Let's try this again.

That's Scott Heinauer's message to the Mars football team after the Planets failed to clinch a playoff spot with last week's 21-0 loss at Indiana.

Mars has the opportunity to get it right, though.

The Planets host rival Knoch at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Greater Allegheny Conference finale.

Both teams still have playoff hopes.

While a win would guarantee Mars of a WPIAL Class AAA playoff berth, the Planets could also get in with a loss and an Indiana win over Franklin Regional on Friday night.

Knoch coach Mike King believes the Knights get a playoff berth if they win Saturday.

"If we win, we're in. That's how I understand it,"he said. "But I'll only be certain of that when I get the official word from the WPIAL."

Knoch and Mars haven't played each other in 14 years.

"We always meet in basketball and that's a fierce rivalry,"King said. "With the two schools being just down the road from each other, the football could easily develop into a big rivalry, too."

Knoch needs a win Saturday to extend its season. Mars may not, but Heinauer doesn't want to enter the postseason on a two-game losing skid, either.

He watched his team gain just 28 yards on 25 carries last week.

"We had a lot of missed blocking assignments offensively," said Heinauer. "We've just got to change that and refocus.

"I thought our defense played well," he added of a unit that surrendered just 197 yards on 58 rushing attempts by Indiana. "But when you're going against the triple option, eventually, you're going to wear down. That's what happened to us."

Mars (5-3, 2-2) has to take advantage of its opponent's mistakes this week. The Planets recovered a fumble last week, but turned the ball right back over to the Indians.

Knoch senior tailback Tim McNerney has gained 975 rushing yards this season to go with seven touchdowns.

"Tim has quietly been very good of late, returning to the style with which we ran the ball last year,"King said.

"Knoch runs the I-(formation), and in the 'I', the tailback gets the ball about 25 times per game," said Heinauer. "They don't pass that much."

Knights' junior quarterback Jake McTighe has thrown for just 230 yards this year, but has rushed for 181 yards and five touchdowns.

Knoch (2-6, 1-3) defeated Peters Township (20-7) and Hampton (21-16) this season.

The Knights were defeated by conference frontrunner Highlands last Friday, 35-18.

"We need to play better defense this week,"King said. "Our problems there have been a combination of things."

Saturday's matchup could be a showdown between the Planets' offensive line and the Knights' defensive front.

"That could be the matchup of the night,"King said. "They have some very good backs, but they also have a huge offensive line. I've seen them make some plays in the passing game, too, but our defensive line has to hold its own in this game."

"Their record is not indicative of their kids' effort this season," said Heinauer. "I always tell our kids, you never know when you will or will not be in the playoffs. Some people take the playoffs for granted, but I don't."

And King doesn't take play in the Greater Allegheny Conference for granted.

"Highlands is a great team having a great year, but everybody else seems right there with each other," he said. "We haven't been turning the ball over four or five times a game, but we'll have a drive stall because of a penalty, make a mistake on a key play ... Those kinds of things cost you games in this conference."

Sports editor John Enrietto contributed to this report.