ADAMS TWP — The Mars girls soccer team's move to Class AA has meant double the trouble for its opponents.

Entering tonight's game against Valley, the Planets sport an 11-0 record overall, 7-0 in Section 2. They have outscored their opponents by a staggering total of 69-6.

Word has spread about the Planets' dominance.

"There are times when we walk onto the field before the game starts and we can tell the other team doesn't want to play us, just from everything they have heard," said senior midfielder Dana Wonderly.

Mars competed in Class AAA from 2002-09, making the playoffs in five of eight seasons, including the last three.

This year, the female enrollment at Mars dipped just enough to place the Planets back in Class AA, where the program won its only WPIAL title in 2000.

"I was expecting to do well in our section, but I didn't think we'd beat (nonsection opponents) Butler (5-0) and North Allegheny (4-2) like we did," said junior midfielder Mani Brueckner.

The Planets returned six starters who helped the team go 15-4-1 overall in 2009.

"The last few years at AAA, we were in such a tough section, our goal was simply to make the playoffs," said Mars coach Blair Gerlach. "Now the goal is to win our section and make a deep playoff run."

The Planets sport impressive statistics at nearly every position.

Junior forward Kristen Check leads the team with 14 goals and has added five assists, while Brueckner has tallied nine goals and 11 assists.

Senior goalkeeper Meghan Kelly has six shutouts.

"Some of the goals we've given up have come late in games with our second string in there," said Gerlach. "Meghan has only allowed three or four goals the whole season."

There have been contests in which Kelly faced just two or three shots because the defense is so dominating.

That group is led by Alanna Haefner, Audra Sitterly, Erica Schwab, Jordyn White and Kara Angeletti.

Despite the lack of action in her end of the field, Kelly does her best to remain focused.

"I just try to keep talking to the defense," she said. "I keep my eyes on the game and I'm always thinking about where the next pass is going."

As eye-popping as the statistics are, the players' work ethic is even more notable.

"We have a lot of committed players," said Gerlach. "They come into the season in shape. I don't have to worry about conditioning with this group."

Most of the team's players are teammates outside of the high school squad.

"Out of our top 15 players, I'd say 13 of us play for Northern Steel," said Wonderly. "We've played on the same team for years, so we have a lot of chemistry."

Other top performers include Beth Perri, Nicole Soose, Crysta Ganter and Karli Paracca.