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FRANKLIN - For the Crowley brothers - Jake, Taylor and Nick - soccer is the family business... and business has been good.

The three North Attleboro residents, who work their trade at Tri-County Regional High School, played alongside one another for the Cougar varsity soccer team this fall for the first time ever. And if that wasn't an accomplishment in itself, they all played major roles in helping Tri-County to a best-ever record of 13-4-1 and a fourth seed in the MIAA Division 2-South Tournament.

All those years of knocking around a ball together in the backyard finally paid off.

"I referred to them as our magic triangle in the middle," said Tri-County coach Rick Vernon. "The middle brother (Taylor) plays a stopper, but we don't have a sweeper, so in essence he's a center defensive midfielder, and the other two were midfielders, so without a doubt pretty much everything we did was generated through them.

"And it's clear as a bell watching them that you know they've been playing together a long time. They always know where the others are going to be," added Vernon. You had Jake, the elder statesman of the crew, a senior captain and starter at midfield since his freshman year. He was the most prolific offensively of the three, to the tune of 14 goals and a team-leading 22 assists.

"He has a lot of confidence and patience, he never gets rattled," Vernon said. "He's come a long ways since his freshman year. This year he was spectacular and flabbergasted people with his play. Coaches would always comment on him."

Not to be overlooked - and how can you with him checking in at 6-foot-4 - is Taylor, a fellow midfielder. The junior didn't score this season, but plenty of Tri-County goals were the result of his handy work in the middle.

"He has the size, he just needs to bulk up a bit... but he's a player and we're expecting big things out of him next year," said Vernon.

Then there's the freshman, Nick, who plays a non-traditional stopper role.

"He was one of three freshmen on the team," Vernon said. "Obviously coming from a soccer family we knew he had the know-how. He has the physical tools and has great touch, the knowledge will come in time. He's going to be a good one, too."

Taylor and Nick had played together on the same time previously, as members of the North Soccer Club. And the three have played together on an indoor team at The Habitat in Uxbridge. But all three, suiting up for the Cougars this year... it was something special for everyone involved.

"It was pretty fun out there," admitted Jake. "It was the first time, but it was also the last time playing with most these guys, so that was a little sad."

Added Nick, "I think the best part of it was that we were winning, and we were all starting right next to each other. For me, it was different because I was playing against kids older than me, but I felt pretty confident having played with Jake and holding my own. I think playing with my brothers, whether it be indoor soccer or out in the back yard, I think that helped me get ready for varsity."

Their father Michael attended Tri-County, along with two uncles, making it a no-brainer for the three to follow. "I heard great things about the school, and the whole shop idea was what I wanted to get into," said Jake, who works construction with his father during the summer. "I wanted to play soccer, too, I'd been playing since I was eight, so it was a good fit."

A good fit indeed, seeing how the Cougars steadily improved each year and ended up with their best season this year.

"We didn't have a weak spot. We were pretty strong at each position and we were pretty deep on the bench no matter who we subbed," said Jake. "Coach knew way before I did that we might have something, back in double-sessions he said we could get at least 10 wins, but I thought that might be a little shaky. Coach was right. Obviously we didn't want the season to end the way it did (6-0 loss to Bishop Stang in the first round), but it was still fun."

Being a captain and the oldest of the three brothers, Jake wasn't reserved about taking a leadership role.

"Me being the older brother and knowing more about the game I'd say I was pretty vocal on the field. We talk soccer at home and we have a net in the back yard, we just do drills and stuff," said Jake, who also plays lacrosse for the Cougars while including pickup soccer and weekend skiing at Loon Mountain among his offseason workouts.

Oh, and there's more.

Sometimes included in those backyard drills is cousin Josh Strom, another North Attleboro resident and member of the Crowley indoor teams as well as the Tri-County varsity. Strom, a senior captain, had 15 goals this season for the Cougars, second only to leading scorer Drew Flamenco's 22.

Yet more proof that business has been good.

DANNY CRANDALL can be reached at 508-236-0395 or at dcrandall@thesunchronicle.com.