UNIONTOWN — After dropping its season opener to Franklin Regional, the Mars football team extended its winning streak to five games with a dominant 42-0 victory over Uniontown Friday night in non-conference action.

The Planets (5-1, 4-1) scored 21 points in the opening quarter and never looked back in the lopsided contest, en route to a 258-yard rushing performance.

“We wanted to control the line of scrimmage and keep their offense off the field,” Mars coach Scott Heinauer said. “We are a run-first team, and I thought our backs and our line did a great job tonight. We hit a couple of passes, but we go as our running game goes. We are happy from an offensive standpoint, as well as on defense, as we were able to shut down their rushing attack.”

With the win, Mars is now 13-11 in non-conference action in the regular season since 2003, including a 44-0 win last year at home against the Red Raiders (1-5, 1-4).

On the fifth play of the contest, the Planets went up 7-0 after a 3-yard rushing score by running back Josh Schultheis at the 10:13 mark of the first quarter.

Schultheis garnered a game-high 157 yards on the ground on 11 carries.

Jake Rosswog recorded an interception for the visitors on Uniontown’s third play of the game, and the Planets doubled their lead to 14-0 after a 28-yard passing touchdown from quarterback Owen Nearhoof to tight end Nolan Skirtich.

After a three-and-out by the Red Raiders, the Planets caught a break when Schultheis fumbled the ball 19 yards forward and Skirtich recovered it for a touchdown to put Mars up 21-0 with 4:54 left in the opening period.

Uniontown put a drive together and was at the Mars 14-yard line, but tailback Ariane Washington fumbled and Mars recovered to keep the home team off the scoreboard.

On its next possession, Mars’ passing combo of Nearhoof and Skirtich hooked up for another tally, a 57-yard pass to make it 28-0 at the 9:59 mark of the second stanza.

Nearhoof only threw the ball four times in the game, completing three passes to Skirtich for 96 yards.

Nearhoof added a 2-yard quarterback keeper to round out the scoring for the Planets in the opening 24 minutes, as Mars held a commanding 35-0 lead at halftime.

“Their offensive line and defense won them this game,” Uniontown coach John Fortugna said. “They are very good up front and very experienced. On defense, they all ran to the ball and attacked the ball carrier. Our option running game was stuffed the whole night and we couldn’t sustain drives against them.”

With the mercy rule and the running clock in effect to start the second half, both teams traded possessions and turnovers for a scoreless third quarter.

Mars tailback Ori Rinaman collected the final score of the game, a 73-yard dash to the end zone with 1:25 left.

The Planets also got a stellar game on special teams from kicker Matthew White, as he went 6-for-6 on PATs and had five touchbacks on kickoffs.

Uniontown couldn’t muster a strong rushing attack in the game and Mars held dual-threat quarterback Xavier Ellis in check. The Red Raiders had 92 rushing yards on 37 carries in the loss.

“We had to stop their option (run),” Heinauer said. “We couldn’t let them run outside and we had to control the trap and the counter on the inside.

“Their quarterback and tailbacks are elusive and they are athletes. We made plays on defense and I really like our effort.”

Both teams will head back into their respective conferences next week, as Mars travels to Knoch and Uniontown visits Trinity.