ADAMS TWP — Every team has a blueprint for winning games prior to the start of a season — certain things specific players can be counted on for to help the squad reach its full potential.
But circumstances often change and only those teams that can adapt go on to experience a successful season.
Such was the case with the Mars girls basketball team this year. In the Planets’ third game, senior shooting guard Alexa McDole was lost for the season with a knee injury.
The three-year starter averaged 11.3 points per game with 58 treys as a junior, but her contributions went well beyond statistics.
“Alexa is just a speed demon and was so good for us on defense,” said Mars coach Dana Petruska. “She was a leader.”
Petruska melded the talents of the remaining players, who earned a share of the Section 2-5A title with Armstrong — both teams compiling a 9-3 record — and the Planets were among the final 16 teams from around the state still playing in the middle of March. They finished with an overall record of 18-9.
The effort has earned Petruska the Butler Eagle’s Girls Basketball Coach of the Year honor for 2022-23.
It took a while for a player to emerge as McDole’s consistent replacement in the starting lineup, but freshman Alexis Cashdollar separated herself.
“I knew that our only chance was to play good, sound defense and we did that,” said Petruska. “I wanted to see who could help us out the most on that end and defense is Alexis’ strength.”
Mars won 12 of its first 14 games, then alternated wins and losses over the final 13 contests.
“For some reason, we did not play with the same confidence at home as we did on the road late in the year,” said Petruska, who was assisted by Chris Visgitis, Richard Geier and Jordan Wylie.
The Planets lost the services of senior guard Annalyn Isaacs, who averaged 8.3 points per game, for the playoffs. She transferred into the district prior to the start of the school year, but was ruled ineligible for postseason play by the WPIAL. Ava Day took over her spot in the lineup.
The rest of the team’s starting five were seniors Olivia Donnelly and Lauren Atwell and sophomore Vita Vargo.
Mars defeated Lincoln Park in the district playoffs, Hampton in the consolation bracket and York Suburban in the state tournament. Its season came to an end with a loss to Cathedral Prep in the PIAA second round.
“We didn’t have a big-time scorer, but the kids went out and worked very hard,” Petruska said. “It was somebody new (stepping up) every night and that’s a credit to the team. I’m extremely proud of them.”
