KENNEDY TWP — It was a Mars kind of drive in a Mars kind of quarter.

Holding a slim 9-7 lead over host Montour at the start of the second half, the Planets embarked on an 18-play, 78-yard drive that resulted in quarterback Tyler Kowalkowski's 2-yard scoring run.

The march took more than eight minutes off the clock and paved the way to a 26-15 Northwest Nine Conference victory.

“We talked about it at halftime,” said Planets' coach Scott Heinauer. “If we could drive down and score to start the second half, we felt we could break their will and that's what happened.”

Teddy Ruffner gained 57 yards on 10 carries during the drive. He replaced the injured Garrett Reinke, who left the game late in the first half with a leg injury.

“The trainer said Garrett should be kept out as a precaution, so that's what we did,” said Heinauer. “Teddy is just a freshman, but he came in and did a great job.”

Montour held possession for just over two minutes in the pivotal third quarter.

Ruffner scored his first varsity touchdown, a 1-yard plunge early in the fourth quarter, before Montour (2-1, 2-1) made things interesting.

Quarterback Kavon Morman capped a 10-play, 65-yard drive when he ran through the Planet defense from 15 yards out. He then completed a two-point conversion pass to Dustin Snyder and the Spartans trailed just 23-15 with 8:21 left in the game.

Mars went three-and-out on its next possession, but the Spartans committed their fourth and final turnover of the night on the punt when Ronald DeShantz fumbled and Jake Richardson recovered at the Spartan 7.

Though the Planets failed to convert the gift into a touchdown, Chris Check booted a 20-yard field goal that put Mars up by 11 points with 4:50 to go in the game.

Mars linebacker Anthony Grieco recovered his second fumble of the game on Montour's next drive, helping to seal the win.

“Montour is a good football team,” said Heinauer. “They have some kids who are going (to Division I colleges), but they were gassed tonight and we weren't.”

The Planet defense came up with two huge plays in the first half. Grieco returned a fumble 81 yards to the Spartan 3 in the first quarter, but Mars was turned away by Montour's goal-line stand.

After Morman hooked up with Brandon Lipford on a 64-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter, Drew Schlegel thwarted Montour's next drive with an interception and return of 64 yards.

Check turned it into Mars' first points of the game when he kicked a 32-yard field goal minutes later.

“Sometimes, you have to be a little lucky in this game,” said Heinauer. “Our kids were where they needed to be to make a play.”

Mars (3-1, 2-1) took the lead for good on its next drive when Kowalkowski and Thomas Sheehy connected on a 14-yard scoring pass. The extra-point attempt was blocked.

Mars 0 9 7 10 — 26

Montour 7 0 0 8 — 15

First Quarter

MO — Brandon Lipford 64 pass from Kavon Morman (Nolan Hutter kick), 1:57

Second Quarter

MA — Chris Check 32 field goal, 9:03

MA — Thomas Sheehy 14 pass from Tyler Kowalkowski (kick blocked), 5:44

Third Quarter

MA — Kowalkowski 2 run (Check kick), 3:47

Fourth Quarter

MA — Teddy Ruffner 1 run (Check kick), 11:47

MO — Morman 15 run (Dustin Snyder pass from Morman), 8:21

MA — Check 20 field goal, 4:50

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Mars, Garrett Reinke 8-31, Tyler Kowalkowski 5-(-5), Andrew Moyer 7-15, Teddy Ruffner 18-92, Chuck Green 6-18, Davis Bayne 1-(-1), TEAM 1-(-2). Montour, Brayden Jones 16-87, Dustin Snyder 4-18, Jaxon Schrenker 1-7, Kavon Morman 5-29, Ronald DeShantz 3-19, Brandon Lipford 2-(-25).

Passing: Mars, Tyler Kowalkowski 4-13-42-0, Drew Schlegel 0-1-0-0. Montour, Kavon Morman 12-17-177-1.

Receiving: Mars, Thomas Sheehy 3-30, Cade Hetzler 1-12. Montour, Ronald DeShantz 6-63, Dom Magliocco 1-30, Brandon Lipford 2-62, Jaxon Schrenker 1-4, Brayden Jones 1-(-3), Anthony Midili 1-21