The challenges keep coming.

And the Mars girls basketball team keeps rolling.

The Planets (22-6) opened the PIAA Class AAA playoffs with a 38-35 victory over Franklin, the District 10 champion.

Next up was Westinghouse and 6-foot-6 center Shawnice Wilson, whom the Planets rendered ineffective in a 59-46 win.

Now, the roadblock is Hopewell, the WPIAL champion and winner of 22 consecutive games.

Mars will face the Vikings in a state quarterfinal at 5 p.m. Saturday at Duquesne University's A.J. Palumbo Center.

"I think the girls' confidence is growing with each game," said Planets coach Dave Sylvester. "They're definitely excited."

Sylvester plans to the same five players he put on the floor in the victory over Westinghouse: guards Julie Utz and Megan Gibson and forwards Abby Marshall, Maggie Bulman and Lily Grenci.

Sylvester said he expects his team will face a balanced Hopewell attack.

"Becky and Joyce (Novacek) are two big girls inside for them," said Sylvester. "They not only have size, but they're athletic, too.

"But if you collapse on them inside, Jordan Zuppe (a 5-foot-7 junior guard) can score for them from the outside."

Hopewell defeated Villa Maria Academy, 47-45, in the PIAA opener before disposing of District 9 champion Punxsutawney, 56-26, Wednesday.

In their team's latest triumph, the Novacek sisters each managed a double-double: Becky with 22 points and 14 rebounds and Joyce with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Both junior forwards, they stand 6-1 and 6-2, respectively.

The Vikings flexed their muscles in the game, leading Punxsutawney 28-8 at halftime, 28-8.

The only WPIAL team to defeat Hopewell (27-3) this season was Quad-A New Castle. The other two losses came at a tournament in South Carolina in mid-December.

But the Planets have a veteran squad with much playoff experience.

Two years ago, Bulman, Marshall, Gibson and Cara Hudac were all freshmen who saw significant playing time in the Planets' run to the WPIAL title game.

Utz, Alina Hudac and Heather Carpenter also played key roles that year.

"The girls have been around that playoff atmosphere," said Sylvester. "They know what it's all about and it shows it that they don't get too high or too low."

The last time Mars met Hopewell was in the WPIAL quarterfinals last season, with the Vikings prevailing, 57-35.

The winner of Saturday's game will face the winner of the Moon-Blue Mountain battle Wednesday in the state semifinals.

Hopewell is coached by Chris Raso, who could not be reached for comment.