch the Mars boys game (Class 5A final Tuesday night) and get the experience of being there. Hopefully, when we walk in the next day, the awe of it should be behind us.”
McDonald has been on Archbishop Wood's staff for five years and is in his third year as head coach.
“Our experience may allow us to be more composed, especially if we fall behind,” he said. “With everything that goes on with the state championships, it almost becomes like a circus. You can't forget you have a game to play.”
Unlike the Planets, who feature junior guard Tai Johnson (18.5 points per game) and senior guard Lauren Wasylson (17.3), the Vikings do not have a standout scorer. Freshman guard Kaitlyn Orihel leads the team with 10.8 points per contest. But the Vikings do get, on average, 13 points per game from their bench.
“We usually go nine deep,” said McDonald. “Senior Katie May (9 ppg) is a key player for us. She plays as a forward on defense, but handles the ball a lot for us on offense.”
Nearly all of Mars' scoring in the state playoffs has come from its starting five.
“We are such a young team, I don't make many substitutions,” said Petruska, who knows keeping her top five on the court is vital.
“Lauren and Bella (Pelaia, forward) have been known to pick up fouls early in games,” Petruska added. “I tell them to move their feet and to not pick up touch fouls. If they're not in position, just concede it.”
Johnson, who is averaging 24.5 points in state play, is a major concern for McDonald.
“All five of their players can shoot from the perimeter and they like to space you out,” he said, “but we have to contain Johnson with her penetration.”
