A Bruin’s soccer magic is a hat trick

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Some blogging props must be tossed to Samantha Prochnow.

Prochnow whipped up a hat trick for Long Beach Wilson girls’ soccer team in a 4-0 pool play victory over Marina in Friday’s Mater Dei tournament. The Bruins, ranked No. 8 in Southern Section’s Division I, are 3-0.

Back to Prochnow’s hat trick and a lesson in etymology. The North American meaning of hat trick -- three goals in a single game -- comes courtesy of ice hockey. In the 1940s, a Toronto hatter gave away hats to any Maple Leaf player who scored three times in one game. Do you know a hat trick exists in cricket, rugby and even marbles?

-- Anthony Stitt

-- Image from www.hattrickindoorsoccer.com