Planets get 2-0 win
ADAMS TWP — The Section 2-AA standings will show that Mars finished at least two games ahead of Knoch, but that's not the way it feels.
The Planets, who battled the Knights to a 1-all draw on Sept. 22, received two second-half goals by Spencer Posey to give Mars a 2-0 victory and the section title.
The teams were deadlocked until Posey found the back of the net on a 20-yard shot with 26:35 left in regulation.
“I think it's just that level of intensity Knoch brings,” said Mars coach Chris Knauff said. “It's a big game every time they play us and we enjoy the challenge ... We were still fighting for the section title.
“They're a very good team. They always have a solid defense. Sometimes they might struggle scoring, but they're always a tough nut to crack,” Knauff said.
“I thought we had a better chance in the first half,” said Knoch coach Malcolm Cook. “Then, they had better chances in the second half.
“You can't complain about the first goal. He earned it,” Cook added.
The loss was a tough one for the Knights, who fell to 7-3-1 (7-8-1 overall) to slip one-half game behind Shady Side Academy (7-3) for second place.
A win against the Planets (10-1-1, 15-1-1) would have put Knoch one game back with one game remaining against Highlands (6-4) on Saturday.
Shady Side Academy still has a game against Deer Lakes (6-5) and Highlands.
And the Knights were still making things difficult for the Planets when Alex Slomer hit the post with a little over four minutes remaining in the game.
“We are not a great big squad at the varsity level,” said Cook. “It's more difficult to close the game. We hit the post with four minutes to play. It could have been 1-1.”
Two minutes later, Posey hit a header in the net past Andy Fritz to close out the scoring.
Still, that first goal set the tone for the evening.
“I told the guys, 'stay patient. It might take a awhile,'” Knauff said. “'But, keep doing what we're doing and don't get flustered.'
“It took a while longer than I hoped,” Knauff noted.
The Planets will wrap up their regular-season schedule Saturday by hosting Class AAA Seneca Valley (11-4-1) before heading to the postseason.
“A lot of teams might look at a game like that as meaningless,” said Knauff, “but we like Seneca Valley. It allows us to do a lot of things.”
The Knights will try to grab a playoff spot with a win Saturday. The Knights lost to Highlands 2-0 on Oct. 4.
Cook, however, knows the effort will be there.
“When the kids work hard, I'll take the result — win, lose or draw.”
