Planets can clinch playoff berth with win

October 16, 2008 Last Updated: October 16, 2008 02:16 PM High School

It's a good news, bad news situation for the Mars football team.

The Planets (5-2, 2-1) can clinch a WPIAL Class AAA playoff berth by winning one of their final two games.

But senior fullback Shane Kaclik has been lost for the season due to an undisclosed injury suffered in his team's win over Franklin Regional Oct. 3.

Kaclik's season ended after he put up 702 rushing yards and six total touchdowns.

"It's a major loss for us," said Planets' coach Scott Heinauer. "It may not have shown on the scoreboard last week (a 42-7 win over Hampton), but we lost a three-year starter on offense and defense. He's a leader on and off the field, leading not so much with words, but by example."

Mars will travel to Indiana (5-2, 1-2) Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Kaclik, who also started at linebacker, has been replaced at fullback by sophomore Austin Miele.

Miele, who's played most of the season at wingback, has rushed for 595 yards and has scored six total touchdowns, including three in last week's win.

Moving from halfback to wingback is senior Corey Slater, who caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from John Brake on Friday.

And taking over the starting halfback position is junior Kevin Randolph, who contributed to Mars' latest victory with 127 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

In short, the Planets have a lot of players at new positions, but they all performed well last week.

The team's philosophy will not change, said Heinauer.

"We want to run the football and we'll pass when we have to," he said.

Junior kicker Christopher Karns missed last week's game with an injury, as Slater took over the kicking duties.

Karns is expected to play this week.

Indiana suffered two consecutive conference losses to Hampton (7-6) and Highlands (21-14) before defeating Knoch last week, 34-20.

The Indians trailed 20-13 at halftime.

"It's a tough conference and wins are hard to come by," said Indiana coach Mark Zilinkas. "Coming back and winning like we did, it was a big lift for us."

Quarterback Ben Fiscus and running back Jay Pettina combined to tally 41 carries for 249 yards in the victory.

Fiscus also threw two touchdown passes in the win.

"He's the most complete quarterback we've had since I've been here," said Zilinkas, who is in his seventh season with the Indians.

"Indiana's a team that doesn't give up a lot of points," said Heinauer. "Their games are generally close. We know how important this game is, just as they do."

• Last year's score: Knoch 41, Highlands 13 and Knoch 28, Highlands 7 (playoffs)• Coaches: Knoch:Mike King; Highlands:Sam Albert• Game notes: Knoch has defeated Highlands in their last seven meetings, four of the wins coming by a touchdown margin or less. ... Rams QBJeff Sinclair has passed for 823 yards and rushed for 590. He has 10 touchdowns rushing. ... Only one team — Kiski Area with 31 points — has scored more than two touchdowns on Highlands this season. ... RBBilly Devlin has 400 yards and four TDs rushing for the Rams. ... Knoch RBTim McNerney rushed for 198 yards and three TDs in 34-20 loss to Indiana last week. McNerney had scored just three touchdowns in the Knights' first six games. He has 764 yards rushing on the year. ... Knoch LBKevin Brodeur had 16 tackles last week.

• Last year's score: Did not play• Coaches: Canandaigua Academy, Dave Niemand. Slippery Rock, Clyde Conti• Game notes: Canandaigua Academy is located outside of Rochester, N.Y. ... The Braves are the defending Section V Class AA champions and are off to a 6-0 start this season. ... This is the last regular season game on the Braves' schedule. The N.Y. playoffs start next week. ... Canandaigua is led by senior quarterback Marshall Johnson. It also has a pair of dangerous running backs in SeanRegan and NickMichalko. ... Canandaigua is an American Indian word that means "chosen place." ... Canandaigua has been the chosen place for tradition; the program began in 1888.

• Last year's score: Freeport 21, Deer Lakes 0• Coaches: Freeport:John Gaillot; Deer Lakes:Todd Hazlett• Game notes: Freeport rolled to a 31-6 decision over West Shamokin last Friday as Andy Teorsky rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Austin Shockey and Jake Campbell also rushed for scores. ... Teorsky has rushed for 505 yards on 100 carries. ... The Yellowjackets limited the Wolves to 91 total yards of offense with the lone score coming on an interception return. ... Deer Lakes fell to Summit Academy 28-14 Saturday, as Paul Nilson and Eli Maxwell rushed for touchdowns. The Lancers allowed Summit to score the final 21 points of the game. ... Deer Lakes totaled 128 yards, 88 through the air by Geoff Landry, who completed six of 13 passes but was intercepted four times.

• Last year's score: Did not play• Coaches: Grove City, Jeff Bell. Meadville, Mike Pendolino• Game notes: The winner of this game will take a giant step toward a region championship. ... CaseyShay had a huge game for Grove City last week, rushing for 209 yards on 29 carries. He had an added workload because of a thumb injury suffered by Dwayne Martin, who still managed to gain 144 yards rushing on 18 carries. ... Martin is expected to play Friday. ... Meadville suffered a disheartening 24-14 loss to Slippery Rock, despite 138 yards rushing by Toney Phillips. ... The Bulldogs' leading rusher, Mike Kalustian, was held to 41 yards on just nine carries last week. ... Meadville quarterback Jarrod Kilburn threw two interceptions last week, his first two of the season.

• Last year's score: Did not play• Coaches: Summit Academy:Steve Sherer; Kittanning:Sam Panchik• Game notes: Kittanning outlasted Burrell 28-21 last Friday in a crucial Allegheny Conference win for the Wildcats. ... Kittanning received a 167-yard, three-touchdown performance from running back Logan Atwood. Chris Shepard also added 138 yards on 18 carries and another score for the Wildcats. ... Summit Academy captured its second consecutive win, downing the Lancers of Deer Lakes 28-14, scoring 21 unanswered points to close out the game. ... Mike Martin rushed for one score and threw for another while the Knights defense used a Trayvon Grogan fumble return and a Chandler Smalls interception return for a pair of fourth-quarter scores.

• Last year's score: Teams did not meet.• Coaches: Union, Jeremy Lipps (1-6), Punxsutawney:Blake Moilan (4-25)• Game notes: Union's 40-0 win over A-CValley was the program's largest margin of victory against a conference opponent since 1981, when it defeated East Brady, 52-6. ... RBColby Davis had 17 carries for 158 yards and two TDs last week while teammate Zach Traister had four carries for 141 yards and returned a fumble 80 yards for a score. ... Punxsutawney's 20-0 loss to Redbank Valley last week snapped a two-game win streak for the Chucks. ... QBBen Blazevich had 40 yards rushing, 13 receiving and 49 passing in the loss.

• Last year's score: Redbank Valley won, 47-12• Coaches: Redbank Valley: Brandon Rapp, first season; A-C Valley: Gary Pinkerton, second season• Game notes: The Bulldogs shut out Punxsutawney 20-0 last week. ... Senior running back Alex Bladel led the win with 165 yards and two touchdowns. ... Redbank Valley has won an overtime game this season (Brookville, 19-13) and a triple-overtime decision (Clarion, 28-21). ... The team's only loss was a 23-14 setback to undefeated Karns City in Week 6. ... A-C Valley lost to Union last Friday, 40-0, despite 168 yards rushing from senior Luke Walker. ... In their last four contests — losses to Moniteau, Punxsutawney, Brookville and Union — the Falcons have been outscored 153-14.