ADAMS TWP — Mars sophomore running back Isaiah Johnson missed the pitch from Sam Morrissey, tracking the football down in the middle of the field on the last play of the first half.

It was fourth and goal and Johnson had three yards to navigate.

Johnson started right then circled left, weaving his way to the corner of the field where he dove and hit the pylon as time expired.

It was a perfect image of Mars' 21-0 Greater Allegheny Conference win Friday at the Mars Athletic Complex.

The Planets weren't perfect in their execution, but the result always came out in their favor.

“We definitely made a decent amount of mistakes,” said Johnson, who rushed for 271 yards and scored twice. “The defense covered it up. We didn't play perfect, but we played good.”

Mars turned the ball over twice and Knoch had the ball inside the Planets' 10-yard line twice. The Knights (3-3, 2-3) ran 12 plays in that area and came away with no points.

“Our kids, they knew it was important and it's a hard thing to do when your backs against the wall,” Mars coach Scott Heinauer said. “They are physically bigger than we are. ... Our kids wanted a shutout in the worst way.”

In the second quarter, a 48-yard pass from Knoch quarterback Jake Herrit to Dylan Plutyk set the Knights up at the Mars 6.

Following three straight runs by Mac Christy, Knoch moved the ball four yards. On the next play, Christy was intercepted by Josh Raymundo.

Raymundo returned the interception back 102 yards for a score, but it was called back for clipping.

“In the past, we've said nobody scores inside our 5,” Mars defensive lineman Nate Sablowski said. “We just had to step up. We know Knoch's big and if the momentum shifted it was going to be a tough game from there out.”

Behind 14-0 in the third quarter, the Knights got the ball at the Mars 34 when they forced a fumble on a punt recovery.

Knoch moved the ball down to the 2-yard line before Mars stacked up Herrit for a 2-yard loss.

“We get down there a few times if we're lucky and kick field goals, maybe its a 21-6 or a 21-9 game,” Knights coach Mike King said. “If we can't get it in from that section of the field, we don't deserve to win. It's as simple as that.”

Mars (5-1,4-1) used a strong opening to grab control. Johnson broke a tackle and raced 75 yards on the first play from scrimmage to put the Planets ahead 7-0.

“The kids knew this was their last opportunity to play against Knoch,” Heinauer said. “I think that's what those kids were thinking about. I think the first play of the game broke their back right away.”

Knoch, which was limited to 139 yards of toal offense, lost quarterback Cole Shinsky to a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Herrit filled in for him, passing for 78 yards.

A turnover on downs by the Knights set up the madness before halftime.

The Planets' second touchdown drive was set up by 33 and 28 yard runs by Johnson. Inside the Knoch 4, Mars struggled to move the ball.

Two runs from Johnson and another Morrissey moved it to the one.

Then the pitch to Morrissey was wide.

Johnson improvised and helped make sure the Planets' imperfect night ended in a win.

“I don't really know, I think it was low,” Johnson said. “I dropped it. It was fourth down and I knew I had to make something happen.”

Mars scored its final touchdown on a 9-yard pass from Morrissey to Sablowski with 11:46 left in the game.

It was just a perfectly imperfect night for the Planets.

“It's keeping the momentum going,” Sablowski said. “We're on a hot streak right now and want to keep it going next week with Hollidaysburg.”