ADAMS TWP — For one quarter, Mars had its homecoming game going almost exactly to plan.
The Cougars outscored the Planets 23-7 in the second half, getting touchdown runs of 32 and 80 yards from Ryan Prisuta before Zachary Feeley’s 10-yard score in the fourth quarter supplied the winning margin.
“Their defensive game plan was excellent, and they really took away some of the things that we’ve done well in the past,” Blackhawk coach Trevor George said. “But we did our own adjustments at halftime, and our kids came out and executed them well.”
“We played great football, and we just have to put these games away,” Benedek said.
Gus Coffield opened the scoring with a 43-yard field goal with 6:58 remaining in the first quarter. Jameson Garvin followed with a 54-yard interception return for a touchdown, giving Mars a 10-0 advantage.
Benedek kept the pressure on with an onside kick that Mars recovered.
“After we were up 10, I was like, let’s get it and get some momentum and go down and punch it in,” he said.
The Planets did just that. Nate Walker connected with Kellan Garvin for a 13-yard touchdown with 1:13 left in the opening quarter, and Coffield’s extra point made it 17-0.
Blackhawk answered in the second quarter when Jack Chevallier threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Brayden McCarthy. Mars carried a 17-7 lead into halftime, but its early command of the game soon slipped away.
Trenton Mauk’s 25-yard field goal brought Blackhawk within seven with 6:50 remaining in the third quarter. Just 12 seconds later, Prisuta scored on a 32-yard run to help tie the game at 17.
Prisuta struck again with 3:46 left in the quarter, breaking free for an 80-yard touchdown run that gave Blackhawk its first lead.
Benedek said lapses in containing the outside runs hurt Mars after halftime.
“We didn’t set the edge a hundred percent on some of those jet sweeps,” he said.
Feeley’s fourth-quarter touchdown put Blackhawk ahead for good. The extra point failed, leaving Mars within six.
The Planets still had a final opportunity after recovering a Blackhawk fumble with 51 seconds remaining, but could not turn that possession into the winning score.
“I’m super proud of the guys for not quitting in that moment,” Benedek said. “That was a huge play. We got on a fumble, and then we still had a chance to go and win the game.”
Walker completed 14 of 39 passes for 229 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Liam Corcoran led Mars with six catches for 118 yards, while Kellan Garvin caught four passes for 68 yards and both offensive touchdowns.
“That’s kind of been our story right now — four quarters, four quarters,” he said. “Once we can have that, we will be a dangerous team.”