Winning state championships is nothing new for Miami-Dade County athletes.

The 2008-09 high school season will remembered, however, for its many historic firsts.

Here's some of the most memorable moments:

1. CHAMPIONSHIP CUDAS: Coral Reef guard Charles Hankerson, Jr. couldn't stop smiling. Their coach, Chachi Rodriguez was moved to tears at one point. Who could blame Coral Reef's boys' basketball team after having won the first state championship in the school's history in a major sport.

The Barracudas became the first school from the south end of Dade in 50 years to win a boys' basketball state title. Rodriguez made personal history, becoming the first coach in Dade history to win a state title at two schools.

2. NO DENYING NORLAND: Finally. And they still had to sweat it out until the final second of the game. But after one of the lowest-scoring girls' basketball state championship games ever, Norland beat Lake Mary and finally claimed its first state title in a sport it had dominated locally for two decades. The Vikings finished 32-0 and celebrated with their longtime coach and Norland alum Carla Harris-Curry.

3. STREAK-BUSTER: The second-longest winning streak in state history in any sport ended abruptly and decisively when Ransom's girls' water polo team dealt Gulliver a loss after 225 consecutive victories. Ransom followed it up two months later, by winning the state championship and ending Gulliver's eight-year championship run.

On the boys' side, Belen recorded a perfect season to win its first state title in the sport. With nearly its entire roster returning, it could be the start of a dynasty.

4. THE WESTMINSTER DOUBLE: A dozen years after it became the only Dade school to win baseball and softball state titles in the same season, Westminster Christian pulled off another championship double.

The sweep meant firsts of a sort.

The group that had grown up hearing about Alex Rodriguez and Doug Mientkiewicz claimed its own spot in Westminster baseball lore by winning the school's county-best ninth state title.

Longtime Warriors' softball coach and athletic director Scott Doan, who was coaching the Florida Christian team that opposed Westminster in 1997's state title sweep, won his first state championship.

5. OH, SO CLOSE: Many counted out the Northwestern football team after losing so many star athletes from its national championship team. The Bulls persevered and, behind a wave of new stars, moved to within one game of securing Dade's first football ''three-peat.'' But a trio of blue-chip athletes from Sanford Seminole had other plans.

6. DYNASTY RESTORED: One Northwestern team had no trouble finishing the job at the state championship. The Bulls' girls recaptured the state's top spot by routing the competition at the Class 4A state meet, led by a state-record performance from senior Skyler Wallen in the 800 meters.

7. RUN ROBIN, RUN: One gold medal is good for most freshmen. Jackson's Robin Reynolds is no ordinary freshman. She proved that when she became the first Dade female athlete to win four events as a freshman, and first to ever sweep the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races at state. And as a result, Reynolds guided the Generals to their first state championship since 1980.

8. SETTING THE PACE: Pure speed. After dominating the event for three years, Monsignor Pace's 400-meter relay team became the fastest in the country, breaking a state record in the process and claiming the school's first team state championship.

9. GRAPPLING INTO HISTORY: South Dade's Kendrick Sanders and Braddock's Eric Chandler each ended their careers with a third state championship and secured elite places in county wrestling history. Chandler stands alone as the county's lone four-time GMAC champion.

10. COURAGEOUS COMEBACK: After its longtime coach Kirk Peppas suffered a stroke, Belen's swimming and diving team dedicated its season in his honor. The Wolverines succeeded, winning a third consecutive state title. And Peppas has since recovered, and plans to coach next season.

11. COURT DOMINANCE: Another tennis season meant another surplus of tennis titles for Dade teams and athletes. Gulliver's boys made it look easy, sweeping all 23 matches en route to a third consecutive state championship. And in Class 4A, Krop swept the boys' and girls' tennis titles. Gulliver's Chris Jackman and Sarah McLean and Krop's Billy Federhofer all claimed overall singles titles.

12. REVELING RIVALS: Belen and Columbus, fierce rivals in every sport, celebrated state championships within minutes of each other at this year's state cross-country meet. Belen secured its third consecutive state title, and Columbus, led by one of the county's top athletes in sophomore Armando Del Valle, won its first since 1997.

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