WPIAL lacrosse: Mars boys’ quest for 10th straight title still in play after convincing win vs Hampton
OHIO TWP — The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
But when it comes to boys lacrosse in Western Pennsylvania, no program is more decorated than Mars, and the Planets are still standing.
They used a 5-0 run in a span of seven-and-a-half minutes of the third and fourth quarters Monday to dispatch No. 2 Hampton 15-9 in a WPIAL Class 2A semifinal at Avonworth High School’s Lenzner Field.
“It’s been a while since we were an underdog, and that put a chip on our shoulder,” senior Grant Weaver said.
Mars and Hampton were tied at 7 before the Planets’ scoring spree.
“We didn’t change anything up offensively. It was just a matter of Josh Wilburn continuing to win faceoffs,” Mars coach Bob Marcoux said. “We got the ball to the wings and continued to look for open shots.”
The No. 3 Planets (14-4) will face No. 4 South Fayette, which upset top seed Peters Township 8-7, in the district final either Wednesday or Thursday at Upper St. Clair High School.
The Planets defeated South Fayette for the WPIAL crown each of the last three years.
Mars is the nine-time defending WPIAL champion.
“Our motto is ‘One game at a time,’” Marcoux said. “But I guarantee our guys think about our run of nine straight WPIAL titles. They don’t want to be part of the team that allows that streak to end.”
Hampton’s Eli Schwarzbach knotted the game with a score 4:33 into the third quarter. But Weaver answered for Mars less than a minute later, then scored again with 5:25 left in the period.
Reed Fuller, Weaver and Connor Long all found the net by the time the Talbots stopped the bleeding with Brody Eichas’ score early in the fourth. But Hampton (14-5) never threatened Mars’ lead down the stretch.
The Talbots topped the Planets 11-9 in early April.
“We were dealing with some injuries then,” Marcoux said. “Reed Fuller (who scored three goals Monday) barely played in that game, and you saw what a difference he can make.”
Mars played senior David Renner in net in the first half, then called in junior Luke Reinhart for the final 24 minutes.
“That’s the plan we’ve used this year, and it’s worked out well,” Marcoux said. “Both of them are really good, have a lot of confidence, and they get along well.”
Renner stopped five shots and Reinhart three, including one save just before the end of the third period when Hampton’s Levi Whitfield got off a clear shot just feet from Mars’ net.
Hampton goalie Kellan Gale made seven saves. Heath Borgo and Eichas both scored three times for the Talbots.
Jack Tirch joined Fuller and Weaver in scoring three goals for Mars. Long added two scores.
In all, eight Planets found the net.
“We wanted to share the wealth, and we did a pretty good job of that tonight,” Fuller said.
“It would be very special to win 10 straight district championships,” Weaver said. “We want to make Mars a legacy program.”
