PIAA girls lacrosse: Hailey Long, Mars push past Susquehannock in Class 2A first round win
ADAMS TWP — Hailey Long melted into the driver’s seat of the athletic trainer’s cart parked on the far sideline at the Mars Athletic Complex, sucking in air between brief spurts of words.
Fifteen minutes after Mars’ 13-7 PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse playoff win Tuesday over District 3 third-place finisher Susquehannock — a contest that was tied at seven goals apiece at the start of the fourth quarter — the Planets’ junior midfielder still hadn’t caught her breath.
“Just being able to push harder,” said Long, who can be found running on local trails for Mars’ cross country team in the fall. “Especially in cross country, you get done with the first half and it’s like, ‘Shoot, I’ve got the second half to go.’ The second half is just about pushing through. You feel like you’re about to pass out. I thought I was about to pass out there.”
In Saturday’s quarterfinals, the four-time WPIAL champion Planets (21-1) will take on District 1 runner-up West Chester Rustin, an 8-7 winner over District 11 champ Southern Lehigh, at a time and location to be determined.
Mars coach Abby Latona said the team promised itself it would be back after a first-round state loss to Twin Valley at home last year. The same thought fueled Long, who refused to slow down and dealt with leg cramps soon after as a result.
“We were here last year and we lost, and it wasn’t how we wanted it to go,” Long said. “One thing I thought a lot was, ‘We’re not losing again on our home field. We’re not going out like that.’”
Long, who turned in a hat trick on the day, is also nursing a broken left hand, which was shelled by a brace. She scored two of those goals after Anna McGrath put the Planets past the Warriors (16-3) for good with 10:33 to play. Katie Blake added another before Tess McGrath netted two more.
“I went to the doctor, and they (told me it’s) my index finger,” Long said of her injury. “The index finger, they said, is the least important finger. It still hurts a lot, especially on the draw, but it’s just taping it.”
Despite Mars jumping out to a 3-1 lead thanks to scores by Blake, Long and Anna McGrath, it fell behind 4-3 and 5-4 later in the first half, staring at the latter deficit for a good chunk of time in the second frame.
Blake’s marker with 2:14 to go before the midway point made sure things were even at halftime, but Anna McGrath nearly put the Planets ahead as the horn sounded, the shot clanking off the crossbar.
At halftime, Long said, Latona pointed out how tired the visitors looked. As the second half rolled on, the Warriors were playing more “chaotic,” Long said. “They were trying to get the ball back as quick as possible, so I think it was good for us to be able to settle, calm it down.”
Susquehannock’s Lucy Black and Mars’ Lucy Balasz traded goals in the third, then Brooke Shabdach answered Blake’s third goal, sending the teams into the fourth tied 7-7.
Latona urged her side to play with “poise and grit” in the final 12 minutes. Long and her teammates certainly obliged.
“We wanna continue that fourth-quarter momentum right into Saturday,” Latona said.
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Mars' Madelyn Peterson (4) celebrates after the team's win against Susquehannock in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Katie Blake (6) attempts a shot at the goal in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Jenna Smith (12) recovers a ground ball in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Hailey Long (3) passes the ball in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Hailey Long (3) passes the ball up in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Ella DePaoli (11) carries the ball upfield in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Madelyn Peterson (4) carries the ball in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Hailey Long (3) passes the ball in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Susquehannock's Lucy Black (7) is guarded by Mars' Nicolette Lefcakis (14) in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Lucy Balazs (5) looks for an opening to take a shot at the goal in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Madelyn Peterson (4) carries the ball as Susquehannock's Lucy Black (7) guards her in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Hailey Long (3) moves the ball around from behind the goal in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Katie Blake (6) attempts a shot on the goal in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Alexa Knowlton (21) guards Susquenhannock's Emma O'Connell (25) in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Katie Blake (6) reacts after scoring a goal in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Katie Blake (6) drives in towards the goal in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Mars' Lola Seideneck (7) passes the ball to a teammate in a PIAA Class 2A first-round girls lacrosse game against Susquehannock Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Mars Athletic Complex. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
