ADAMS TWP — Mars vs. Moon?

No, it's not the latest sci-fi movie at the theaters.

It's the kickoff to the 2008 high school football season.

Now playing in WPIAL Class AAA, the Planets get their first test of the season when they battle the host Tigers at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The teams had very different experiences last year.

The Planets won Class AA's Tri-County North title, the first outright conference championship in program history, and advanced to the WPIAL quarterfinals.

The Tigers on the other hand, needed a last-week victory over Elizabeth Forward to avoid a winless season.

Veteran Tigers' coach Mark Capuano still has his team thinking big.

"Our hope is to win the conference," he said. "That's what we strive to do every year. Up until last year, we had 13 straight winning seasons."

"I don't care what their record was last year, we're going to have our hands full," said Mars coach Scott Heinauer. "They will have more bodies than us and that's going to be a big factor."

Heinauer is pleased with his team's performance in practice.

"Our team is prepared," he said. "We've probably spent more time in practice than we ever have before. Hopefully, that translates into the kids having a better understanding of what we're trying to do."

Capuano was impressed with Mars' performance in a recent scrimmage.

"I saw a tape of their scrimmage with Beaver Falls," he said. "Everybody is talking about how good Beaver Falls is supposed to be, but Mars pretty much handled them."

Heinauer is anxious to see how his defensive line begins the season.

Mars plays a 5-2 scheme and the lineman include nose guard Nevan O'Donnell, tackles Brody Evanson and Nolan Nearhoof and ends Kevin Randolph and Austin Miele.

"Nearhoof uses his hands very well for a lineman and Evanson is very physical, so we think we've got a good combination at tackle.

"O'Donnell would have started last year, but he had a knee injury. And Randolph and Miele, we have a lot of confidence in them, too."

The Tigers, who play in the Parkway Conference, will be led on offense by senior quarterback Ryan Falbo, a three-year starter who stands 6-feet-3 and weighs 195 pounds.

"He also plays free safety and is not afraid to come up and hit somebody," said Capuano. "He led us in tackles last year, not that it's a good thing coming from a safety."

Senior tailback Justice Jordan, who gained over 600 yards last year despite injuries, returns to pace Moon's ground game.