Ezana Kahsay's athleticism has never been questioned. Not at Buffalo's International Prep, Westside International Soccer, Black Watch Premier, BUSS of the Buffalo & District Soccer League or even college soccer power University of Akron.

You could even argue the refugee from African nation Eritrea has the ideal soccer body - he's blessed with long legs, rapid acceleration, straight-line speed and a deceptive wiry strength.

Naturally, Kahsay's soccer ability has taken longer to catch up with his physical gifts, posing a bit of a problem for his coaches: At what position would he be most effective?

After years as a center back for youth clubs, then a reserve role as a midfielder in his first two years at Akron, Kahsay has finally settled in as a striker, and considering his excellence for the Erie Commodores this summer, he could be in line to be Akron's first choice up top this fall.

FINALLY FLOURISHING

It's hard to imagine a more productive start to the NPSL season than what Kahsay achieved this summer. He potted six goals over his first five games, including a hat-trick against Fort Pitt, propelling Erie to a 4-0-2 record that put them in the driver's seat for a playoff spot.

The striker was a shoo-in for BN Soccer's mid-season Best XI, and even after a personal five-game scoreless streak that saw Erie nearly botch their playoff spot, his contested header to earn a draw against Syracuse FC on the final day of the season clinched the Commodores' berth in the NPSL postseason, which begins at 7 p.m. July 22 at Gannon University.

Kahsay's statistics are more impressive considering just two summers ago he was a starting center back for Portland Timbers U-23. And it might sound cliche, but Kahsay credits opportunity for his rapid adjustment to the striker position.

"I think all I needed was games, more game time and experience, and I'm getting that right now," Kahsay said after his Commodores fell to FC Buffalo. "Training has been great, and I've been finding my feet.

He still trusts his natural gifts to a considerable degree - his fitness and long stride allow him to pester defenders into mistakes or earn a half-step advantage on his marker - but his finishing is no longer a weakness.

"Athleticism is an important part of [my ability as a striker], but getting into good positions and having the experience of full 90-minute games, that's what makes a striker better," Kahsay admitted. "These [NPSL] games have increased my confidence and obviously that's what I want going forward, to have that starting position going back to Akron."

The Great Lakes East Conference's co-leader in goals has also carved out a reputation as one of the league's bad boys; Kahsay accumulated four yellow cards in the first four games of the season, resulting in a one-game suspension, then picked up three more over the course of the season. Four were awarded for either unsporting behavior or dissent, while three were doled out for delaying a restart or persistent infringement.

The frequency of bookings is nothing new - Kahsay earned a red card once in each of his last two seasons with Akron, as well as for St. Louis FC U-23 last summer. The mixture of goals and cards makes him entertaining to watch because of his unpredictability, but his short fuse - especially in matches against FC Buffalo - has added some gray to his reputation locally.

Ezana Kahsay, background, No. 7, battles for a loose ball with FC Buffalo's Fox Slotemaker. (Don Nieman/Special to The News)

A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH BUFFALO

After escaping Eritrea with his mother and sister for neighboring Ethiopia - primarily to avoid being drafted into the Eritrean military like his father, uncle and brother - Kahsay was resettled in Buffalo, an American bastion for African refugees.

His tenure at diverse Buffalo Public School International Prep - formerly known as Grover Cleveland - helped him acclimate and thrive in his new home alongside fellow refugee and immigrant students.

Smart, gregarious and clearly talented, Kahsay earned the trust and support of I-Prep administrators Anthony Alessi, his varsity soccer coach as a senior, and Mike Masecchia, Alessi's predecessor. You can read more about their influence in a profile written by former News reporter Tiffany Lankes, in 2014.

But since signing with Akron, Ezana Kahsay's relationship with his American home has become more complex.

He's flirted with the idea of playing for FC Buffalo, attending a tryout before last summer, while FC Buffalo reached out to gauge his interest before this season.

Nothing materialized, and when Erie head coach and owner John Melody reached out to Akron head coach Jared Embick, Kahsay and his Zips mate Shane Wiedt were headed to the Commodores, the bitter rival of Buffalo's top-level men's soccer team.

Kahsay is certainly not a stranger to competing against Buffalo teams, however; over his three years at the University of Akron, he played the University at Buffalo on four occasions, and has now faced FC Buffalo twice in National Premier Soccer League games.

Playing for FC Buffalo's rival - the #HateErie hashtag never seems to lose steam - might be deemed a slap in the face to the city that helped cultivate his talents, but that's not exactly Kahsay's view.

"There's only one kid I've played with who's played for FC Buffalo, so really they're not my friends," explained Kahsay, "but this city is my city, I love the city at the end of the day.

"I love the fans, I grew up with them. But when it comes to games, it's Erie versus Buffalo."

And Kahsay's volatility has been in full bloom in his two meetings with FC Buffalo this season. A shoving match and exchange of words with Wolves' captain Chris Walter was unbecoming during their first meeting, and Walter's teammates took every chance to rattle the Erie striker, whether through hard tackles or chatter away from the ball.

Ezana Kahsay, No. 7, is awarded a yellow card against FC Buffalo. (Ben Tsujimoto/Buffalo News)