ADAMS TWP — The Mars and Aliquippa football teams don't get together often, but when they do, there's a lot at stake.

The Planets faced the Quips in the WPIAL Class AA championship game in 1996.

They will meet for the first time since then at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Ambridge with a trip to the district semifinals on the line.

Aliquippa won the 1996 title game 26-16.

"It's hard to believe that was the last time we played them," said Planets coach Scott Heinauer. "They're always in the playoffs and we've made the playoffs quite a bit, too."

Mars advanced to the quarterfinals with a 17-7 win over Valley last week, while Aliquippa defeated Burgettstown 36-0.

Aliquippa was one of three teams that finished 7-1 in the Midwestern Conference, along with Beaver Falls and Beaver.

The Quips (8-2) lost to Class AAA Ambridge in the season opener and dropped a 7-6 decision to Beaver Oct. 5.

"We knew that there were going to be four really good teams in our conference this season, and one of those was going to be left out (of the playoffs)," said Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac. "Fortunately, we weren't that team."

Sto-Rox was the team left out in the cold after finishing with a 5-3 conference record.

The Quips have made the WPIAL playoffs in every one of Zmijanac's 11 seasons as head coach, including WPIAL titles in 2000 and 2003, and a state championship in 2003.

This year's squad has no shortage of playmakers within the team's multiple-set offense.

Sophomore quarterback Rasheem Jones has thrown for 938 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions through 10 games.

His top target is senior wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, who has 29 receptions for 334 yards and six touchdowns.

Baldwin, who is 6-feet-6 and 215 pounds, has verbally committed to the University of Pittsburgh.

The ground game is led by senior Daron Cox and his 786 yards and nine touchdowns, but the Quips have several other players who they have counted on to pick up yards, including Terry Patrick and Donte Williams.

The Planets will be facing more speed in this game than they've seen all season, including their Tri-County North shootout with Summit Academy last month.

"Speed's the number one thing with them, and they've got a ton of it," said Heinauer. "You may stop them 14 straight times, but the 15th time, they take it all the way.

"The farther you go in the playoffs, the better athletes you're going to face."

Mars' entire defense has to play well and that includes the linebacking corps of Dan King and Shane Kaclik on the inside and Ed Gaw and Corey Slater on the outside.

"(Aliquippa) likes to use a lot of formations and motion," said Heinauer. "We haven't faced much of that this season."

The Quips will focus their defensive efforts on the Planets' rushing attack, led by senior fullback Bill Bair, who has 2,294 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Look for Kaclik, a junior wingback, to get ample opportunities to make plays. He currently has 509 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns.

"Bair is obviously a terrific player," said Zmijanac. "But I credit their system. It's not like they haven't been here before. They've been good for a while."