Just in case a few people forgot about D.J. Cannon's ability to throw the football, he reminded them last week.

The senior completed nine of 20 passes for 148 yards in the Planets' 33-29 WPIAL Class AA playoff win over Kittanning.

Cannon's arm accounted for 52 yards on the game-winning drive.

"We know we have the ability to throw the football," said Mars coach Scott Heinauer. "But we didn't have to for much of the regular season. When you're beating a team 35-0, you don't want to put the ball in the air. I wouldn't do that to another team and I wouldn't want it done to us."

Between weeks 4-7, a stretch that saw the Planets outscore their opponents 179-28 in blowout victories, Cannon attempted just 20 passes.

But he most certainly will be counted on to make some big plays this week as the Planets take on Greensburg Central Catholic (9-1) in the district quarterfinals, Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Penn-Trafford High School.

"(They) made the WPIAL title game last year and brought a lot of players back," said Heinauer. "And they're big. I think their offensive line averages 280 pounds."

Cannon has completed 52 percent of his passes (47-of-90) for 1,044 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions.

Just how much the Planets rely on the pass this week will have a lot to do with the availability of fullback Bill Bair.

The junior, who rushed for 193 yards and three scores last week, left late in the game with a concussion and did not return.

Before his injury, Bair broke Mars' single-season record for touchdowns, previously held by Brad Mueller (2002). Bair now has 28 scores this season, including one on a kickoff return.

"It's a day-to-day scenario," said Heinauer. "We're going to approach it as if (Bair) will be playing. But we don't know that for sure."

If Bair is unable to play, Heinauer plans to move wingback Josh Keil to fullback while sophomore Dan King will play the wingback position.

Bair started for much of the season at linebacker as well, but won't be on the defensive side of the ball this week, even if he plays.

"We were thinking about not playing him at linebacker anyway," Heinauer said. "He's taking enough hits just running the ball.

"If he doesn't play, we will miss Bill dearly on offense," Heinauer said. "But we have other kids who have made plays this season. We still plan to do what we do best, and that's run the ball and mix in some passes."

One of those playmakers is Carroll Smith.

The senior wideout has caught just 10 passes this season, but they've gone for 252 yards, or a 25.2-yard average.

In the win over Kittanning, Smith caught two balls in traffic on the game-winning drive.

"He's definitely not afraid of taking a hit," said Heinauer.

Another player coming up big for the Planets is junior punter Ryan Schroth.

Schroth had a 40-yard net average on three punts last week.

"He's been a huge factor for us," Heinauer said of Schroth, who also handles the placekicking duties. "I think he had just 20 punts in the regular season, but he will come into play more now that we're in the playoffs."

The Planets (9-1) have not played in a WPIAL quarterfinal playoff game since the team went to the district championship game in 2002.

Mars defeated Jeannette, 10-7, in the quarterfinals that season.