Champions of District 3-6A has a nice ring to it if you are the Ponte Vedra High girls soccer team, which earned that title following a comfortable 3-0 win at home against Fleming Island.
The championship also marked the sixth straight win for the Sharks who have had their way with the majority of their opponents this season en route to a 15-3 record.
Defeating rival Nease 2-0 in the semifinals was the path for the Sharks through the district tournament, which was made easier thanks to a first round bye as the No. 1 seed heading in.
It was the 10th time this year that the Sharks had shutout an opponent and it was the eighth time they won by at least a three-goal margin.
If the Sharks continue to play excellent all-around soccer like they have been playing where the defense is creating a wall and the offense is taking advantage of scoring chances at the other end, they will be a tough team to beat the deeper the postseason goes.
The Panthers handed the Oakleaf Knights a 2-0 defeat in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals before their run came to a halt against the Sharks.
On the boys’ side of things, the Sharks have earned a spot in the District 3-6A championship game as well with a 3-1 win over rival Nease in the semifinals of the district tournament Jan. 30.
The Sharks (11-2-3) grabbed the lead early with a pair of first half goals and despite the Panthers (9-4-4) getting on the board in the second half with a goal, it was not enough as the Sharks scored an insurance goal of their own to secure the victory.
The two rivals had battled on Dec. 7 during the regular season and it ended in a 1-1 tie despite the Sharks striking first.
The Sharks would do the same this time around, but they learned from the previous meeting and did not surrender the lead once they gained it.
The Sharks had a bye in the quarterfinals as the No. 2 seed, while the Panthers as the third seed cruised past No. 6 First Coast 8-0.
The win sets up a matchup for the Sharks in the title game against No. 4 Oakleaf Feb. 1 at 7 p.m., which upset top-seeded Fleming Island 2-1 in the other semifinal battle.
