NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Powered by a strong crowd on Family Weekend, host Brooks posted a 3-0 win over Middlesex in Independent School League (ISL) boys soccer action on a picturesque Saturday afternoon.

The Zebras actually came out on the front foot and created a number of opportunities in the first several minutes before Brooks found a path to goal. Sander Bertos burst down the right side and clipped a ball to the back post for an unmarked Chase Daly to head down into the net from inside the six-yard area. 

Just four minutes later, Brooks scored in similar fashion, except that the second back post, close-range header was directly from a corner kick and Latu Kayira rose up to power it home.

At the halftime interval, Middlesex made some tactical shifts that paid immediate dividends, as the attacking play was predominantly in the Brooks half throughout the second half. This was largely the opposite of the first half, but the difference was that Middlesex couldn't find a way to get shots on frame despite doing everything else leading up to that moment in a more connected fashion. 

For Brooks, Kayira and Jax Cloutier stood out as their best players and for Middlesex, Billy Zuze (Blantyre, Malawi) and Will McCarthy (Concord, Mass.) were the best performers.

The final Brooks tally came off a keeper error in the 93rd minute to put the icing on a big Class B win for the hosts. 

Middlesex showed positive spirit and resiliency in coming back into the match in the second half, but that all important first goal of the second half proved a bridge too far.