Playoff magic carries Peters Township past Mars into WPIAL Class 5A title game

By: Dave Mackall
Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | 11:23 PM

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Peters Township junior Dylan Donovan, wearing sweats and a hoodie, stood on the court and talked to friends Tuesday night not long after the Indians beat Mars in overtime and advanced to the WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball championship game.

He also appeared dry, even though in the locker room just minutes earlier, a celebratory water battle had taken place.

“After each big win, we like to drench our coach in water,” said Donovan, who scored six of his game-high 22 points in OT to spark No. 6 seed Peters Township to a 58-52 semifinals victory over No. 10 Mars at Moon High School.

The Indians (18-7) will meet No. 4 Chartiers Valley (22-3) for the 5A title at 7 p.m. Saturday at Petersen Events Center.

Char Valley advanced to the championship game by upsetting top-seeded Montour, 47-44, in Tuesday’s other semifinal.

Mars (14-11) will play at Montour on Thursday night in the third-place game.

“The season’s not over yet,” Mars coach Kobi Phillippi said. “I’m really proud of our guys. They didn’t quit ‘til the end. And to see how hard they play for each other … I told them before overtime that whatever happens, I don’t care. I’m the proudest coach in America to coach you.”

Austen Wroblewski led the Fightin’ Planets with 15 points. Austin Campbell added 14 and Ben Detisch finished with 12.

Donovan, who scored all his points for Peters Township after the first quarter, reflected on the Indians’ overtime victory, calling it “nerve-wracking the whole time.”

When it was finally over, the celebration began.

“I got wet. Everybody got wet,” Peters Township coach Joe Urmann said. “I started it with the water pistol a couple of weeks ago. (The players) got some retribution with some cups of water, so I came in today with an umbrella and a water pistol and was able to get back at them. I’m pretty pleased with the locker room celebration.”

Both teams led by no more than five points during regulation.

Mars was unable to capitalize on a turnover in the final seconds with the score tied 48-48. What’s more, neither team could score in the final 1 minute, 59 seconds, assuring the overtime period, where Peters Township enjoyed the game’s largest lead.

“Our kids really just have a belief right now. We have a little bit of positive mojo, a little bit of that magic that you really love as a coach,” Urmann said. “It’s hard to bottle it up. It’s hard to find it or describe it. We’re just trying to enjoy it.”

But Urmann wasn’t feeling it when his team lost possession and Mars signaled for a timeout with 6 seconds left in regulation.

Moments later, the Fightin’ Planets inbounded and raced downcourt. With time about the expire, Drew Navetta’s long, desperation 3-pointer bounded off the rim.

“Two more inches,” Phillippi said, groaning.

Then, speaking before the completion of the other semifinal, he added: “Our section is one of the toughest sections in the WPIAL. It could’ve been two teams in the same section at the Pete (in the championship game).”

Turns out neither Section 4 team will play for a championship.

Montour (23-2), which won the section with a perfect 12-0 record, suffered just its second loss.

Peters Township, the Section 3 runner-up, won the overtime tip and promptly took the lead for good on a shot by Lucas Rost.

“Mr. Consistency. Mr. Clutch. Mr. Glue Guy,” Urmann said. “Lucas came off the ball screen and knocked down that medium-range jumper. He was awesome tonight on both ends of the floor.”

From there, it was a parade to the free throw line for the Indians, who converted 6 of 8 in the extra frame — Donovan was 4 for 5.

“Overtime is a funny thing,” Urmann said. “The tone is established. The first basket in overtime is huge.”

For Peters Township, it was gigantic.

Tags: Mars, Peters Township