Slippery Rock High's Devan Hribal, right, celebrates his goal with teammate Cole McCandless during a September game against Knoch. While he can score, Hribal's claim to fame is his ability to assist on other players' goals, tying the a single-season team record of 21 in 2009.

SLIPPERY ROCK — For Devan Hribal, nothing beats a good assist — and he's had plenty of them this season.

"I definitely like setting up my teammates," said Hribal, who tied the Slippery Rock High boys soccer team's single-season assists record of 21 recently.

Hribal, a senior midfielder, has been the quarterback of a very balanced Rockets team.

No longer relying on one potent goal scorer, Slippery Rock's offense has been spread out among several players.

In addition to his assists, Hribal has scored 12 goals. Last season, he scored 22 goals and Mike Ramirez, whose assists record he tied, scored 33.

"We're a lot more balanced this season, and that's definitely a good thing," Hribal said. "Last year, Mike was always the guy, and if a team shut him down, we all kind of got shut down. This year, our balance does make it easier. I feed off of everyone."

The balance might help the Rockets (15-2-1) get over the District 10 playoff hump.

Always dominant in the regular season, Slippery Rock has struggled in the district tournament against teams from Erie County.

But Hribal sees a changing of the guard coming, perhaps as soon as this season.

The D-10 boys soccer playoffs begin Monday with the Rockets taking on General McLane at 7 p.m. at Wilmington High School.

"I do see things going differently this year," Hribal said. "We have a lot of other guys teams have to worry about."

Hribal might be at the top of the list.

Slippery Rock boys soccer coach Anthony Buzzard said the key to Hribal's success is his all-around skill set.

"He can score and he can set other people up," Buzzard said. "He has great touch on the ball. He's been giving up scoring chances to set other people up. That's why he is a great midfielder."

Like Hribal, Buzzard is hoping for a breakthrough in the playoffs.

"It's very important. It does get frustrating," Buzzard said. "For whatever reason, we've had some bad games (in the district playoffs). Fluke goals, bad bounces — but the kids have been resilient."

While the Rockets boys know who they will play in the district playoffs, the Slippery Rock girls soccer team will sit idle and wait while four teams battle it out.The Rockets (14-2-2) received a first-round bye and will play either Titusville, Warren, Erie Strong Vincent or Mercyhurst Prep next Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

Eric McCue scored four goals in a 9-1 whitewashing of Curwensville last week to break the single-season goal scoring record at Karns City with 47.