Mars earns another title shot
COLLIER TWP — It took a little time for the Mars boys soccer team to get its footing this season.
Now that the Planets have it, they've run all the way to the WPIAL championship game.
Josh Brake's header off a centering pass by Luke Sowers early in the second half was all the offense Mars needed Tuesday night in a 1-0 WPIAL Class AA semifinal victory over South Park at Chartiers Valley High.
With the win, the two-time defending champion Planets (14-5-2) advance to their third consecutive WPIAL final, where they will face Hampton, a 6-1 winner over Belle Vernon, on Saturday at Elizabeth Forward High School at a time to be determined.
Mars opened the season with a 3-3-1 record, but has rebounded with an 11-2-1 mark since, including three playoff wins.
Mars and South Park (18-3) battled to a scoreless first-half tie before the Planets scored with 38:18 to play.
"We didn't switch anything," said Mars coach Chris Knauff. "As soon as we scored, we went a little more defensive."
"We went back to what we did in the first half," said Eagles coach Jon Cantwell. "(Mars) was a little more successful on the flanks in the first half, and, so be it, that's when they scored."
Mars goalie Garrett Gabriel had a sterling game, making seven saves, including several key saves in the first half to keep it scoreless.
In the second half, he came up just as big, including on a shot with 34:05 to play by junior midfielder Mike Pcholinsky. Gabriel dived to stop the shot, then the ball hit the post before being cleared by a Planets defender.
The Planets continued to stay on the defensive, but they did so with one fewer player over the final 23:25.
Yulian Lutsiv of Mars collided with Eagles goalie Dan McDermott, who was charging on the ball. McDermott was down for a couple of minutes before an official gave Lutsiv a red card, which removed Lutsiv from Tuesday's game and the Planets' next contest: the WPIAL final.
"Honestly, I disagreed with the call," said Knauff. "I don't think he collided on purpose. You go all out. It appeared to me to be a 50-50 ball."
The Eagles attacked the net for most of the remaining time, but couldn't generate many solid opportunities.
Gabriel made sure nothing slipped past him.
"He's been very solid all year," said Knauff. "That was kind of a question mark all season, but he's answered that."
