HOLLIDAYSBURG — A drone soaring above Tiger Stadium to take video had the crowd abuzz for Friday's Greater Allegheny Conference game on Friday night.

Once the game itself kicked off, only Mars was flying high.

Taking advantage of its usually potent running game and a couple of interceptions, the Planets bolted out to a three-touchdown lead less than 10 seconds into the second quarter and moved a step closer to a WPIAL Class AAA home playoff game with a 31-21 victory at Hollidaysburg.

“It was a really important game. We want to get a home playoff, so this is huge,” said Planet senior John Castello, who scored on a 13-yard pass and a 23-yard interception return that helped stake Mars to its big lead. “Our line played great. Our team played great. It got close at the end, but we toughed it out.”

Mars improved to 7-1 overall and 6-1 in the conference with just a home game against Hampton remaining on the regular season schedule.

Isaiah Johnson rushed for 188 yards and a touchdown on 39 carries for the Planets, who also held Hollidaysburg to 57 yards on the ground.

“I think we played a great game, a great first half,” Planets coach Scott Heinauer said. “We were very concerned. Our kids sucked it up and did what they had to do.”

Mars had forged a 31-7 lead when Eli Brooks bounced off a tackle broke to the sideline and got into the end zone from 15 yards out 4:20 into the second half.

Hollidaysburg, though, managed to make it interesting, getting an 87-yard punt return from Mitch Augustine for a score at the 7:49 mark of the fourth quarter and following that up with a 4-yard TD hookup from Ryan Adams to Augustine following a fumbled onside kick — Adams' 27-yard pass to Chris Gildea set up the second score.

Brooks, though, batted away a two-point conversion pass to keep it a two-possession game.

Then, after Hollidaysburg held the Planets to get the ball back, Jack Cassidy's second interception of the game secured the win for Mars.

Hollidaysburg, also seeking a first-round playoff home game, dipped to 5-3 overall and 4-3 in the Greater Allegheny.

“We made too many mistakes to overcome early in the football game against a great team,” Hollidaysburg coach Homer DeLattre said. “Too little, too late.”

Hollidaysburg dug itself a big hole, and the Planets were more than happy to take advantage of it.

A promising initial possession for the Tigers was short-circuited when a shotgun snap went through Adams hands for a 14-yard loss.

The next Tiger drive began the same way, and DeLattre turned the signal-calling over to Jarrett Cavalet.

Hollidaysburg's fortunes didn't change, though.

Cavalet's first pass tipped off the fingers of Seth Aungst, and Cassidy stretched out to snag it just before it hit the ground. Five plays later, from the Tiger 13, Sam Morrissey rolled left, surveyed the field and fired a high pass into the end zone that only Castello, extending to his limit, could pull in.

Castello scored again less than a minute later, stepping in front of a Cavalet throw at the Hollidaysburg 23 and taking it back for a touchdown that made it 21-0.

“It was a big momentum shift,” Castello said. “We just scored there, and then we come back and we score again.”

Heinauer heaped high praise on Castello, one of his captains.

“He's a great player,” Heinauer said. “We dropped him into coverage on that play on purpose because we thought they were going to throw the ball on a slant. They ended up throwing the ball right to him.”