Welcome to the next big sports rivalry in Butler County: Knoch vs. Mars.

We already have Butler vs. Seneca Valley, Karns City vs. Moniteau, Slippery Rock vs. Grove City. (Yeah, yeah, I know Grove City isn't in the county, but it's a neighborhood rivalry nonetheless.)

What makes Knoch and Mars such a classic rivalry now is that it finally will encompass all sports because the Planets are bumping up to Class AAAin football.

Mars is joining the ultracompetitive Greater Allegheny Conference, and when the Planets and Knights get together on the football field, the atmosphere in the stands and on the sidelines will match that of Karns City-Moniteau.

These two schools are located close together — a mere stone's throw down Route 228 — and the foundation for a football rivalry has been laid down by other sports.

• The Knoch girls basketball team couldn't seem to beat Mars at any point, even during the Knights' WPIALplayoff seasons. Such frustration on one side can fuel intensity as years go by.

• Mars softball pitcher Monica Glomb continued to dominate on mound, but she ran into some gritty games against Knoch's ever-improving program last spring.

The defending WPIALchampion Planets lost twice to Knoch, including an 11-inning, 1-0 decision in April and a 3-1 defeat at home — the first time a Knoch softball team ever won at Mars.

Scott Docherty resurrected a Knoch program that won only one game three years ago. Now these teams are on even terms.

• The same can be said for soccer. Knoch and Mars have WPIAL-playoff caliber boys and girls teams that compete in the same section and battle each other for a playoff berth at times.

If there was any doubt about these schools being bitter rivals before, fast forward to the boys basketball game Feb. 2 at Knoch.

At the time, both teams were out of the playoff picture — Mars was awarded a berth later when Valley was ruled ineligible — and the game was postponed a day because of inclement weather the night before.

Still, large student contingents from both sides turned out for the game, a high-energy, spirited contest that the Planets wound up winning, 63-58.

Nothing on the line?You couldn't tell by watching these two teams go at each other.

"It's Knoch and Mars," Planets coach Rob Carmody said about the intensity level after the game. "That's all the reason you need to play hard."

These are two schools that should have found a way to face each other in football, a situation similar to New Castle and Butler, formerly members of the same section.

Knoch and Mars will meet in a football section showdown now, and you can almost count on a WPIALplayoff spot being on the line.

Think this rivalry wasn't hot enough before?

A huge log has just been thrown on the fire.