BETTER TIMES BRIN, WESTLAKE MUCH IMPROVED.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

Bill Propster looked at the stopwatch and thought something must have gone wrong. Whether it was human error or a mechanical mistake, there was something awry.

There was no way Eric Brin could have improved this much. Each year Propster times members of his Westlake High boys' soccer team in the 40-yard dash. Last year, Brin ran a 5.0; this year, the senior was clocked in 4.63.

``I've never seen someone get that much faster in one year,'' Propster said.

So Propster questioned the time. But it turned out to be accurate. Brin's play on the field has proved it. Midway through league play, the midfielder already has career bests in goals (11) and assists (12).

``Last year, I was growing a lot and I think I wasn't really used to my size,'' said the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Brin. ``This year, I got used to my body. I'm a lot faster and quicker.''

Brin joins a long list of Warriors who have improved over the past year. Westlake has gone from a fifth-place finish to first in the Marmonte League and No. 3 in the Daily News' rankings with a 17-1-3 record.

``He's definitely improved his speed, that's for sure,'' forward David Epstein said. ``But everyone has improved something, both individually and as a team.''

Brin's improvement will pay off more than a possible Marmonte title. He already has been offered a partial soccer scholarship (and has orally committed) to Northwestern. He has a 3.9 GPA with honors classes.

``Academics is important to me, and Northwestern is a really good academic school,'' Brin said. ``I kind of wanted to get away, see a different part of the country. I'm a little worried about the cold, but everyone says you'll get used to it.''

Brin said he always has wanted to be a doctor and is thinking about studying pre-med at Northwestern. That's a tough course load to manage with a sport, but Brin already has talked with coaches about balancing his schedule and taking fewer classes in the fall.

Brin has spent all four years at Westlake on varsity.

``He's big and good in the air,'' Propster said. ``Other coaches will mention him, that he has great touch.''

Epstein is the hardest working player on the team, according to Propster. But Brin can play at a higher level when needed. Whenever the Warriors have a team competition during practice, Brin wins.

It's no coincidence his best game of the year was Westlake's biggest, against defending champion Newbury Park this month. The Warriors won 1-0 and survived a lot of pressure in the final minutes as the Panthers attacked relentlessly trying to tie the game.

``Guys on the Newbury Park team are on his club team and I thought that motivated him,'' Propster said. ``He made sure that they didn't score in the second half. He decided he would play that night.''

Now Westlake is 6-0-1 in league and can all but clinch the Marmonte title with another win against Newbury Park at home Wednesday.

``We knew we would be good and thought we'd be there with Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks,'' Brin said. ``Of course I wanted to win league, but I didn't think it was that realistic.''

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Eric Brin and his Westlake High boys' soccer teammates can all but clinch the Marmonte title with a win over Newbury Park at home Wednesday.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer