Mars Youth Basketball Association’s Fourth Grade Boys Blue Team earned first place at the Chartiers-Houston Preseason Showdown, held Nov. 10-12 at Chartiers-Houston Junior/Senior High School. 

The team defeat Washington 39-33 in the championship game and qualified  for the 2024 PA State Basketball Championship, to be held March 22-24 in State College, Pa. Team members include Mars Area Elementary School fourth-graders Brett Ando, Jack Baumgartel, Andrew Lohr, Tyler McKinney, Evan Muehlfeld, Alex Palasick, Grayson Panzer, Tyler Pyle and Kobe Webster. 

For more information, visit www.statebasketballchampionship.com/pennsylvania.