Rapid response
JEFFERSON TWP — Goals against the Mars boys soccer team have come at a premium this season.
So when Knoch's Caleb Robb scored in the 56th minute to tie Thursday's Section 2-AA contest at 1, Planets' coach Chris Knauff was anxious to see how his players would respond.
The answer was a definitive one as Andrew Diefenbacher and Cole Ferguson scored 36 seconds apart and Mars hung on for a 3-2 victory at Knoch Stadium.
Mars (17-0) has allowed just nine goals this season and finishes the section slate with a perfect 14-0 record. It can close the regular season with an unblemished overall mark with a win against Pine-Richland on Monday.
“It was important for us to win tonight and stay undefeated in the section,” said Diefenbacher. “We want to build momentum going into the playoffs.”
The Knights made things interesting with a late goal from Davis Miller, who put a shot past Planets' goalkeeper Dale Glavin with just 1:13 left in the game. But Knoch was unable to pose another threat in the final minute.
For Knoch coach Malcolm Cook, it was Diefenbacher's tally that was the difference.
“If we score to make it 2-1, I really believe we win this game,” he said. “But Mars got the goal first and we got down a bit and they scored another one quickly. It was one of those games that, if you win, you're over the moon and if you lose, it's disappointing. But I'm very pleased with the team's effort tonight.”
Knauff was impressed with his team's offensive push, which aside from the three goals, forced Knoch keeper Stephen Grumski to make five saves.
“I thought our guys worked hard the whole game,” he said. “Sometimes, you can go hard and it's just tough to score. Then you end up scoring two goals in a minute. Sometimes it happens like that.”
Mars' first goal of the evening came off the foot of senior midfielder Noah Hudac in the 31st minute, moments after he just missed with a shot that sailed wide left of the net.
Glavin made four saves for Mars, all of them coming in the second half.
“Knoch has some fast forwards and they made a lot of good runs tonight,” said Knauff. “But overall, I thought our defense played well.”
Mars has won six games this season by at least five goals, but has encountered a stiff test in both meetings with the Knights. In the first matchup Sept. 20, Mars defeated Knoch 1-0.
The Knights (11-5, 9-4) will enter the upcoming WPIAL playoffs as either the third-place team from the section or in a second-place tie with Shady Side Academy.
“We can definitely take positives from our games against Mars this season,” Cook said. “Sometimes as a third-place team, you can fly under the radar.”
Knoch caps the regular season today at winless West Shamokin.
