By Gwen Albers

The Tidewater News

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

Ryan Brant made his 11^th 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,” Windsor Coach Matt Burgess said. “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 said the record includes all Virginia high schools, not just those 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 travel to Chesterfield for a 5:30 p.m. game today to close the regular season. If they win, the Dukes will tie Appomattox Regional Governors School for first and will play a tiebreaker on Monday. 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 also has qualified for the regional tournament.