KARNS CITY — Sometimes it takes awhile for the Karns City boys soccer team to get going.

Once they do, however, the results have usually been striking.

The Gremlins and DuBois Central Catholic duked it out for 60 minutes before freshman Spenser Myers found the net off a crisp pass from Derek McElravy with a little less than 20 minutes remaining in the second half to break a scoreless tie.

Goalkeeper David Olszak made sure the lead held up with two clutch saves in the final 10 minutes as the Gremlins downed the Cardinals 1-0 in the second round of the District 9 Class A playoffs at Diehl Stadium Wednesday night.

“We’re young,” said Karns City coach Jim Grenninger. “We get caught playing the other team’s mode. DCC came here to play. At about the 15-minute mark in the first half, we started putting it together.”

Both teams had chances in the first half, but misfired.

Karns City (13-2) had a golden opportunity shortly before Myers’ goal when Tyler Pollock slammed a shot off the crossbar.

“We’re not a great finishing team yet,” Grenninger said. “Our shots, they come. But it’s like when the pressure is on, they step up.”

The pressure was most certainly on Olszak, who stoned two great scoring opportunities from the Cardinals late to preserve the victory.

Olszak stopped six shots in the game and most were difficult saves.

“You just have to make the play when it gets to you,” Olszak said.

His effort was even more impressive on a cold, wet night.

Olszak’s fingers were numb inside his goalie gloves.

“I think his gloves are rock hard — they started freezing on him,” Grenninger said. “He’s been great all year. In fact, he’s narrowing in on my son’s (Josh Grenninger) records here.”

Olszak is one of the elder statesmen on the Karns City roster, even through he is a junior.

He has marveled at how fast the Gremlins, who will take on Brockway at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the district semifinals at Clarion University, have grown up.

“These young guys battle,” Olszak added. “They battle a lot. I don’t think a lot of us were expecting to progress this quickly, but I’m glad we are. I think we have the ability to go farther in the playoffs.”