WPIAL boys lacrosse: Mars’ dynasty extends to 10th straight title with win vs South Fayette
UPPER ST. CLAIR — WPIAL opponents will have to wait yet another year to unseat Mars as the king of local boys lacrosse.
Bob Marcoux’s No. 3 Planets collected their 10th consecutive district title with a 9-6 win over No. 4 South Fayette in the WPIAL Class 2A championship Thursday night. It came hours after the girls won their fourth straight.
“It never gets old,” Marcoux said afterward. “Never, ever gets old. This is almost as much fun as the first one.”
The Planets have a head of steam heading into the PIAA tournament beginning the first week of June. They were ousted by Allentown Central Catholic in last year’s quarterfinal round.
Senior Connor Long’s two goals — one near the end of the first quarter and the other two minutes into the next — drowned out what wound up being the last lead the Lions would hold.
The teams traded blows in the opening quarter, with Mars junior Reed Fuller denting the scoreboard first, 1:22 into the game. South Fayette’s Bryce Watkins evened matters nearly two minutes later before Nathaniel Keller put the Lions ahead with 7:30 to go in the frame.
Planets senior Grant Weaver knotted it up 23 seconds after that. South Fayette’s Drew Welhorsky nudged his side ahead once more with 2:25 left in the first.
“When we come out, we just know we have to do our job,” Long said. “If everybody does their job, we’ll be alright — so it’s pretty calm, everybody’s calm, everybody knows we got this in the end. It seems like, when everybody does their job, we just keep going and we go and we go and we go.
“Next thing you know, the scoreboard’s ringing, we’re throwing the (lacrosse) gear in the end.”
Weaver handed Mars some breathing room with a score 1:14 into the third. Isaac McMichael’s bouncing shot with 6:29 to go in the same quarter afforded the Planets even more insurance.
The Lions finally stopped the bleeding four minutes later when Max Joseph found the back of the net. Long notched a hat trick with 35 seconds to go before the fourth, making it 7-4, then Daniel Speca responded 28 ticks later.
With 7:56 remaining, Jack Makar pulled South Fayette back within one score, but Weaver finished a hat trick of his own shortly after. And Fuller added the final dagger with 52 seconds left.
Senior goalie David Renner came up big a few times in the third quarter, helping keep the Planets on top.
“This has been a little bit of a different year for us,” Marcoux said. “We’ve had a lot more close games, so we’re a little bit more battle-tested. ... In years past, some of the times, we really haven’t had too many really tough games, and this year, we’ve had a bunch of battles.
“This year more than ever, we’ve practiced our end-of-game situations.”
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Mars players celebrate with the trophy after defeating South Fayette in the WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse championship game Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Upper St. Clair High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Mars players celebrate with the trophy and flash all 10 fingers for their 10th straight title after defeating South Fayette in the WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse championship game Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Upper St. Clair High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Mars players celebrate with the trophy after defeating South Fayette in the WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse championship game Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Upper St. Clair High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Mars players celebrate with the trophy after defeating South Fayette in the WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse championship game Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Upper St. Clair High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Mars' Jack Tirch (22) shouts with joy as teammates around him celebrate beating South Fayette in the WPIAL Class 2A boys lacrosse championship game Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Upper St. Clair High School. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
