Is there anyone out there who is not on the Karns City bandwagon by now?

Climb aboard.

The Gremlins’ football and soccer programs are as legitimate as it gets — and then some.

For years, I’ve heard criticism of Karns City from high school sports followers in the area, saying that the teams only thrive because they play in a weak district and that they would be unable to hold their own if they belonged to the WPIAL.

The most frequent argument along those lines usually came after the Karns City football team would have its season ended by a loss to Jeannette or Aliquippa or South Fayette in the state playoffs. The Gremlins lose by a lopsided score and their critics rest their case.

Of course, KC was losing to the WPIAL champion during those years, often times a dominant champion that won by wide margins over most teams in their own district as well.

Let’s take a look at this season.

Karns City football, a Class 3A team, opened the season against Class 5A Armstrong and lost a 35-22 decision in a competitive game. Zane Dudek, the WPIAL’s all-time rushing leader, ran for 278 yards and four touchdowns in that game.

Dudek ran all over everybody this year and Armstrong wound up winning its section. The team averaged 41 points for and 20 points against. Thus, Karns City was as competitive against the Riverhawks as anybody and Armstrong is two classifications higher.

KC football lost a 35-28 decision to Clearfield despite playing without one of its best players in running back-cornerback Chandler Turner. And Clearfield, a Class 4A District 9 power, has allowed 17 total points in its other six most recent games.

Switching to soccer, the Karns City girls dropped a 2-1 decision to Freeport in the PIAA playoffs after defeating the Yellowjackets, 3-2, in the regular season. Freeport was a WPIAL finalist this year.

The Gremlins reached the PIAA girls soccer semifinals last year, it should be pointed out.

Karns City’s boys soccer team entered this weekend undefeated at 20-0. They just defeated a District 10 power from Erie in Harbor Creek in the first round of the PIAA Tournament.

The Gremlin boys also defeated Freeport, a WPIAL playoff team, during the regular season.

This is in no way intended to diss the WPIAL. Clearly, that organization is a highly competitive high school athletic league.

This is merely to point out that Karns City, while it does overpower its own district in football and soccer, would be more than competitive and a section title contender if it played in the WPIAL.

In essence, it’s all about respect.

In some circles, it is respect long overdue to this high school and the athletes within it.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.