COLLIER TWP — The contrast in styles between Mars and Montour was apparent early in Friday night's WPIAL Class AAA semifinal.

And for the first time in 11 games, Planets football didn't translate into winning football.

Montour junior quarterback Dillon Buechel threw for 224 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-14 win over Mars at Chartiers Valley High.

“We saw some things on film and thought we could make a few plays downfield,” said Montour coach Lou Cerro.

Mars had two drives that totaled a combined 36 plays and got a strong outing from senior fullback Austin Miele, who rushed for 162 yards and a touchdown, but Montour's big-play capability was the difference.

The Spartans tallied three first-half touchdowns that came from 49, 46 and 64 yards out.

Trailing 21-6 at halftime, the Planets (10-2) opened the third period with a 21-play, 81-yard drive that took 8 minutes, 19 seconds.

The march ended when quarterback Eric Guzak hit Aaron Lozzi with a 21-yard scoring pass.

Guzak then tossed a 2-point conversion pass to Miele and the Planets trailed by only seven points with more than 15 minutes to play.

But the Spartans (12-0) answered with a scoring drive of their own, as Julian Durden scored from 5 yards out on the second play of the fourth quarter.

“We talked at halftime about driving the field and getting a touchdown, and we did that,” said Planets coach Scott Heinauer. “But we couldn't come up with the big stop.”

The Planets drove to the Montour 39 on their next possession, but the turned the ball over on downs.

The Spartans then capped the scoring with Buechel's 10-yard toss to Devin Wilson.

The Mars defense contained Durden, the Spartans' star halfback, who had only 38 yards rushing on 10 carries in the first half.

But Montour had its passing game to fall back on.

On a second-and-9 play from the Mars 49 midway through the first quarter, Buechel took the snap and looked right before coming back to his left and finding Darren Massey open on a slant route.

The junior wideout then outraced two Mars defenders for the game's first score.

“You have to pick one or the other, and Mars chose to stop our running game,” said Cerro. “But we were able to pass to make plays.”

The Planets retaliated with a 74-yard drive, during which Miele followed a 66-yard run with a 2-yard scoring plunge.

The snap on the extra-point attempt was mishandled and the score stood at 7-6.

Buechel hit two more long scoring passes before the end of the half, first to Massey for 46 yards, then to Aaron McGee for 64.

“That's why Montour was the number one seed,” said Heinauer. “You can't give up big plays like that to good teams.”

The Planets' season featured a Greater Allegheny Conference title and a 10-game winning streak.

“It was a great season,” said Heinauer. “Our seniors did a good job of leading us throughout the whole year.”

Montour will face Central Valley, a 42-24 winner over Thomas Jefferson, in the WPIAL Class AAA title game next Saturday at Heinz Field.

Montour 35, Mars 14<B>Mars 6 0 8 0 — 14Montour 7 14 0 14 — 35Ma Mo</B>19 First Downs 1444-234 Rushes-Yards 29-134139 Passing Yards 2248-21-1 Passes (Comp.-Att.-Int.) 10-15-0373 Total Yards 3581-0 Fumbles-Lost 0-06-65 Penalties-Yards 0-0<B>First Quarter</B>MO — Darren Massey 49 pass from Dillon Buechel (Lucas Tourney kick), 4:48MA — Austin Miele 2 run (run failed), 2:22<B>Second Quarter</B>MO — Massey 46 pass from Buechel (Tourney kick), 5:51MO — Aaron McGee 64 pass from Buechel (Tourney kick), 2:14<B>Third Quarter</B>MA — Aaron Lozzi 21 pass from Eric Guzak (Miele pass from Guzak), 3:35<B>Fourth Quarter</B>MO — Julian Durden 5 run (Tourney kick), 11:49MO — Devin Wilson 10 pass from Buechel (Tourney kick), 3:46<B>Individual StatisticsPassing:</B> Mars, Eric Guzak 8-21-139-1. Montour, Dillon Buechel 10-15-224-0.<B>Rushing:</B> Mars, Seth Geyer 10-43, Austin Miele 26-162, Eric Guzak 8-29. Montour, Julian Durden 25-106, Dillon Buechel 3-24, Devin Wilson 1-4.<B>Receiving:</B> Mars, Josh Pinkerton 2-28, Aaron Lozzi 2-57, Brian Cassidy 2-37, Seth Geyer 1-2, Brad Weischedel 1-15. Montour, Darren Massey 3-111, Julian Durden 2-10, Devin Wilson 4-39, Aaron McGee 1-64.