ORANGE PARK - With the annual trek to Kissimmee about to happen March 5-7 at the Silver Spurs Arena, area wrestlers are amping up their weekend ventures with district and region titles in anticipation of repeating yet another busload of state championship finishes.

As district and regions move forward, the top four finishes in each weight class advance to the next level eventually with the top four finishing up with a state ticket.

First, district titles went to Clay High and Middleburg in the past two weeks with the Blue Devils claiming yet another dominating win for Hall of Fame coach Jim Reape—288-214 over Beachside with Orange Park third and Fleming Island sixth in district 3-2A. Clay had eight individual champions: Liam Soto at 106, Calvin Wells at 120, Calvyn St. Clair at 157, Drew Holmquist at 165, Drew Loveland at 175, Landon Martin at 190, Brandon Mitchell at 215 and Jayshawn McCloud at 285.

Orange Park will send Justin Garay at 144 as a district champion with Fleming Island sending Matthew Braddock at 138 as their district champion. The Raiders will also send seven total wrestlers to regions with Fleming Island sending five with Braddock.

In district 2-2A, Middleburg repeated with a 265-204.5 win over Tallahassee Lincoln with Ridgeview fifth. The Broncos had 11 wrestlers in the district finals match with titles going to Jonathan Harp at 106, Nathan Harvey at 126, Terry Milam at 132, Christian Patrick at 138, Micah Thomas at 150, Daniel Raines at 157, Keensdee Roseme at 190 and Porter Loveland at 215.

Ridgeview 285 wrestler Garrett Davis lost in his district final but got his ticket to regions with Ridgeview first year coach Mark Detoro sending five more wrestlers to regions: Tanner Rogers at 126 (4th), Samuel Costanza at 150 (4th), Gavin Emile at 157 (3rd), Gage Warner at 160 (4th) and Ethan Merchant at 175 (4th with loss to MHS linebacker Sam Craven).

The region 1-2A championship meet will pit Clay and Middleburg for a battle up top with Tallahassee Chiles hosting on Feb. 27-28. In district 1-3A, Oakleaf got a 5-1 win at 285 from senior football star Chris Jules to win a thrilling, come-from-behind half point, 203.5-200.0, district title over Tocoi Creek.

Oakleaf will travel to DeLand High School for their region 1-3A championship on Feb. 27-28.

And, in district 4-1A, at St. Johns Country Day School, the Spartans' very young team, coached by former Clay High wrestling guru Hunter Hill, snagged a fourth-place team finish with just seven wrestlers while hoisting individual championships to two wrestlers, undefeated Bryce Fiore at 106 and Howard Hill at 157.

In that St. Johns district, Episcopal won over Bishop Kenny, 182.5-178.0 with a handful of tough matches throughout the event.

St. Johns had freshman Luke Bond at 106 get to that semifinal, finishing fourth for his region ticket; then Fiore, just a seventh grader at 38-0 and top-ranked in Class 1A, rifled through with two first period pins to his title at 113; then Roman Ortez at 126, finished second behind Bishop Kenny state qualifier and just once beaten (34-1) Dylan Lunsford; then freshman Israel De Jesus at 132 finishing fourth and Baron Nelson at 138 finishing fourth.

With the St. Johns crowd buzzing with region qualifiers building up in their gym, Wyatt Martin at 144 and Hill at 150 both answered the final calls with a 15-4 major decision for Martin and a pin for Hill sending them to regions.

St. Johns will travel to Bay High in the Panhandle for their region 1-2A championship meet on Feb. 27-28.