The Butler Eagle has ranked several Mars Area School District coaches among the Top 25 Coaches of Butler County.
1. Blair Gerlach, Mars Area High School Girls Varsity Soccer Coach since 2007, has led the Lady Planets to win seven WPIAL and four PIAA titles. He has been named a PA Soccer Coaches Association, United Soccer Coaches Association-Region and United Soccer Coaches Association-National Girls Soccer Coach of the Year
He previously coached the Mars Area High School Boys Varsity Soccer Team (2002-2006), during which time the team earned its WPIAL title and advanced to the state playoffs. Throughout his career as a soccer coach at the District, Gerlach has amasses 399 victories.
3. Bob Marcoux, Mars Area High School Boys Varsity Lacrosse Coach since 2017, led the team to win nine consecutive WPIAL Class 2A titles and four state finals. In 2022, the Fightin’ Planets won PIAA Championship, becoming the first team from Western Pennsylvania to earn the title.
Marcoux was named a 2022 National Federation of State High School Associations Lacrosse Coach of the Year.
7. Chris Knauff, Mars Area High School Boys Varsity Soccer Coach since 2007, has earned a career record of 289-71-21 record, three WPIAL titles and the PIAA Class 3A Championship Title in 2020. During his time as coach, the Fightin’ Planets have achieved 10 section titles and have advanced to the WPIAL playoffs for the past 18 seasons.
9. Rob Carmody, former Mars Area High School Boys Varsity Basketball Coach (1998-2024), amasses 419 career wins. He led the Fightin’ Planets to the eight consecutive section championships, two WPIAL Class 5A titles, and to the PIAA finals in 2016 and 2018.
17. Dana Petruska, former Mars Area High School Girls Varsity Basketball Coach (1986-2005 & 2015-2023), achieved a career 407 wins and led the Lady Planets to the win the 2018 PIAA Championship Title. She was named the 2018 PA Girls Basketball Class 5A Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.
19. Dave Sylvester, former Mars Area High School Girls Varsity Basketball Coach (2005-2007) led the Lady Planets to two state playoffs with career record of a 46-11 and 26-2 in section play. He also served as Seneca Valley Girls Varsity Soccer Coach (2001-2015) and was named the Butler Eagle Coach of the Decade (2000-2009).
20. Steve Meyers, former Mars Area High School Varsity Hockey Team Coach (2009-2022) led the team to four PIHL Penguins Cup Championships. The team also earned the state title in 2010 and 2011.
24. Scott Heinauer, former Mars Area High School Varsity Football Coach (1992-2021) is Butler County’s all-time leader in football coaching wins with a 203. A 2017 Butler County Sports Hall of Fame inductee, he led the Fightin’ Planets to the WPIAL in 16 consecutive seasons and twice to the WPIAL Final (1996 & 2002).
For more information, visit www.butlereagle.com.