PIAA playoff run to keep Mars players, coaches out of Cager Classic All-Star game
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Thursday, March 22, 2018 | 5:48 PM
With the Mars basketball still alive in the PIAA postseason, a few of the Planets' players and their coaches no longer will participate in a local All-Star game this weekend.
Seniors Lauren Wasylson and Nichole Sommers of the girls team and Robby Carmody, Cade Hetzler and Luke Morrissey of the boys team were selected to play for the West teams at the Cager Classic on Saturday at Highlands High School, with Dana Petruska and Rob Carmody coaching the respective teams. Given the teams' postseason success, however, they'll be busy with the state playoffs.
The Mars girls play Archbishop Carroll in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals at 1 p.m. Saturday at State College High School. The Cager Classic girls game tips at 5:45 p.m. The Mars boys, meanwhile, will play Abington Heights in the Class 5A championship game at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Hershey.
The winter storm that dropped a significant amount of snow earlier in the week forced the PIAA to change its schedule; originally the championship games were slated for Friday and Saturday.
With the Mars players and coaches out, Cager Classic officials shifted around the rosters to even up the numbers. Leechburg's Christian Hack and West Shamokin's Drew Orlosky moved from the East boys to the West boys team. Hampton's Joe Lafko will coach the West boys, and Freeport's Fred Soilis will coach the West girls.
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