Mars overcomes quick start by Kiski Area to roll to conference victory

By: Bob Orkwis
Friday, October 6, 2023 | 10:38 PM

It was homecoming for Kiski Area, and the Cavaliers scored first on a 14-play drive.

But Mars took advantage of a short field to score three touchdowns on drives of one, two and one play to take a 14-point lead on its way to a 56-14 Greater Allegheny Conference victory.

Kiski Area took the opening kickoff 79-yards in 7 minutes, 47 seconds, capped by a 3-yard pass from Carson Heinle to Brennan Moore for a 7-0 lead.

“You know it’s tough. It’s a road game, and they came out fired up” said Mars coach Eric Kasperowicz Sr. “That’s a good lesson for us. We have to show up ready to play from the first snap.”

Mars answered when Evan Wright scored on a 59-yard run on the next play from scrimmage. The point after was missed, and Kiski held a one-point lead.

“That kind of backfired on us,” Kasperowicz said. “We were hoping to kick off and get off the field. They had a great drive to start the game. They converted several third downs, and we missed a tackle on fourth down and got behind.”

After a three and out, Wright scored two plays later from 2 yards. Quarterback Luke Goodworth hit Gabe Hein on the 2-point conversion to put Mars in front 14-7.

After Logan O’Brien recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Goodworth found Wright on a 16-yard catch and run for a 21-7 lead. Eric Kasperowicz Jr. scored on a 6-yard run for a 28-7 Mars lead.

Kiski Area struck late in the second quarter when Heinle hit Bart Martin on a 34-yard touchdown pass to make the score 28-14 at halftime.

“We adjusted a little bit and had the lead, but a coverage breakdown right before the half that helped cap off another nice drive for Kiski,” Kasperowicz said. “Again, we couldn’t get off the field. We have some things to fix, but I like the physicality of how our guys played and how they responded in the second half.”

Mars scored on three straight drives in the third quarter: Hein hauled in a 6-yard pass from Goodworth, Wright added his third touchdown run from 44-yards and the senior running back capped his great night with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Goodworth to put the mercy rule in effect at 49-14 with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.

The senior Wright carried the ball nine times for 143 yards and three touchdowns. He added four catches for 88 yards and two more scores.

“He’s tremendous,” Kasperowicz said of his running back. “He’s such a powerful and quick runner, a three-year starter, team leader and captain. We are going to ride him as far as he’ll take us.”

Goodworth completed 15 of 20 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns. Hein had five catches for 63 yards and a score for Mars.

Ayden Yocum scored the last Mars touchdown on a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter to set the final score.

Heinle, the junior quarterback for the Cavaliers, eclipsed the 100-yard passing mark for the sixth time in seven games, throwing for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

Landon Kucic paced the rushing attack for Kiski Area (2-5, 1-3) with 79 yards.

Mars improved to (5-2, 3-0) with the win, and the Fighting Planets head home to face Armstrong in a conference matchup next week.

“We need to keep doing what we are doing,” Kasperowicz said. “Fast starts, protecting the football and playing good defense. If we do that, I think we’re going to be all right.”

With North Catholic beating Hampton, Mars sits alone atop the conference.

Tags: Kiski Area, Mars