KARNS CITY— When needed, Josh Grenninger was there to lend a helping hand.

Or, in his case, a favorable foot.

A three-time All-Upper Allegheny Valley Soccer League selection as a goalkeeper at Karns City, the 5-foot-7, 175-pound Grenninger doubled up this fall as kicker and punter for the Gremlins football team.

"We actually had interest in him last year, but he got hurt on the soccer field before the season and missed a couple of weeks,"Karns City football coach Ed Conto said. "It just didn't work out timewise for him to come over to football."

It's certainly worked out this year.

Grenninger has scored 56 points for the Gremlins, connecting on 47 PATs and three field goals. He hit a critical 37-yard field goal against Redbank Valley.

He also handles the punting chores for the Gremlins, averaging about 34 yards per boot.

"We had other guys we were working into the kicking roles,"Conto said. "None of them could devote full practice time to kicking. That's where Josh has really stepped in and helped us."

A soccer player most of his life, Grenninger had interest in playing football for a number of years. He tried playing in seventh grade, but suffered a broken wrist while making a tackle.

"I sort of shied away from it after that,"Grenninger said.

During his soccer career, Grenninger was part of two District 9 championship teams. He compiled a school-record 36 saves in a game against Knoch this season.

Grenninger is Karns City soccer's all-time leader in career saves with 406 and victories with more than 50 in the regular season alone.

"He could punt a soccer ball 75 yards and he was the fastest kid on our team,"KCboys soccer coach Roy Parker said. "Whenever we needed a goal late in a game, I'd pull him out of the net and he'd always seem to get one for us."

Grenninger scored eight goals this season and played forward, midfielder and stopper in addition to his goaltending duties. With the Gremlins trailing Northern Potter 1-0 in the playoffs, Grenninger came out of the net to score the tying goal, then assisted on the game-winner in overtime.

His older sister is Brittni Grenninger, a 194-goal scorer at Karns City, and now a junior forward at St. Francis (Pa.)University.

When kickers Mike and Matt McConnell graduated from the football team last year, renewed interest came in Grenninger's direction.

"I was asked by some people to come out and give it a try,"he said. "I was intrigued by the idea and I wanted to help out.

"The coaches saw my skills in punting a soccer ball. I was getting pretty good hang time and they figured that could translate over to football."

Which it did — with some work.

"In soccer, a goalie can stare at the ball, survey the field, then kick the ball,"Conto said. "In football, you can't do any looking around. You get the snap and get rid of it. That was probably the biggest adjustment Josh had to make."

Because the soccer team practiced from 7 to 9 p.m. — and never on Fridays — Grenninger was able to play football.

"I've had a lot of players do dual sports,"Parker said. "That's why we practice so late."

So the Karns City senior has endured a busy fall. He prevented points in soccer, posting nine shutouts this season.

He's still tacking on points in football, as Karns City is preparing to face North Star in a PIAAplayoff game at 7 p.m. Friday at Clarion University's Memorial Stadium.

When the Gremlins' season ends, Grenninger's football career likely will end with it."

"I'm looking at either Westminster or Clarion for college and I'd probably pursue soccer at Westminster,"he said.

"But I'll never forget this football season. I'm glad I did this."