ADAMS TWP — Mars coach Scott Heinauer was looking to play the percentages before the opening kickoff against Indiana on Friday.

He knew his team was in for a tough battle against the Indians, so after winning the coin toss, he elected to receive.

Not to get his offense on the field first, but possibly to have it on last.

Heinauer was counting on the Planets having the breeze behind them, which proved to be correct as Chris Karns booted a 30-yard field goal with 1:07 left to give the Planets a 1 7-14 Greater Allegheny Conference victory.

"We have a lot of faith in him," Heinauer said. "He puts (kickoffs) in the end zone. It's hard to find a kid like that. That's why a lot of people are looking at him.

"He did a great job splitting the uprights. It's a lot like soccer (which Karns plays) and penalty kicks. You have to come through," the coach added.

Mars (5-3, 3-1) remains tied for first place in the conference with Franklin Regional and Knoch. All three teams have clinched WPIAL playoff berths as well

The Planets began the game-winning drive at their own 40 yard line with 6:22 left.

Kevin Randolph had runs of 10 and 17 yards, and Austin Miele followed with runs of 14, 2 and 6 yards. On third-and-2 at the Indiana 21, quarterback D.J. Delucia, who replaced Eric Guzak earlier in the game, rushed for 2 yards on the quick sneak.

Four plays later, Karns made his 30-yarder to give Mars the lead for good.

Karns booted the kickoff into the back of the end zone, so the Indians (1-7, 1-3) started at their own 20. Facing a third-and-5 at the 25, Kyle Edgar's pass was intercepted by a leaping Miele to seal the win.

Indiana opened the scoring in the second quarter when, on a fourth-and-6 ae the Mars 22, Edgar found Kevin Stapleton in the end zone for a touchdown.

After trading punts, Mars set up shop at the Indiana 30.

The Planets ran the ball on nine straight plays before Miele recorded a 2-yard score on a fourth-and-goal with 55 seconds left in the half.

"We wanted to come out and dictate the tempo," said Heinauer. "I thought they had just two good plays in the first half.

"Our offensive was holding its blocks well and I felt if we came out and hit them as hard as we could, good things would happens."

Again, Heinauer proved to be correct as the Indians' Vinnie Gatti fumbled the ball at the Mars 43. Miele scooped it up in stride and scored on a 57-yard return with 2:21 left in the third quarter.

"It's been that one play that's come back to haunt us again," said Indians coach Mark Zilinskas. "That was the difference in the game. We kept our composure and kept fighting.

"We didn't let that get us down. We put five on the ground last week. It was too bad the one play lands right in the guy's hands. That's just the way it's been this year," he added.

The Indians tied the score on the ensuing possession on a 1-yard run by Edgar. The drive was highlighted by a 66-yard slant route by Gatti from Edgar to give the Indians first-and-10 and the Mars 13.

The score stood at 14-all until the Planets took possession midway through the fourth quarter for the winning score.

Miele had five carries in the drive and finished with 121 yards on 33 carries. It was the kind of grind-it-out game Heinauer had expected.

"Indiana made a ton of mistakes last week," said Heinauer. "I told the kids to be ready, that they're in for a heck of a game.

"Both teams were running the ball and the clock was running. You could see it was a fast game," Heinauer added.