BREWER – In a season of up and downs for both squads, the Brewer and Hampden boys soccer teams were looking for a spark to send them on a playoff run.

Andy Frost provided the spark, scoring two goals as the Witches evened their record with a 3-0 win over Hampden Thursday at Pendleton Street field.

Frost plays a central defensive roll for the 4-4-1 Witches but often pushes into the offense with good results.

His runs into the offensive end put the 4-6 Broncos on their heels on a number of occasions, the first coming with 12:39 remaining in the first half when the Witches took a 1-0 lead. And although Frost didn’t get an assist, the goal resulted from his strong play at the top of the penalty box.

Frost stepped into the middle of a scramble for the ball and his attempt at a shot deflected off a defender to Will Prescott. Prescott struck a pass on his first touch of the ball to Sam Boyd who was streaking in on goal down the right side of the penalty box. Boyd tucked his shot inside the left post.

“The last couple of games we’ve kinda struggled,” Boyd said. “I’ve struggled, too. It was nice to get a goal.”

Frost produced the second score with 4:28 left in the half. Fellow defender Zack Bouzan-Kaloustian picked up the assist when he pushed a pass forward to Frost, who flicked the ball past Hampden goalie Ken Mayo. Mayo was charging off his line attempting to cut down the angle.

The junior then closed out the scoring with just 20 seconds remaining in the match when he stole an attempted clearance by the Broncos and slammed a shot from 12 yards out into an empty net.

“Andy has always played at the striker and last year [when he was at Calais High] scored 40-something goals I think. People look at me like I’m crazy or something for sticking him in the back,” Brewer coach Darrell Hall said.

Hampden’s best chance of the game was produced by Bud Bridges early in the second half when he was in alone on Brewer goalie Matt Quimby and his shot just missed outside the left post.

“We couldn’t generate the offense when we needed to generate the offense,” Hampden coach Andy Frace said. “That’s the nature of the game. We’re just not gelling right now.”

Much of the lack of offense could be attributed to a defense led by Bouzan-Kaloustian and Frost that shut down Hampden’s Nattapong Kongsuriya. The talented sophomore was never allowed to get into the flow of the game.

“Hopefully this is a turning point for us,” Hall said.

Mayo made five saves on 17 shots for the Broncos while Quimby stopped four of nine shots.