With experienced roster returning, Mars’ jump is ‘mind blowing’

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, August 12, 2023 | 11:12 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Mars coach Eric Kasperowicz doesn’t go out of his way to compare his current team with his previous one, but he does see some promising similarities.

For example, in his first year at Pine-Richland, the Rams went 5-5 and qualified for the playoffs. In year one at Mars, the Planets finished last fall 6-5 and also made the playoffs. Beyond the similar records, he says his debut seasons at both places were successful in laying a foundation and boosting confidence.

He hopes the similarities continue.

If so, Mars will have a fun season ahead, because Pine-Richland went 15-1 in Kasperowicz’s second year there, won a WPIAL title and reached the state finals. He said Mars could make a similarly dramatic jump from year one to year two.

“You see those kinds of sparks,” he said. “From where we were last year to this year, it’s tremendous. It’s mind blowing. The guys are walking around with confidence. It’s still got to translate to the field. They’ve still got to go out and make plays and make tackles, but they look good. They’re looking like a unit that’s ready to go.”

Mars returns nine starters on offense and seven on defense from a team that went 3-3 in the conference and finished fourth in the Class 4A Greater Allegheny. Looking at the conference now, there are arguably no clear favorites this season after graduation hit many rosters, so the Planets are hoping to climb the ranks.

Kasperowicz relied heavily on underclassmen a year ago, so they’re returning this season with experience.

“A lot of teams have a few key players back but lost a lot,” Kasperowicz said. “We’ve got a good nucleus back of guys who played a lot of football. We’re excited.”

Defensively, Mars returns its top three tacklers in senior linebacker Jacob Maple (106 tackles), junior safety Mason Childress (92) and senior defensive end Connor Hartle (73). Hartle had a team-high eight sacks, and Maple added six.

They bolstered a defense a year ago that held three early season opponents to a touchdown or less. That strength helped the Planets start 4-1, but the team ultimately lost four of its final six games. Those late-season opponents averaged 40 points per game, as the schedule toughened.

“We played some good defense early on, but we let up too many big plays and missed too many tackles,” Kasperowicz said. “That’s kind of been our emphasis (this season). When you look back at Pine, we were really good on defense when we never gave up the big play.”

Mars’ offense is bolstered by the return of senior running back Evan Wright, who averaged 121 yards per game and scored 18 touchdowns. He twice rushed for more than 200 yards in a game last fall, including a season-high 253 against Armstrong on 19 carries.

Wright finished the year with 1,333 yards.

“I don’t know if he gets the attention that he deserves,” Kasperowicz said. “He’s tremendous and we love him.”

Leading receiver Gabe Hein, who had 36 catches as a freshman last fall, is also back. Three of the five starting offensive linemen also return from last season.

But the team has some uncertainty at quarterback as would-be starter Eric Kasperowicz Jr. recovers from surgery on his throwing shoulder. Kasperowicz Jr. passed for 1,353 yards and 13 touchdowns a year ago as a sophomore and also was the team’s second-leading rusher with 401 yards.

“As of now, it looks like he’s not going to start (the season) playing quarterback because his shoulder is not ready,” said Kasperowicz, his father and coach. “That will be a week-to-week thing, unfortunately.”

If Kasperowicz Jr. can’t play quarterback, he’ll be used elsewhere, maybe as a running back or wide receiver, and also on defense. Junior Luke Goodworth, who made one start last season when Kasperowicz Jr. was injured, would start there this year in his place.

“He’ll have to cut his teeth on the run because we’re rolling,” Kasperowicz said. “He can pass the football. If he’s the guy for an extended period of time, then we’ll go with what we’ve got.”

One immeasurable benefit for the team and coaching staff was having a full offseason together. That wasn’t the case a year ago, when Kasperowicz was hired four months before the season opener.

As they enter year two, there’s a newfound comfort.

“I won’t say it’s easier, but you’re almost at ease a little bit,” Kasperowicz said. “Because everything you’re doing, how you practice, the expectations, the scheme, they’ve been through it before. They understand how we practice, our tempo, all of the little things it takes to build culture and build a program.”

Mars

Coach: Eric Kasperowicz

2022 record: 6-5, 3-3 in Class 4A Greater Allegheny Conference

All-time record: 434-530-32

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.25 Montour, 7

9.1 at New Castle, 7

9.8 Blackhawk, 7

9.15 at Indiana*, 7

9.22 at Moon, 7

9.29 Highlands*, 7

10.6 at Kiski Area*, 7

10.13 Armstrong*, 7

10.20 at Hampton*, 7

10.27 North Catholic*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Eric Kasperowicz Jr.

106-191, 1,353 yards, 13 TDs

Rushing: Evan Wright

157-1,333 yards, 18 TDs

Receiving: Gabe Hein

36-551 yards, 7 TDs

FAST FACTS

• Three Mars players scored touchdowns longer than 70 yards a season ago. Evan Wright scored on a 94-yard run, Adam Rohrbaugh had a 72-yard touchdown catch and Gabe Hein had TD receptions of 73 and 79 yards.

• Junior safety Mason Childress had a team-best three interceptions and returned one for a touchdown.

• Returning players Wright (running back), Childress (defensive back) and Cole Yoshioka (linebacker) earned first-team all-conference honors.

• Eric Kasperowicz went 85-18 in eight seasons as coach at Pine-Richland with four WPIAL titles and two state championships.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Mars