KARNS CITY — Four years ago, Eric McCue had a difficult decision to make.

McCue, now a senior at Karns City, had to choose between playing football or soccer in the fall.

He chose soccer.

"It was a hard decision for me," said McCue, who was a standout football player before he hit high school. "Back then, I didn't have size going for me."

But McCue had a growth spurt. Now standing 6-feet-2, his size is a benefit on the soccer pitch.

"Eric is a natural athlete," said Karns City boys soccer coach Roy Parker. "He's quick as heck and he has size. The biggest thing is he knows how to finish. (Former Butler boys soccer coach Malcolm Cook) always told me you can't teach finishing."

McCue has finished a lot in 2009.

The forward has 12 goals in his last three games and has 25 this season for the 8-1-1 Gremlins.

If he keeps up his current pace, McCue could hit 50 goals by season's end.

A big reason for McCue's scoring surge has been his ability to know what kind of shot to take.

"Like most kids who play forward, he wanted to fire the ball as hard as he could at the net," Parker said. "He learned and developed some touch on his shots. He listens and he has gotten better. He is having a ball."

McCue said he tries not to think too much on the field, adding that deliberating on what kind of shot to take guarantees one thing: a miss.

"You need to be free and loose," McCue said. "I try not to think too much about my shots — just play on instinct."

It helps that McCue has an excellent supporting cast around him.

McCue said the Gremlins are playing as well as any time in his three-plus seasons with the team.

"Our chemistry right now is ridiculous," McCue said. "Our team is playing spectacular soccer right now and it makes my job so much easier."

Karns City has a thin roster with little depth, and McCue said the team is cognizant of that fact at all times.

It certainly poses a challenge for McCue and his teammates, he said.

"Coach tells us we are one injury away from having our season turn out a completely different way," McCue said. "It does change how we play out there.

"Sometimes, when there is a 50-50 fight for possession in a game we are winning big, we just let the other team have it so no one gets hurt.

"It's tough," McCue added. "But we are managing."

McCue might have another difficult decision ahead of him.

Also a standout baseball player, McCue may have to choose between the two sports in college.

"Yup, I'm going to have another tough decision to make pretty soon," McCue said. "I've been playing both all my life and I love both. I'm just grateful to have that decision to make."

Shutdown Sadowski

While McCue is scoring goals in bunches for the Gremlins, teammate Derek Sadowski is making sure the opponents don't do the same.

Sadowksi, a goalkeeper for Karns City, has recorded five shutouts in 2009.

Rocking Rothen

No one has been more lethal on the volleyball court lately than A-C Valley's Erika Rothen.

The hitter had 20 kills in a dramatic five-set win over Union Tuesday.

Rothen also had 20 digs to keep the Falcons (7-0, 5-0) unbeaten in the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference.