First loss helps Mars boys ramp up for Quaker Valley
Tri-State Sports & News Service Mars has rolled through the WPIAL this season but wanted to face a serious challenge heading into the playoffs. That was why, when Upper Arlington, the topranked team in Ohio, came calling, the Planets jumped at the opportunity. “It was definitely a nice surprise,” Mars coach Bob Marcoux said at the time. “We were looking to add another game or two to our schedule and it was nice that they reached out to us and thought that we would be a worthy opponent.” Though Mars (17-1) was handed its only loss of the season, 13-8, in that game on May 15, it was a perfect way for the team to prepare for the WPIAL playoffs. Mars has outscored its two playoff opponents, Shaler and South Fayette, by a combined score of 47-4. The Planets are 17-0 against WPIAL teams and have outscored them 338-57 with two shutouts and four others in which they allowed only one goal. No WPIAL team has scored double-digit goals against Mars this season. Now, Mars is one win away from winning its sixth consecutive WPIAL Class 2A title. All that stands in the Planets way is the Quaker Valley squad it will face at 8 p.m. Thursday at Robert Morris University’s Joe Walton Stadium. Quaker Valley has had a solid season and improved greatly on last year when it was knocked out in the first round by Indiana. To be fair, the Quakers (16-1) got a measure of revenge with a 12-8 win against the Little Indians in the semifinals, but now they will face the biggest task of the season in trying to unseat Mars. Mars and Quaker Valley did not play during the regular season. Mars is led by its fearsome foursome of Division I recruits. Midfielder Austin Cote has committed to play at Loyola (Md.), defender Quinn Fuller is headed to Jacksonville, attacker and reigning WPIAL Class 2A player of the year Wes Scurci is headed to Lindenwood and attacker Josh Stepp will play at Bellarmine. They will provide a severe test for Quaker Valley’s defense, which is goalkeeper Calahan Bedard and defenders Justin Richey, Mason Diemert and Ben Carlson.