State soccer record shattered

Published 8:57 am Friday, May 18, 2012

WINDSOR—A senior Windsor soccer player has shattered a 20-year-old state record for hat tricks during a varsity career.

Ryan Brant has set a new state record for scoring hat tricks — three goals in one game. Brant has made 11 during his varsity career. -- SUBMITTED

Ryan Brant made his 11th hat trick — scoring three goals in one game — during the Dukes’ 6-1 win over Tri-Rivers District opponent Franklin on May 11.

The old record of nine career hat tricks was set in 1992 by Jonathan Gates from Prince George.

“I always knew he had it in him,” said Windsor Coach Matt Burgess. “He’s the type of kid that every coach wishes they had a whole team of, always motivated, he’s an excellent leader and has a great attitude about the team.”

Burgess understands the record is for all Virginia high schools, not just schools that are comparable in size with Windsor.

“With the (bigger) AA and AAA schools, you don’t see many hat tricks,” he said. “There are a lot more lower scoring games because they are more competitive. At the A level, you have more higher scoring games and blowout games.”

Brant played varsity for half the season as a freshman and missed most of his junior year due to mononucleosis. The son of Byron and Linda Brant, he scored six hat tricks as a sophomore and five this year.

“I was glad to know I hold the record, but I’m more concerned about upcoming games and the district tournament,” Brant said.

The Dukes are 11-1 for the season and will travel to Chesterfield for a 5:30 p.m. game today, May 18, to close the regular season. If Windsor wins, the Dukes will tie Appomattox Regional Governors School for first and will play a tiebreaker on Monday, May 21. If the Dukes lose, they will finish second in the Tri-Rivers District.

The district tournament opens Tuesday, with Windsor playing at home. The opponent has not yet been determined.

Windsor has also qualified for the regional tournament.