Mars becomes 1st WPIAL team to win PIAA lacrosse championship

By: Jack McCaffery
Saturday, June 11, 2022 | 7:10 PM

Previous Next

WEST GOSHEN — With a plaque to win and a burden to shed, the Mars boys lacrosse team this weekend accepted a 294-mile journey into history. By Saturday evening, the return ride was a pleasure trip.

Behind three goals from Austin Cote, two apiece from Enzo Grieco and Jack Durham, a score each from Kyle McEwen and Wes Scurci and a critical last-minute save from goalkeeper Jonathan Grieco, the Fightin’ Planets outlasted Marple Newtown, 9-6, for the PIAA Class 2A championship at West Chester East High School.

In improving to 23-1, Mars remained perfect against all Pennsylvania competition and became the first WPIAL team to win a lacrosse state championship. Marple Newtown, out of the eternally strong Central League, finished at 20-5 despite a determined fourth-quarter rally.

Cote, who is bound for Loyola (Md.) for lacrosse, was as direct with his shooting as he was in his postgame analysis, admitting that the Planets were representing not just Mars but the western half of the state.

“It’s in our head all the time,” the senior midfielder said. “That’s what kind of pushes us here, the chip on our shoulders. So we’ve just proven that the west is just as good as the east.”

The PIAA has been running state lacrosse tournaments since 2009, with the competition split into 2A and 3A brackets in 2017. Previously, state champions had been decided by other governing bodies or by the voting of coaches since 1965, with every winner being from Eastern Pennsylvania. But the Planets reached the 2A final last season before falling to Allentown Central Catholic, and returned this season determined to drag a championship plaque west.

“We were here last year, so we kind of had an idea what to expect,” said Planets coach Bob Marcoux. “We knew the west had never won a championship, and part of our motivation was to do it for the WPIAL, and good for us, it happened.”

After staring down the District 1 champion Tigers in a 2-2 first quarter, Mars took 16 of the 18 second-quarter shots. Of particular impact was Durham’s goal with 5.4 seconds left that opened a 6-2 Mars lead at halftime.

“A hallmark of ours this year was to get a couple late goals and then carry the momentum into the second half,” Morcoux said. “We were a little on our heels, but after that goal, our confidence really carried us.”

The Planets took a 7-2 lead on Cote’s third goal with 8:02 left in the third quarter, but Marple Newtown drew to within 7-5, then controlled most of the fourth-quarter play. A Durham goal with 6:51 left had a settling effect, but Marple Newtown’s Ryan Keating scored with 2:39 left to restore tension.

The Tigers maneuvered inside with a minute left, but Jonathan Grieco made a spectacular leaping save to deny Joey Yukenevitch and draw the sizable Mars cheering section into a championship celebration. Scurci’s goal with 29.3 seconds added to the history-making moment.

Mars outshot Marple Newtown, 28-25. The Planets’ only loss was to Ohio power Upper Arlington.

“Honestly, it was just like another game,” the Planets’ keeper said. “I was just one piece of the puzzle. We wanted to prove the west could hang against these Philly teams. It’s the greatest feeling ever. It’s amazing. It feels like a million bucks.”

Tags: Mars