JEFFERSON TWP — When Knoch’s boys soccer team puts the ball in the net, it usually comes off a familiar foot.

Senior captain Caleb Oskin has scored a high percentage of the Knights’ goals over the past two seasons, including a school-record 21 last year. And it was all triggered by a position change.

“I didn’t score any goals my freshman year and only two as a sophomore,” Oskin said. “They had me playing midfielder then. I had a couple of good games early last year and they moved me to striker.”

His goal-scoring binge hasn’t stopped since.

Knoch finished 6-7-1 in Section 3-3A last season, losing out to Indiana by a half-game for the final WPIAL playoff berth out of that section. While Oskin scored 21 goals and teammate Nick Dellarosa nine, the rest of the squad combined for only four tallies.

The Knights are off to a 5-3 start in Section 2-2A this season, good enough for third place in the league, trailing Deer Lakes and Shady Side Academy. Oskin has scored 18 goals in 10 games overall this year, assisting on five others. He’s figured in on all but three of his team’s goals so far in 2022.

“When I moved to striker, I figured I’d get double digits in goals ... but nothing like this,” Oskin said. “I get a lot of support from my teammates, setting me up.”

“He’s a good finisher,” Knoch coach Malcolm Cook said of Oskin. “Caleb knows how to complete a play. Our problem has been, no player has a great game every time. During games when his shots aren’t finding the net, other guys have to step up.

“We have a young team and it’s hard to get players to do that sometimes.”

Orrin Milcic is second on the team in goals this season with four. Mason Nebel has scored three times, Samuel Caldwell and Tye West twice each.

Oskin is well on his way to obliterating his own single-season school record. Caleb Robb set the previous mark of 19 approximately five years ago.

Knoch dropping down to Class 2A this year has elevated Oskin’s productivity to a degree.

“Playing in Triple-A, teams like Hampton, Kiski and Mars put complete teams on the field and they were tough,” Oskin said. “They could take things away. This year, facing some teams for the second time, they’re defending me differently.

“They’re sliding more defenders toward my side. Speed is a big part of my game ... I’m pretty fast and they don’t want me getting behind their defense.”

Cook mentioned that a couple of teams in the Knights’ section this year “aren’t all that good” and Oskin has been able to take advantage.

“But Caleb scored three goals against Deer Lakes and they’re the best team in our section,” Cook said. “He can get on a roll against anybody.”

A soccer player since he was 6, Oskin has also been playing club soccer for Beadling since he was a freshman. He was a vital part of the Beadling team that lost its league championship game to Erie in 2021.

Since running is a big part of his game, Oskin admits he needs to work on his conditioning.

“I haven’t been as effective in the second halves of games,” he said. “There are times I’ll score two or three goals in the first half, then get shut out in the second. Opposing teams make adjustments at halftime which plays a factor there, but I’m not as fast late in games, either.”

While he also has the ability to score off headers, Oskin hasn’t done that much so far this year.

“He’s very good with the ball in the air, too,” Cook said. “We haven’t set him up enough that way, or he would have even more goals right now.

“You always want your striker to be greedy with the ball, but sometimes the situation calls for him to pass it off as well. Caleb’s been getting better at that part of the game.”

Oskin hopes to play soccer in college next year. Penn State-New Kensington has reached out to him, but no other collegiate program as of yet. He said he is undecided on a field of study in college.

“Caleb’s next step is to figure out what he wants to do with his life, find the schools that will help him get there, then look into the soccer opportunities,” Cook said. “He’s going to get the support and references from people like me and others.

“That won’t be a problem.”