FOX CHAPEL - It wasn't too long ago when the Mars High School boys basketball program was near rock bottom.

Four years ago, the Planets won just four games.

Now, Mars was back in the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs. Unfortunately for the Planets, the return to the postseason was short-lived.

Elizabeth Forward center Steve Swiech was too much for the Planets in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points in the frame to send Mars home with a 52-49 loss at Fox Chapel High School Monday night.

"When you watch us warm up, you can see we are a team that has to play with heart, determination and pride," said Mars coach Rob Carmody. "We did that."

Mars, though, didn't play with a 6-foot-8 center who could match up better with Swiech.

Instead, it played a man-to-man defense that converged in haste on the Elizabeth Forward big man in the paint.

For the most part it worked, as Mars held him to just 11 points in the first three quarters. But in the fourth period, Swiech began to exploit his height and strength.

"(Swiech has) done that all year," said Elizabeth Forward coach Jim Nesser. "He's only a sophomore, but he plays like that all the time. He plays hard in practice, in pre-game, in May, June and July.

And, apparently, on Mondays during the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

Carmody, though, was pleased with how his team played defense, holding a team that routinely scored in the 60s and 70s to 52 points.

"If you would have told me we'd hold (Swiech) to 22 points - for us, I'd take it," Carmody said. "Obviously, we don't have size."

Early on, Mars (17-8) took advantage of its speed and athleticism against the Warriors' man-to-man defense, taking an 18-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

But Nesser switched to a box-and-one on Mars senior Sean Gallagher and clamped down on the Planets' potent offense.

Mars hit 8-of-17 shots in the first quarter, but just 10-of-35 over the final 24 minutes.

"Hey, we knew Mars could shoot," Nesser said. "We knew Mars was a good team. You don't get to be 17-7 and beat Knoch without being a good team.

"We mixed things up on them defensively."

Mars held on to the lead until midway through the third quarter, then fell behind by as many as six points with 5:11 remaining in the fourth period.

But Charlie Jaicks, who scored 17 points to lead the Planets, hit a 3-pointer following a Mars' basket to cut the lead to one and Tim Frye tied the score at 44 a few minutes later with a leaning jumper to cap the 7-1 run.

The Planets fell behind again, 49-46 with one minute remaining, but Robbie Herald drove the lane, scored, drew a foul and completed the three-point play.

Elizabeth Forward, though, went back to its big man.

Swiech put back his own miss with 14 seconds left to put the Warriors up for good.

Mars had two chances to win or tie, but Frye missed a 3-pointer and Swiech grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and converted on one of his two free throws.

As time expired, Mark Lucas launched a long 3-pointer that bounded off the rim to end the game.

"We had our hands on the ball three times in the final 14 seconds," Carmody said. "With 14 seconds left, we came down and forced a shot we didn't have to shoot."

Elizabeth Forward (17-7) will play the winner of the Moon-Valley matchup.

Mars will go on to think about next year after losing seniors Gallagher, Lucas, Scott Martinelli and Dusty Wessel and after its best season in two decades.

"I'm going to miss not having those guys around," Carmody said. "I'm going to miss them more as people. They are wonderful human beings and they are going to do great things in their lives. It was an absolute joy to watch them mature."

MARS 49

Charlie Jaicks 4-6 6-6 17, Scott Martinelli 2-9 0-0 4, Dusty Wessel 0-2 0-0 0, Robbie Herold 4-6 1-1 11, Tim Frye 3-15 0-1 7, T.J. Cannon 0-0 0-0 0, Sean Gallagher 5-14 0-0 10, Mark Lucas 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 18-52 7-8 49

ELIZABETH FORWARD 52

Matt Jesionowski 2-7 1-2 5, Jason Springer 6-11 0-0 14, Jake Greco 2-2 0-0 4, Todd Hanus 1-4 1-2 3, Steve Swiech 9-19 4-10 22, Cris Ogurchak 0-1 0-0 0, Jesse Stasko 2-5 0-0 4, Malcolm Halaszynski 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-49 6-14 52

3-point goals:

Jaicks 3, Frye, Herold 2, Springer 2