ADAMS TWP — Josh Schultheis was a battering ram, Jason Lozzi was shifty, Matt Parrish slashed his way for some big runs, and Owen Nearhoof completed a few key passes.

It was the usual suspects for Mars in a usual outcome — a 42-20 win over Hampton at the Mars Athletic Complex Friday night.

“It was a great win,” said Schultheis, who rushed for 173 yards on 24 bruising carries and also scored four touchdowns. “We knew we had to win this game. Bottom line is we won this game and we get a home playoff game.”

It wasn't all smiles for the Planets, however, on senior night in front of a huge, raucous crowd.

Mars (8-1, 7-1) fumbled six times in the game, losing three, then heard after their win that rival Knoch had upended Highlands to thwart the Planets' Greater Allegheny Conference championship hopes.

The Planets needed a Highlands win to force a three-way tie atop the section standings. The tiebreaker would go to Gardner points and Mars was firmly ahead in that category.

As it is, Knoch won 19-7 and Mars finished second behind Franklin Regional, who beat the Planets 20-13 all the way back on Aug. 30.

Mars has won eight straight since the Week 1 setback.

“We'll finish second and get a home playoff game,” said Mars coach Scott Heinauer. “It's good. Our student section supports us, our band, our cheerleaders — we have a lot of support at home and we play well at home.”

Hampton (4-5, 3-5) found that out.

Mars scored on its first two offensive possessions as Schultheis plowed in from the 6 and Lozzi burst around left end, broke a tackle and cruised into the end zone from 17 yards out.

But after that, the turnover bug stung Mars, which tacked on a touchdown on a 13-yard run late in the second quarter for a 21-6 halftime lead.

“We're not real happy with the sloppiness,” Heinauer said. “Hampton, defensively, they do a great job. Our kids, again, sucked it up a little bit. First two drives, we came out and did what we had to do, then lost a little bit of zest there. Halftime, we regrouped and responded.”

Mars, which ran the ball 60 times for 375 yards and rolled up 25 first downs, did not punt in the game and stretched its lead to 35-6 with a pair of scoring runs by Schultheis in the third quarter.

Hampton got a touchdown on a 75-yard pass from Nick Grabowski to Eddie Edwards and a 66-yard fumble return for a score in the fourth quarter, but never threatened.

“We have not had turnovers and that's a little concerning,” Heinauer said. “We'll solve the turnover problem. You can't do that in the playoffs and think you are going to win games.”

Parrish, who was the second-leading rusher for Mars with 62 yards on nine attempts, capped the scoring for the Planets with a 1-yard plunge.

Hampton coach Jacque DeMatteo said the familiar bugaboos came up again for the Talbots in the loss.

“My hat goes off to them,” DeMatteo said. “I think they are a good team. And I'm proud of our team for not quitting. We made a couple of mistakes that hurt us. Those things kept us from winning some football games.”

Hampton, though, will get another shot at winning. The Talbots earned the wild card spot into the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs.

Mars will find out on Monday who it will play at the MAC in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

No matter who it is, Schultheis promised to be ready.

“You have to really turn it on in the playoffs,” he said.