Mars opens WPIAL playoffs with 6-0 win over Laurel Highlands
ADAMS TWP — Mars might not be what Mars was.
Based on how the Planets’ girls soccer team has fared through 14 regular-season fixtures and Monday night’s 6-0 WPIAL Class 3A playoff-opening victory over Laurel Highlands, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Thanks in part to shutting teams out in 13 consecutive outings — Mars (15-0) last allowed a goal in August — the team hasn’t faced a deficit yet this go-round.
“These first couple playoff games are one-game seasons,” Planets coach Blair Gerlach said. “We’ve focused on one game at a time. There was a lot of that this year where it was, ‘Mars isn’t the team that Mars has been the last few years.’ And maybe we’re not.
“But we’re trying to be the best version of us that we can.”
In a stark contrast to the overtime clashes they took part in last year to open postseason play, Mars got ahead early at home by netting three goals in just over four minutes early in the first half.
Senior Rosie Pellegrino nodded in a corner kick by classmate Addison Girdwood in the sixth minute of play before junior Brynn Ramsey doubled the advantage with a goal in the seventh. Girdwood made it 3-0 in the 10th minute with an arcing left-footed boot from the left hashes from 25 yards out.
“Good teams, the trend is, (they) get one and they usually get a couple in the next couple minutes — and that’s what happened tonight,” Mustangs coach Denny Marzano said.
The start against Laurel Highlands (8-9) demonstrated a sense of urgency from a younger group.
“I think we’re a little bit less experienced, but I don’t think that you’ll ever find any player on our team taking anything for granted,” Gerlach said. “We came into tonight very focused. ... It’s because they want it. They want to learn and they want to know and they’re excited to be on the field now.”
Junior Meredith Ashbaugh scored using a Jenna Caringola assist in the 17th minute and Pellegrino headed in another Girdwood corner kick 10 minutes later. The visitors were knocked on their heels with the earlier surge, allowing the Planets to pile on their side of the scoreboard.
“We tried to come in and just sit a little tighter with one another,” Marzano said. “I think, actually, that might have hurt us a little bit in that we ended up just giving them a little more space.
“When you sit back in, you kind of allow the teams to run at you. With the way they throw numbers forward, that’s kind of what happened to us the first half.”
Pellegrino completed a hat trick before five minutes had gone by in the second half.
Mars is averaging over five goals per game over its last 13 outings. The talent on both ends lends itself to a mutual faith.
“I think it’s just willingness for everybody to do their part defensively,” Gerlach said. “People aren’t just bombing forward and expecting everyone else to cover for them. ... We don’t really allow odd-man rushes or any of those things. Our defense does a pretty good job of keeping the ball (in possession), so it saves them from having to defend a whole lot.”
The Planets move on to the quarterfinal round to play the winner of Monday night’s matchup between No. 8 Hampton and No. 9 Elizabeth Forward.
