Mars looking to take next step behind experienced offensive line

By: Mark Nitowski
Sunday, August 10, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 22. Due to production schedule conflicts, the McKeesport preview will be published later this month.

After back-to-back trips to the semifinals, the Mars Fightin’ Planets are looking to take the next step – playing for a WPIAL 4A championship.

“We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing to get over the hump,” Mars coach Eric Kasperowicz said. “We need to try to get better each day and trust the process. If we do that, good things will happen.”

Mars closed out the season with a semifinal loss to Aliquippa in 2023 and McKeesport in 2024.

If the Planets are to go deeper into the postseason in 2025, it most likely will be thanks to the play of an experienced and talented offensive line.

“We have four of the five starters back on the line,” Kasperowicz said. “They are battle tested, and we’ll hang our hats on them.”

Returning starters are center Adam Budzilek (6-2, 270), guards Colton Ewing (6-3, 265) and Jonnie Maestra (6-1, 265) and tackle Sean Franklin (6-6, 300).

Seniors Budzilek, Ewing and Franklin have played every game since their sophomore season, according to Kasperowicz.

“All of them are getting looks from colleges,” he said. “We’re really looking forward to them getting things going for us. When you’re good up front, you always have a chance.”

Senior Gabe Hein should be the Planets’ top offensive threat. He led the team with 66 catches for 939 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

“Gabe is a playmaker. He’s our Mr. Everything,” Kasperowicz said. “He plays wide receiver, but he’ll also play some running back for us.”

Senior Ayden Yocum is slated to take over the tailback spot from Kasperowicz’s son, Eric Jr., who’s now playing at John Carroll. The younger Kasperowicz rushed for 1,401 yards and scored 20 TDs in 2024.

“Ayden split time last year as our change-of-pace back when Eric needed a blow,” Kasperowicz said.

Sophomores Hunter Schroder and Liam Corcoran also should get some carries.

“Yocum is a scatback who fits into our system,” Kasperowicz said. “Schroder is a speedster and Corcoran is more of a power runner. They give us the ability to go with a running-back-by-committee approach.”

Kasperowicz is looking for senior tight end Ethan Kresinski (6-2, 225) to play a bigger role this season.

“Ethan is very physical at the point of attack,” he said. “He’ll be playing college football next year.”

Vying for the starting quarterback job will be sophomores Nate Walker, Will Dunaway and Colin Yurisinec.

Early last season, Walker took over at quarterback when senior Luke Goodworth went down with an injury.

“Walker came in and led us to the semifinals. That’s pretty impressive for a freshman,” Kasperowicz said. “We’ll have a battle between three sophomores with Nate in the mix.”

Besides the offensive line, Kasperowicz expects the defense to be a strong point. A former Pitt player, he said the Planets’ scheme should be familiar to local college football fans.

“When you think of our defense, think of Pitt,” Kasperowicz said. “I’m a disciple of (Panthers coach) Pat Narduzzi. We play a lot of the same principles, with a lot of aggressiveness.”

Senior Zach Dental (6-0, 205) is the defensive catalyst.

“Zach is tremendous,” Kasperowicz said. “He’s a bit undersized for an (inside) linebacker, but he’s a throwback. He’s a downhill, physically tough linebacker. He plays fast because he’s so smart and a real student of the game. He makes all of our (defensive) calls.”

Junior Jameson Garvin and Corcoran will be called on to bring pressure from their outside linebacker spots.

“They are both extremely talented,” Kasperowicz.

Budzilek will anchor the line from his tackle position, with Hein and Yocum spearheading the secondary.

“We have to replace three starters in the defensive backfield,” Kasperowicz said. “We like our front seven, but we’ll have to develop things on the back end.”

Last season, Mars finished with a 5-5 overall record and a 4-1 mark in the Greater Allegheny Conference. Once again, the Planets will battle McKeesport, West Mifflin, Knoch, Hampton and Indiana for a playoff spot.

“We lost to McKeesport twice, in the conference title game and then in the (playoff) semifinals,” Kasperowicz said. “West Mifflin, Knoch and Hampton also have some talent. West Mifflin, Knoch and Indiana have new coaches. Our conference games should be very competitive.”

The Planets will prepare for the playoff hunt with a rugged nonconference schedule featuring Class 5A contenders Bethel Park and North Hills and 4A powers Aliquippa and Montour.

“I’m a firm believer that to be the best, you have to beat the best. I’m glad the WPIAL gave us a challenging schedule,” Kasperowicz said. “We’re going out to win week in and week out, with the goal of peaking for the conference schedule.”

Mars

Coach: Eric Kasperowicz

2024 record: 6-6, 4-1 in Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference

All-time record: 450-539-32

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 at Beaver, 7:30

8.29 at Bethel Park, 7

9.5 at North Hills, 7

9.12 Aliquippa, 7

9.19 at Montour, 7

9.26 West Mifflin*, 7

10.3 Knoch*, 7

10.10 at McKeesport*, 7

10.17 Hampton*, 7

10.24 at Indiana*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Nathan Walker

102-144, 1,081 yards, 5 TDs

Rushing: Eric Kasperowicz Jr.*

196-1,401 yards, 20 TDs

Receiving: Gabe Hein

66-939 yards, 12 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Mars returns seven starters on offense and seven on defense.

• The Planets will play four of their five nonconference games (Beaver, Bethel Park, North Hills and Montour) on the road. The only home game is against Aliquippa on Sept. 12.

• Mars avenged a 31-14 regular-season loss to Montour by beating the Spartans, 48-42, in the 2024 playoffs.

• Kasperowicz enters the season with a career head coaching record of 107-32 at Mars and Pine-Richland.

Tags: Mars