MIDDLEBURG - Three individual champions and six top three finishers gave the Middleburg High girls wrestling team a first-ever district title with the Lady Broncos ousting their title over Bartram Trail and Ponte Vedra with Oakleaf a close fourth place to the top three teams.
Cruce, at 190, and the two-time defending state champion at that weight, was honored as the lone senior for the Lady Broncos prior to the finals and honored her followers with a pin over Bartram Trail's Aubrey Spahn to seal the deal.
At the first final, it was Lily Bradshaw, at 100, that won a gritty matchup against Tocoi Creeks' Kassidy Grundy with a third period pin to start the Bronco roll. Bradshaw executed a pin and tech fall (17-0) to get to her final.
In the third gold medal match for Middleburg, at 140, Cyndi Almonte followed a first period pin in her semifinal over Fleming Island's Auryanna Phelps with a fourth period fall against Sara Zeneli of Beachside.
At 135 and at 170, Oakleaf High's Kailani Barrientos and teammate Lamees Hudson won their weight divisions with Barrientos dominating with three straight first period pins; 16, 20 and 31 seconds. Hudson won by a tech fall and a pin over Bartram Trail's Izabella Betancourt.
Making the finals and securing region berths with second place finishes next week at Bay High School, for Middlburg, were Toni Silcox at 105, Sarah Walsh at 110, Memphis Moses at 115 and Leyna Link at 155.
Clay, with a district title to Kayleen Barnard at 235, finished at ninth place with Orange Park, with Zoey Fowler second at 125 and Mikayla Brunson fourth at 115, after a scintillating consolation semifinal win over Ponte Vedra's Annyka Watt (13-11), at 12th and Fleming Island, with Phelps third, at 14th place.
Ponte Vedra finished with two champions, Gainesvill had one, St. Augustine had two, Bartram Trail had two and Creekside had one.