Hanover Central’s Evan Brooks doesn’t waste words by giving voice to negative thoughts.
The junior defender is always a positive force for the unbeaten Wildcats, according to junior goalkeeper Tyler Burroughs.
“He’s a great person, great teammate,” Burroughs said. “He’s like the angel child of the team. He’s never negative.
“If negativity goes around the team, it’s not him. He’s always the go-getter. If he has something to say, it’s never negative. He tries to uplift others.”
Brooks consciously takes that approach with his teammates. He figures it beats the alternative.
“If they’re in their own head or down, or made a bad play or a mistake, I feel I can definitely be better as a person by just lifting them up by not yelling at them,” Brooks said. “It’s just building them up and helping them gain confidence.”
Tim Zilz, in his third season as Hanover Central’s coach, said he has known Brooks and his family “for a long time” and wouldn’t expect anything else from Brooks.
“Evan’s a great kid, and he’s done some great stuff,” Zilz said. “He’s been super consistent for us and a huge impact player.
“He is one of the most humble kids we have, extremely hardworking, extremely coachable. He’s a pleasure to coach. He isn’t always the most vocal, but his actions speak so loud. He gains a lot of respect. He’s just a natural leader.”
Brooks agreed he’s not the most talkative person. But he’s also trying to step outside of his comfort zone.
“I’m just working on my confidence,” he said. “I’m trying to be more vocal. I’m definitely not the most vocal, I’ll admit that. That is just my personality. I’m just a more introverted and shy person.
“I’m not the most vocal, but I really do care about our team, the difference I can make for my teammates and my coaches. But I’m trying to be more vocal and just build up my teammates.”
The Wildcats (9-0, 4-0) probably could use as many steadying voices as possible as they venture into uncharted territory. For the third straight season, they’ve put together a program-best start. They’re ranked No. 14 in the Class 2A state coaches poll this week. They can compete for Northwest Crossroads Conference and sectional titles — either one would be their first — with several key games on tap in the coming weeks, including a possible de facto conference championship game against Munster.
Hanover Central continues to put its undefeated record on the line, rallying for a 3-2 overtime win Wednesday for its first victory against Hobart.
Brooks has been attempting to process the situation.
“I definitely have some fear,” he said. “We’ve never been here before. I’m pretty nervous about the rest of the season because we have a lot of tough teams to play. It’s a lot, in a way. It’s a lot to think about.
“There’s a lot of pressure if we do lose. Dealing with the pressure’s a whole different story. You just have to play with confidence, which I’m still learning. But there’s a lot of passion in this team, a lot of heart from all of the players. And I do believe if everyone plays with all of their heart and passion for the game, I do believe we can go a long way.”
If Hanover Central makes such a run, Brooks will probably have an integral role. The left defender is part of a talented class, which includes the dynamic duo of midfielder Logan Zilz and forward Kyle Otworowski, that has grown up together. Burroughs, who missed last season with a torn labrum and multiple fractures in his left hip, also is a key member.
“When he’s getting back, he’s been really good at always finding a way to get out and up,” Burroughs said of Brooks. “He gets the pressure off and up to the wing. That’s good.
“He’s very confident with his aggression. He knows when to push up on the wing, and he knows when to play to the center, which for me is obviously very nerve-wracking. Defense playing in the middle — scary. But when he does it, he does it well. He knows when to do that.”
Brooks has the experience to make such decisions, having played as a left defender from a young age. But he actually played more as a center midfielder for the Wildcats as a freshman and sophomore. He started there last season alongside his older brother Zach, who graduated in the spring.
Brooks is looking forward to playing next season with his younger brother Eli, a promising forward who is part of a talented group of eighth graders.
“I loved it so much,” Brooks said of playing with Zach. “We had a lot of chemistry in the middle, real chemistry, and coach saw it — he saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I definitely miss playing with him. He made playing a lot of fun.”
Still, Brooks has enjoyed being back at his usual position on defense, where he feels more comfortable.
“I’m not as confident in the midfield,” he said. “I feel safe playing defense. But I’ve definitely improved from my childhood playing left back to now playing left back. Just looking back at it, it’s a whole new perspective on it.
“It’s just picking up my head and scanning, looking to find feet, looking to find a player. It’s just controlling the game down even when it feels rushed. Everyone’s screaming and all of that, or it can be a rough, dirty game — I’ll just try to control it.”
