Planets in search of go-to player

By DEREK PYDA Eagle Staff Writer

November 26, 2005 Last Updated: November 26, 2005 12:39 PM High School

The Mars girls basketball team found a new coach.

Now it needs to find a new go-to player.

After 19 seasons under the direction of Dana Petruska, Dave Sylvester is now guiding the Planets.

One of Sylvester's priorities will be finding a top scorer to replace graduated forward Taryn Adamski, who averaged 12 points per game last year on a team that made it to the WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals.

She was the only Mars player to average double digits in points.

Sylvester, who previously coached at Ellwood City, said he is impressed by his players.

"From what I've seen in practice, it looks to be a pretty talented group of girls," he said.

The Planets do return senior guard Julie Utz, who has played an important role on the team since her freshman season.

Utz averaged 9.5 points

a year ago. Her season high of 19 points came in a playoff win over West Mifflin. She also hit a team-leading 32 three-point goals.

"Being a senior, I'm sure Julie will take a leadership role on the floor," said Sylvester. "But I won't be putting any additional weight on her shoulders. The other girls certainly look up to her, but they will also be able to take some of the pressure off her."

Utz was the Planets' point guard before last year, but made the switch to shooting guard for her junior campaign.

It is not clear what her duties will be at this point.

"Whether she is our point guard or shooting guard depends on the performance of a few other girls," said Sylvester.

Those players include Haley Geyer, Megan Gibson, Alina Hudac, Cara Hudac and Abby Marshall.

Marshall stands 5-feet-11, but that size does not automatically relegate her to playing in the front court, Sylvester said.

"She's got good size, but she can also shoot the ball very well," he said.

Marshall, a junior, averaged 4.2 points per game last year, including several shots made from beyond the 3-point line.

The team's remaining seniors, Alina Hudac and Heather Carpenter, also will figure into the Planets' hopes this season.

Alina Hudac averaged 6.1 points per game and drained 23 three-pointers as a junior while Carpenter averaged 3.2 points in 16 games.

Cara Hudac, a junior guard, is coming off a 6.5 points-per-game average last year.

Maggie Bulman, a 5-feet-11 junior, should be one of the leaders in the Planets' front court. She averaged just over five points per game a season ago, showing offensive promise with several double-digit games, including a team-high 12 points in a season-ending playoff loss to Hopewell.

The Planets will be pressing on defense — literally.

"With this group, I plan on bringing pressure as much as I can," said Sylvester. "We've been working on a full-court and a half-court press a lot. In a three-way scrimmage with Butler and Ambridge, I thought we did pretty well with it."

MARS HIGH SCHOOL 2005-06 Basketball Schedule

Dec. 2-

at West Allegheny;

Dec. 7-

at Seneca Valley;

Dec. 10-

PINE-RICHLAND;

Dec. 12-

VALLEY;

Dec. 15-

at Burrell;

Dec. 17-21-