WPIAL boys lacrosse playoffs: Mars continues district domination with quarterfinal win over Bethel Park
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Mars celebrates after a goal against Bethel Park in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Sean Brennan (19) with a shot on goal against Bethel Park in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Ian Coulter (3) and Grant Weaver (9) celebrating the win against Bethel Park after the WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Jack Tirch (22) fights to get past Bethel Park's Nathan Disori (10) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Grant Weaver (9) looks to get past Bethel Park's Tyler Miller (22) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Henry Saver (16) celebrates with jump spin after scoring a goal against Bethel Park in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Grant Weaver (9) takes a shot on goal against Bethel Park in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Jack Tirch (22) takes a shot on goal against Bethel Park in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Ben Bowser (1) runs past Bethel Park's Peter Velisaris (28) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Jack Tirch (22) fights past Bethel Park's Alex Arnold (30) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Grant Weaver (9) looks for an opening while defended by Bethel Parks Keilen Jones (8) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Jack Tirch (22) takes a shot on goal past Bethel Park's Alex Arnold (30) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Henry Saver (16) looks to take a shot on goals as he is defended by Bethel Park's Aaron Mach (4) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Ben Bowser (1) shouts out the play and looks to make a pass over Bethel Park's Joseph Papasquale (6) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Ben Bowser (1) takes a shot on goals has he is defended by Bethel Park's Keilen Jones (8) in a WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse quarterfinal game Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Mars Athletic Complex. Mars wins 18-0. Ralph LoVuolo/Special to the Eagle
ADAMS TWP — Vacations must wait for anyone involved with Mars’ boys lacrosse team.
Not to say that’s a problem for the Planets, who’ve made a program tradition of competing well into June.
Coach Bob Marcoux’s team, eight-time defending WPIAL champions, didn’t allow No. 7 Bethel Park a glimmer of hope in the teams’ Class 2A quarterfinal, blanking the visitors in a 18-0 victory Thursday night.
Sophomores Blake Cote and Jack Tirch and junior Grant Weaver each netted four goals for Mars (16-2), which hasn’t lost in the district tournament since the 2015 semifinals.
“Normally, my vacations are in July,” Marcoux said. “We expect to do well, we’re planning to do well and we’ll see what happens.”
Even after losing the core of its four consecutive PIAA title game appearances to graduation, Mars looked the same as previous years for much of the 2025 regular season and once more against the Black Hawks (12-8).
Junior Henry Saver broke the seal on the scoreboard 55 seconds in, then Ian Coulter and Cote each added a pair and Tirch another before the first quarter was through. Coulter, a senior, finished with three goals. Classmate Ben Bowser tacked on one more.
“I’m sure, we lost a really good senior class (last year),” Marcoux said. “Three guys went and are playing Division I lacrosse right now, and getting playing time. So, yeah, absolutely, I think people expected us to take a little bit of a step back losing that talent.”
Experienced underclassmen such as Cote, Weaver, Saver and Tirch are a big part of the reason why the team’s expectations for itself have remained at a championship baseline.
Junior Josh Wilburn, Marcoux pointed out, was fantastic in the face-off circle, and goalies Luke Spreng, a senior, and Luke Reinhart, a sophomore, combined for the shutout in net.
“These guys have been through it before,” Marcoux said. “They’ve been to the games, they’ve played in these games. Almost all of these guys have been in big-time games and played in the state finals, so they know what it’s like. ... Offensively, it’s a big-time team effort, so you can’t really key on one guy.”
“We have to play to our standard,” said Cote, whose family waits until the end of July or early August to do any summer traveling. “Everyone’s coming at us. They wanna beat us. Beating us is like the Super Bowl to them, so there’s a lot on our shoulders. But it’s a lot of fun.”
Senior Sean Brennan had three assists, while Weaver and Coulter dished out two apiece. Bowser had another helper.
“We’ve been able to share the ball well,” Cote said. “Our chemistry has grown so much from the beginning.”
The Planets will play in Monday’s semifinals against No. 3 Hampton, which beat No. 6 Penn-Trafford 16-4, at a time and site to be announced.
