ADAMS TWP — When first-year Mars wrestling coach Bob Jox was informed the match against rival Knoch was set to start at 138 pounds, he did the math.

And figured things would come down to the final bout.

He sought out 132-pounder Christian Scheller.

“I said, 'Hey, you know you're wrestling last,'” Jox said, smiling. “'What if it comes down to you?'”

That scenario had never happened to Scheller, a freshman, in his short wrestling career.

But it did in the first dual match of his high school experience.

He didn't shrink from the challenge, dominating Knoch's Hunter Oskin and eventually earning a pin in 2:35 to give the Planets a 36-30 victory.

“I told him to look at the scoreboard — 30-30,” Jox said. “He was ready to go and he wrestled a good match. I made sure he knew he did a good job.”

The match came down to the final bout in large part because both teams are still struggling to fill its lineup.

There were four forfeit wins — two by each team — and three double forfeits.

That put the onus on the seven matchups that took the mat.

The most competitive bout of the night came at 145 where Knoch's Kyle Lauster and Mars' Colin Vanderberghe battled for six minutes with Lauster emerging with a 4-3 win.

Knoch's Guy DeLeonardis won the only other decision, beating Max Lamm, 11-6.

“I think we have a good group,” said Knoch's first-year coach Grayson Hixon. “I think this match tonight was very winnable. We just didn't execute where we needed to. We're just going to put our heads down and keep grinding and hopefully we'll be a team to beat in the next year or two.”

Hixon is also hoping his lineup solidifies after the holidays.

That's when the two-pound weight allowance kicks in, giving his team a little more flexibility.

That won't help Mars, however.

“The lineup may change, but the number of kids we have won't,” Jox said.

“We're the only sport in high school that has to fill 14 different roster spots and not only do we have to fill them, we have to make sure they're a certain weight,” Jox added. “You can go with 11 football players and five or six basketball players, but we have to fill 14 weight classes and it's really difficult. We're going to keep fighting through those challenges.”

Because of a forfeit, Mars 113-pounder Noah Hunkele didn't get a chance to hit the mat.

Hunkele is one of the best in the WPIAL in his weight class and finished second over the weekend at the Hickory Tournament, falling 2-0 in the finals.

“He's looked good; he had a tough finals match at Hickory,” Jox said. “His best wrestling is going to come this season. We expect big things from him. He'll be there in the end.”

Mars 36, Knoch 30

(Match started at 138 pounds)

106-Double forfeit; 113-Noah Hunkele (M) by forfeit; 120-Eli Wright (M) by forfeit; 126-Double forfeit; 132-Christian Scheller (M) pin Hunter Oskin, 2:35; 138-Kameron Grassi (K) pin Declan Ryan, :57; 145-Kyle Lauster (K) dec. Colin Vanderberghe, 4-3; 152-Guy DeLeonardis (K) dec. Max Lamm 11-6; 160-Declan Delong (M) by forfeit; 170-Sean McElhinny (M) pin Sam Freyermuth, 4:34; 182-Earnie Zilka (K) pin Jordan Marshall, 3:12; 195-Kody Moore (K) by forefeit; 220-Double forfeit; Hwt.-Eli Reese (K) by forfeit