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This is the seventh in a series of 12 articles profiling the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2021
MARS — Consistency, reliability and leadership.
All were hallmarks of Zach Rosswog's career with Mars' varsity football team.
When the quarterback graduated in 2004, his career numbers of 1,882 passing yards and 22 touchdown passes were school records.
The Planets qualified for the playoffs all three years Rosswog was under center. He was the starting quarterback on the Planets' 2002 team that reached the WPIAL championship game at Heinz Field. He was recently inducted into the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame.
“Getting in the same year as (former running back) Chuck Green, who I watched play for Mars as a kid, it was awesome,” said Rosswog. “This honor is very humbling.
“The passing, running, reading defenses and making decisions, I enjoyed it all.”
He passed for 502 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore in 2001.
“There were a lot of nerves involved,” he said, “but I grew more comfortable as the season went on.”
Rosswog helped the Planets turn things around the next two years, most notably in the 2002 season.
“We had 17 or 18 starters back from the previous year when we got to the WPIAL quarterfinals,” said Rosswog. “We came in to (2002) as a highly-touted team.”
But the Planets were inconsistent through the first six games, going 3-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
“Things weren't clicking early on and we were in danger of not making the playoffs,” said Rosswog. “We knew we had the talent and ability to do it. We just had to hunker down and start playing good football. It was a mental thing.”
The Planets did just that, winning their final three games of the regular season over Apollo-Ridge, North Catholic and Deer Lakes and entered the WPIAL Class 2A postseason as a dangerous team.
Riverside proved no match for the Planets in the first round as Mars crushed the Panthers, 41-7.
Then came a quarterfinal showdown with an undefeated Jeannette squad, which Mars shut down in a 10-7 win.
Though Mars was a run-heavy team with star running back Brad Mueller, Rosswog came up big when the Planets needed him.
In a semifinal against Beaver, Mars was nursing a 20-13 lead mid-way through the fourth quarter. The Planets faced a 3rd-and-3 near midfield when Rosswog connected with Dan Dallatore on a 44-yard scoring strike and Mars went on to win, 34-13.
“I knew I'd be making only a handful of throws each game and I had to make the most of those opportunities,” said Rosswog. “I put that pressure on myself.”
Mars coach Scott Heinauer said the example set by Rosswog extended beyond the field.
“All the players on this team respect him,” he said prior to the WPIAL title game in 2002. “He's a diligent worker and is always the first one in the weight room.
“He's also a very bright kid. He's number one in his class and always wants to do the right thing.”
Unfortunately for the Planets, their run ended at Heinz Field. Rosswog scored his team's only points on a short run in a 20-6 loss to Seton-LaSalle.
“The biggest thing that sticks out for me most was the community support when we were on that run,” Rosswog said. “Everybody talking about the football team, the pep rallies ... riding down to Heinz Field and seeing people tailgating before the game, it was surreal.”
Rosswog was one of very few starters who returned in 2003. The Planets opened that season by losing their first five games.
“I remember after the fifth loss, it was a Saturday and I was in the weight room,” he said. “Coach Heinauer was watching film with some of the other coaches. He walks in and says, “If we win out, we make the playoffs.”
The Planets won their final four games and salvaged a playoff appearance from a season that seemed all but over.
Rosswog, who had started half the games on defense at safety in 2002, starred at the position as a senior. He made 81 tackles and was named to the Butler Eagle's Sweet 16 Defense for his efforts.
He earned All-Allegheny Conference honors on defense, offense and as a kick returner.
Rosswog, who also earned three letters as a catcher/outfielder on Mars' baseball team, went on to play safety and linebacker at Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a degree in civil engineering.
Now a resident of Mars and general manager for a construction company, he says he relished the opportunity to play football at Mars with his older brother, Josh, and cousin, Brian Rosswog.
He also recognized his parents, Pete and Alexis, who he said, “always supported me.”
