JEFFERSON TWP — The pregame introductions are a challenge for Mars girls lacrosse coach Cara DuMont.

When each player is announced, they run through a corridor of their teammates.

When they reach DuMont, they each launch into a unique handshake.

Some are simple.

Others are quite elaborate.

“I have to learn all these,” DuMont said, laughing. “Some are complicated and I'm like, 'You're killing me!'

“They really like it,” added DuMont, who took the idea of the special pregame handshakes from her playing days at North Allegheny. “Sometimes I freeze up and think, 'Oh no! Which one is this?'”

DuMont executed the handshakes perfectly. Then her team went out and executed just as flawlessly Wednesday evening in a 21-2 road win over Knoch.

Mars (6-2, 4-1) got goals from nine different players and didn't even need a tally from its leading scorer, Mara Fuller, until the second half.

Paige Seles scored six goals to lead the Planets.

A pair of freshmen got in on the act as well.

Kelsie Patterson scored two goals and Ella Seebacher notched her first career goal.

That was the plan coming in for DuMont against an overmatched, but gritty, Knoch team.

She hoped to get as many of her younger players involved in the game as she could.

“I just wanted to get the JV more experience on varsity because it's the next level of playing,” DuMont said. “Just my main motive was to get the older girls to set up assists to the younger girls, get them more comfortable with the flow of the game.”

Mission accomplished.

Fuller was a facilitator instead of a scorer.

The senior, who will play at Kent State University next season, had five assists as Mars ran its offense crisply throughout.

“I couldn't have asked anything more from them,” DuMont said. “They did a really good job. The older girls were leading the younger girls and the younger girls were sticking with the older girls. I'm very happy with that.”

For the most part, DuMont has been very happy with the way Mars' season has unfolded.

The Planets are senior-laden, but also will have an influx of a ton of youth in the future.

“I have a lot of seniors — seven this year,” DuMont said. “But I also have 15 freshmen or so. I have a big class coming up.

“It kind of shows what our team is going to be next year and what they have to do when they show up next year,” DuMont said. “We all practice together — we really don't split up JV and varsity just because I want them to see how it's going to be in the years to come.”

Fuller did score two second-half goals to raise her career total to 110.

She's chasing Mars' all-time leading scorer Shannon Doyle, who scored 140 in her standout career.

DuMont was most pleased with how her team came out with energy.

It's been a strength of the Planets' this season.

“They're really, really good at that,” DuMont said. “They're always excited to be here. They play with heart all the time. I love my team.”

Knoch coach Megan Crawford has an affinity for her team as well.

The Knights (3-7, 0-2) have been overmatched at times this season, but Crawford said she hasn't seen a drop in effort.

“The girls are working hard,” Crawford said. “They're giving 110 percent.”

Kennedy Eurich scored both Knoch goals and Knight goalies Tori Greenawalt and Grace Foehringer combined for 12 saves.

“They're both first-time goalies,” Crawford said. “They each had six saves. They're working hard.”