ADAMS TWP - He picked the biggest game to make the biggest play.

With a spot in the WPIAL Class AA playoffs at stake, Gary Pezzuolo scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:20 remaining on a big pass play to lead Mohawk over Mars, 14-7, in a high school football game Friday night.

Pezzuolo scored on a 79-yard slant pass from Josh Crum, who was playing his first game since injuring his right hand in a woodshop accident.

The pass was caught about eight yards in the Mars' secondary and Pezzuolo broke a tackle to get into the open field. With only one defender to beat, he made a cut back to the inside to complete what he called the biggest play of his life.

"I cut inside at about the 35," he said. "I just wanted to do what I could to get us the win."

Mars running back Paul Ferrese and Mohawk running back Jesse D'Amico were expected to be the focal points of each team's offense heading into the contest. They didn't disappoint.

With 3:49 remaining in the opening quarter, Ferrese completed an 85-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Ferrese, who was honored before the game for becoming just the seventh Mars player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season, couldn't handle a pitch from D.J. Cannon on the opening play of the drive. He was able to recover though, and on the very next play from his own 5-yard line, David Pisarcik ran for 62 of his 89 rushing yards to set up the Ferrese touchdown.

Ferrese finished the game with 76 yards on 23 carries.

D'Amico and the Warriors came back to score a touchdown of their own on a 5-yard run at the 9:19 mark in the second quarter. D'Amico, who outran Ferrese with 111 rushing yards on 21 carries, converted on two fourth downs to keep the chains moving.

Mohawk failed to tie the score, though, as Chris Chappel blocked Ryan Arena's extra point attempt.

At the end of the third quarter, Crum and the Warriors took advantage of a missed assignment by the Mars defense and completed a 48-yard toss to Mike Butera, who was run down by Josh Kiel at the Planets' 7.

The Mars defense consequently held Mohawk out of the end zone, stopping D'Amico on four chances from inside the 10.

With the ball and the lead with less than two minutes remaining, it looked like Mars would hold on for the victory.

But the Mohawk defense tackled Ferrese for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-three at its own 19-yard line to earn one last chance at clinching a playoff berth. Pezzuolo took advantage of the opportunity with his touchdown reception.

Mohawk head coach Jason Long said his team was due for a big play.

"We had been shooting ourselves in the foot all game, but fortunately we were able to come up with the big play when we needed it," he said.

Mars coach Scott Heinauer was pleased with his team's performance despite the bitter ending.

"Our defense played well with the exception of two big plays, but I'm proud of the way our kids played overall tonight," he said.

Heinauer also said that his team's season ended because of the way it began.

"If we had played better early in the season, we wouldn't have been in a must-win situation." he said. "If this isn't enough motivation for our kids to work hard in the off-season, I don't know what is."