WHITEHALL Turnabout is fair play, but it also proved to be very cruel to the Mars boys soccer team.

Last season, the Planets defeated section rival Hampton three times, the last one earning Mars its second straight WPIAL title.

On Saturday afternoon, the Talbots beat Mars for the third time in 2010, this time by a 4-1 count in the Class AA championship at Baldwin High School.

Hampton sophomore forward Justin Carter scored a pair of goals just 80 seconds apart early in the second half, giving the Talbots a lead they would not give up.

Hampton beat the Planets 3-0 and 2-1 during the regular season.

“We needed to generate more scoring opportunities, but Hampton made it difficult,” said Mars coach Chris Knauff of Saturday's title game. “They had us on our heels in that second half.”

The four second-half goals for the Talbots came after the team was denied despite five shots on goal in the first 40 minutes.

“We just continued to play our game,” said Hampton coach and former Butler boys mentor Chuck Kelley. “It's easy to play for yourself, but we played as a team and weren't overwhelmed by the moment.”

After Carter's goals, the Planets sacrificed defense to get back in the game.

At first, it paid off.

Senior forward Brendan Frank headed in a throw-in from teammate Ryan Gralish in the 49th minute of play to cut Hampton's lead to 2-1.

Though Mars (14-6-2) forced Hampton goalie Ben Wilt to make four more saves over the final 30 minutes, the Planets did not find the net again.

The Talbots (21-1) on the other hand, scored again when Jon Mercier controlled the ball with his back to Mars' goal, turned around and sent a blistering shot from 20 yards past Planets' goalie Garrett Gabriel in the 70th minute.

Erik Donatelli added the final goal for Hampton in the 75th minute of play.

“Once we got behind, we threw more numbers up front,” said Knauff. “We had to defend with less guys and it opened things up for Hampton.”

Mars was without the services of senior forward Yulian Lutsiv, who was forced to sit out Saturday's game after a red card in a semifinal win over South Park.

Lutsiv is second on the team in goals scored with nine.

“We had to change the (personnel) a bit without Yulian in there, but we kept the same formation,” Knauff said.

Gabriel ended the game with 12 saves for the Planets and Wilt made five stops for Hampton.

The season is not over for Mars, which, thanks to its deep WPIAL playoff run, will compete in the state playoffs.

The Planets will face District 9 champion Bradford at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at DuBois Area High School.

In early October, Mars was 5-3-2 in section play and in danger of not making the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

But the team reeled off four straight section wins to qualify for the postseason.

“Our defense was a lot stronger and we were more organized late in the year,” said Knauff. “It led to more scoring opportunities.”