2011 Mars girls soccer team entering school’s Hall of Fame
Mars claimed its first-ever state championship in girls soccer in 2011, but the feat was only half of the story. The other was the incredibly dominant manner in which the Planets handled their business that fall.
In its 26 games, Mars outscored its opponents by a combined score of 193-8, including 22-2 in eight playoff games. The effort culminated with a 1-0 victory over District 1 power Villa Joseph Marie in the Class 2A state final at Hersheypark Stadium as the Planets finished the season undefeated at 25-0-1.
“We were such a well-rounded team. We had so many high-caliber players and that made us a very difficult team to play,” Mars coach Blair Gerlach said. “We wanted to start quickly against every team we played and scored at least one goal in the first five minutes in 22 of our 26 games.”
The entire team will take its rightful place in the Mars Area High School Sports Hall of Fame at an induction ceremony Saturday night.
The genesis of the Planets’ full-throttle approach can be traced to the previous year. One game away from playing for the state championship in 2010, Mars suffered its only loss of the season, a 3-0 decision to Mercyhurst Prep in a PIAA semifinal.
“Anything can happen on any given day,” Gerlach said. “We entered 2011 not wanting any game to be close. If we were able to jump on teams right away, then one bad bounce wasn’t going to kill us.”
The only game the Planets did not win in 2011 was a 2-2 tie at Knoch in late September.
“After that, the girls did not need to be reminded what can happen in close games,” Gerlach said. “They were motivated enough.”
Mars had a multitude of players able and eager to find the net. They lurked in front of goalkeepers, just waiting to stick a dagger in the hopes of opponents. Senior midfielder Mani Brueckner scored 36 goals and added 42 assists that season to earn Butler Eagle Girls Soccer Player of the Year honors. But she had no shortage of support.
Forwards Kristen McKenzie, Karli Paracca and Kristen Check each scored at least 17 goals. Midfielders Crysta Ganter, Bethany Perri and Patricia Glavin combined for 35 more.
The rush of offense tilted the field in Mars’ favor in almost every game. When teams managed to break through to the Planets’ back line, they met with another group of stalwarts — Erica Schwab, Jordyn White, Amber Fichter and Shaelyn O'Connor. Behind them was goalie Sarah Dailey, a sophomore who never wavered despite being a first-year starter. She stopped eight shots in the state final.
“She built up confidence during the season and when tested, she came up with huge saves for us,” Gerlach said. “She did a good job of organizing the defense so that she didn’t have to make 10 saves every game.”
White, a junior that year, said familiarity played a key role in Mars playing the style it did.
“A lot of us had been playing together and training together since youth soccer,” she said. “We knew each other so well, what each of us was capable of and that allowed us to play at a very quick pace. Plus, we were all so competitive.”
The Planets defeated South Park 2-1 for the WPIAL crown in early November. One of their PIAA foes on the way to Hershey was Mercyhurst Prep and they avenged the loss from the year before with a 2-0 victory.
The Planets’ 2011 squad was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame two years ago. White is anticipating a night of reminiscing on Saturday ... memories of a team that went the distance to set the standard for future girls soccer players at Mars.
“”It speaks to the culture that Blair has created,“ she said. ”Every player has a role on the team and is valued. That was the case when I played and was a big reason for our success. I was an assistant coach at Mars after college and I know it’s something that is still emphasized to this day.“
