ADAMS TWP — The Mars girls basketball team was clicking over an eight-minute stretch Monday night. The other three quarters against Montour weren’t uniform, however.

Despite an 11-0 surge over the initial 4:24 of the second half, the Planets dropped a 47-44 decision in their own gym.

That aforementioned run got Mars out of a hole it had dug itself into in the first half, shooting 5-of-22 from the floor and hitting the mark on only one of its 10 three-point tries. The sluggish start was nothing new, according to Planets coach Dana Petruska.

“It’s been our M.O. all year, though,” she said. “We can’t get four quarters together here and play consistently ... I’m surprised we’re where we’re at. We struggled and I knew we were going to struggle, but they found a way to win all these close games — except for tonight.

“They should be very proud with what they’ve accomplished so far this year, just because of who we lost last year and who we lost earlier this season.”

They’ve enjoyed success in spite of variables — such as losing senior Alexa McDole early in the schedule. Still, they shared the WPIAL Section 2-5A crown with Armstrong. As far as Petruska is concerned, her crew is playing with house money going forward.

“Are they capable? Absolutely,” Petruska said of the possibility her team strings together postseason victories. “But, I don’t have a crystal ball to look into and say, ‘You’re going to play really good tonight!’ ... You’ve got to take the bad with the good and whatever you get, you get.”

Mars entered the midway point down by five, then buckets by Alexis Cashdollar, Vita Vargo, Lauren Atwell, and Olivia Donnelly swung the game the other way. Petruska’s side climbed ahead by as much as nine before the Spartans clawed back to tie it up with 4:01 to play.

The Planets held the lead on two more occasions and were ahead with under 20 seconds to go. They’d send Montour to the line twice, and the visitors sealed a win with four free throw makes.

“This team (Montour) was physical,” Petruska said. “The team we’re playing next Tuesday is twice as physical.”

Mars will take on Lincoln Park at Mt. Lebanon High School next in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A tournament next Tuesday. The Planets will welcome the trip, as four of the their six defeats were on their own court.

“I’ll say it — I’m glad we’re not playing at home,” Petruska said.

Vargo paced Mars with 15 points on the night. Jordyn Wolfe bucketed 17 for the Spartans.

Montour coach Jenn O’Shea wasn’t available for comment.

MONTOUR 47

Jordyn Wolfe 6 4-4 17, Raegan Kadlecik 3 5-6 13, Sterling McCleasters 4 1-2 9, Julia Cox 2 0-0 6, Woessner 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 10-12 47.

MARS 44

Vita Vargo 4 4-5 15, Olivia Donnelly 4 1-1 9, Ava Day 3 2-6 8, Alexis Cashdollar 2 2-4 6, Annalynn Isaacs 1 0-0 3, Lauren Atwell 1 1-4 3. Totals: 15 10-20 44.

Montour 13 9 10 15 — 47

Mars 10 7 21 6 — 44

3-point goals: Montour 5 (Kadlecik 2, Cox 2, Wolfe); Mars 4 (Vargo 3, Isaacs)