KARNS CITY — It's perhaps the most unheralded position in all of sports.

Offensive linemen in football get more pub. Setters on the volleyball court see their name in the paper more. Even water boys garner more adulation.

But there are few positions on the soccer field more important than sweeper — and Karns City senior Tim Johnston has been one of the best for four seasons.

"Talk about an anonymous position," said Karns City boys soccer coach Roy Parker. "No one knows about you."

At first, Johnston was irked about that. But he quickly determined that the less his name was uttered, the better he was doing on the pitch.

"The first couple of games during my freshman year, I thought, 'You know, I wish I got a little more recognition,'" Johnston said. "But the more I played there, I grew to love it. It's not about the recognition for me. It's about the team. I'm doing it for the team."

Johnston has helped shut down top scorers around District 9 and in the WPIAL during his three-plus seasons as the Gremlins' last line of defense before the keeper.

The key to Johnston's success has been his quickness, leadership and instincts, Parker said.

To Johnston, the position comes naturally to him.

"I always have to be on my toes physically and mentally back there," Johnston said. "I'm like a general back there, directing where I need my other defenders to be, where I want my midfielders to run. It's more of a two-dimensional game for me."

Parker moved Johnston to sweeper early in his freshman season.

"I haven't had to worry about it since," Parker said.

In Karns City, the sweeper is one of the most important positions on the pitch.

Johnston has helped the KC offense with his sharp passes in transition.

That has made the Gremlins one of the more dangerous teams, not only in District 9, but the state. Karns City has a penchant for scoring goals in bunches with Eric McCue leading the team with 38.

Nick Lopresti has more than 20 assists.

And Johnston has been feeding the transition in what basically has become a fastbreak soccer team.

"I know that my teammates recognize what I am doing, even if I'm not in the newspaper," Johnston said, smiling. "There's so much talent on the field, probably more than any year I've played on the team. I have absolutely no worries."

Holy Hat Tricks!

Several soccer players found the net three times in games recently: Danielle Wissinger and Sarah Cessar for the Slippery Rock girls; Ryan McKenzie for the Mars' boys; Lexie Mastro for the Mars' girls; and McCue for Karns City on Saturday in a game that may or may not count because there was only one official working the match.

Showing his Werth

Butler's Cory Werth came up big for the Golden Tornado, scoring the tying and winning goals in the second half of a 2-1 win over Kiski Area.

Assist machine

A-C Valley's Katie Quail has been a big reason why the Falcons are 9-1 in the KSAC.

Quail, who came back this season after missing all of last season with a torn ACL, is piling up assists, setting up A-C Valley's potent hitters for plenty of kills.