Both the Mars and Pine-Richland football teams want to spend the 2005 season getting back to where they belong.

And neither team wants to wait for its conference schedule to arrive to begin that journey.

The teams will meet for their annual clash at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Mars Athletic Complex.

The Planets are coming off a 4-5 season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time in four years.

"Mars is a well-coached football team," said Rams coach Clair Altemus. "They're going to use that disappointment from last year and turn it into a positive this season."

Altemus himself felt the sting of disappointment in 2004. After making the WPIAL Class AAA title game two straight years, and winning it in 2003, the Rams were ousted from last year's postseason with a 25-17 first-round loss to Ambridge. The team finished the year with an overall record of 7-3.

"At a lot of schools, just getting to the playoffs is a step forward," Altemus said. "Here, we are used to a lot of success. So in that respect, it was disappointing."

"I expect Pine-Richland to battle for the (Greater Allegheny) conference title this season," said Mars coach Scott Heinauer. "It will be between them, Hampton and Franklin Regional."

Whether or not the Rams can get back to the WPIAL promised land remains to be seen, but they might have to do it without senior quarterback Jake Long.

Long, who needs 947 passing yards to set a new school record, suffered a concussion in practice recently.

"He's going to get checked by a neurologist," said Altemus. "That's when we'll find out if he's cleared to play.

"But if he's not able to go, we have no problem if we have to go with (junior) Spencer Whipple," he added. "He's been taking all the snaps in practice."

The Rams' two starting wideout spots are up for grabs as seniors Shane Hennessy and Pat McClernon and juniors Matt Klimczyk and Brian Felker battle for the spots.

The Rams offensive line has potential, but it is inexperienced.

"The only returning letterwinner we have on the line is Ben Scherer, a junior guard," said Altemus. "And we have three sophomores who will be starting."

Mars will look to senior fullback Paul Ferrese to make its offense go.

Ferrese scored the Planets' only touchdown in last season's 48-6 loss to the Rams.

He went on to rush for 1,162 yards and 14 scores in nine games.

Doing the blocking up front will be center Andy Howcroft, left guard Corey Williams, right tackle Pete King and tight end Matt Whittington.

The left tackle spot will be filled by either Scott Brettell or Mike Sirney and right guard will be manned by either Ryan Nearhoof or Matt Kennedy.

D.J. Cannon will be the Planets quarterback, but Heinauer said not to expect anything unusual with the passing game.

"You don't experiment when playing a team like Pine-Richland," he said. "We're going to try and take what we did last year and just move it into another gear."

Despite the rivalry atmosphere - only a few miles separate the two schools - Pine-Richland has dominated the recent action.

The Rams have won the last three meetings by a combined score of 104-13. But Altemus doesn't expect things to be so easy this time around.

"We are preparing our kids for a hostile environment," he said. "This game will not be a cakewalk."