ADAMS TWP — The name 'Cress' is again tops on the Mars boys basketball all-time scoring list.

Steve Cress, a senior forward for the Planets, scored 30 points in a 70-62 victory over St. Joseph on Senior Recognition Night on Monday, giving him 1,186 points for his career.

With a baseline drive and layup late in the first quarter, Cress passed up 2006 graduate Tim Frye (1,162) for the top spot.

Before Frye came along, it was Steve Cress' father, Bill, who held the record at 1,098 points.

Immediately following the record-breaking basket, the game was stopped and Steve was congratulated by his teammates, coaches and members of St. Joseph.

"It was a great feeling," said the younger Cress. "But to be honest, I'd trade in my records for a spot in the playoffs. But I can't complain, I had a great season."

Later in the game, Cress set another mark by scoring his 487th point of the year — a single season record at Mars. He ended the game with 495 points on the year.

Bill Cress and Frye were both on hand to see the career-points record fall.

"I just kept thinking about how hard he's worked over the years," Bill Cress said of his son. "I'm proud as heck of him.

"It's been a pleasure watching him over the last few years and I'm looking forward to watching him in college, wherever he goes."

While Bill Cress held the points record for over 35 years, Frye enjoyed it for just two years.

"Records get broken," said Frye, now a member of the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team. "If anybody was going to break it, I'm glad it was Steve. We're pretty good friends."

Frye and Steve Cress were teammates during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

"It was obvious right from the beginning that he had talent," said Frye of Cress. "I even told him at one point that I thought he'd get the record."

Steve Cress, who averaged 21.5 points per game this season, became a star for the Planets over the last two years, and part of that success can be attributed to natural ability.

"One of his biggest assets is his jumping ability," said Bill Cress, who graduated in 1970. "That's something I got from my dad and Steve got from me. But he's definitely bigger and stronger than I was."

The other half of Steve Cress' numbers come from a determination to make himself a better player.

Said Planets' coach Rob Carmody: "The kids out there who come to these games to watch Steve and they see him dunk and all that, I hope they realize how much time he's spent in an empty gym, practicing when nobody is watching.

"To me, that's Steve's legacy."

A week ago, it wasn't a certainty that Steve Cress would get the record.

Then he dropped 42 points in a game against Indiana.

"I actually walked off the court that night thinking I had scored 24 or 25," he said. "I kept checking after each game where I was just because I was curious. But I wasn't really worried about it."

Next on Steve Cress' agenda is to pick where he will play in college. He's narrowed the list to under 10 schools, including Edinboro, Slippery Rock, Baldwin-Wallace, Mercyhurst and Westminster.

Notes: Also playing their final game for the Planets were seniors Dave Petruska, Justin Stadelmyer and Brandon Stadelmyer.

ST. JOSEPH 62Mike Barkowski 6 0-2 12, Josh Diez 9 3-4 22, Matt Thimons 4 2-2 12, Pat Tutka 4 1-2 9, Kevin Voller 2 0-0 4, Dave Marsili 1 0-0 3, Erik Roming 0 0-0 0. Totals: 26 6-10 62.

MARS 70Steve Cress 14 1-1 30, Chris Herold 2 2-3 7, Dave Petruska 4 0-0 12, Dante Detillio 3 1-2 7, Christian Locher 1 0-0 3, Justin Stadelmyer 2 0-0 5, Brandon Stadelmyer 3 0-0 6, Luke Gruber 0 0-0 0, Alec Mahon 0 0-0 0, Ben Szilogy 0 0-0 0. Totals: 29 4-6 70.

St. Joseph 14 12 21 15—62Mars 22 13 12 23—703-point goals: St. Joseph 4 (Thimons 2, Diez, Marsili); Mars 8 (Petruska 4, Herold, Cress, Locher, J. Stadelmyer).

JV: Mars 48-32