''Coach said he wanted us to be ready to go out like champions by the time we graduate,'' Garcia said. ``I promised I'd do what I could to make sure he did.''
Gracia and the Spartans delivered on their promise Saturday by winning their first Class 4A state championship in five seasons at Showalter Field at Winter Park High School.
Southridge had five individual championships and scored 87 points to win its Miami-Dade-County-best sixth state girls' track championship.
Burley, who is a member of the FHSAA Hall of Fame and is retiring this season, led the Spartans to all of them.
''This is truly special not for me so much as for the kids,'' Burley said. ``They worked extremely hard to build up to this.''
Southridge's victory ended a Dade-record consecutive title streak by rival Northwestern, which had won the past three state crowns. Boyd Anderson finished second with 62 points, while the Bulls finished third with 58.
As the Spartans reclaimed the state crown, senior Zakeya Stinson etched her name in the state record book.
Stinson tied former Gulliver runner Gina Derks and former Southridge thrower Akera Lathan at the top of Dade's all-time career championship leader board with six individual championships.
FOUR IN A ROW
But she did something no other thrower in state history had before.
While her mother, Teresa -- a former thrower at South Dade -- cheered, Stinson became the first to win the shot put four consecutive seasons. Her second-to-last throw measured at 48-1 and won the title.
Stinson, who threw a 49-9 earlier this season, was a bit distraught because Saturday's mark fell short of the state record held by former Carol City and University of Miami thrower Misti Barber (49-5 ½).
Stinson got over the grief quickly, winning her second consecutive state discus title with a throw of 140-2.
Stinson's mom and her brother Xavier, a former football star at Hollywood Chaminade, congratulated her afterwards with specially made T-shirts displaying her picture and the years she won state titles.
''Breaking the record was something important to me, but I'm still happy to have won again,'' said Stinson, who has signed with the University of Central Florida. 'My mom told me if I don't win I can't come home. I was like `Wow, that's some pressure.' ''
Sophomore Ebony Eutsey said she felt no pressure as she won the 400 meters for the second consecutive season with a state-best time of 53.85.
She also picked up her third career state title in the 200 in 23.79 seconds.
Gracia kicked off the running finals with her second consecutive state title in the 100 hurdles in 14.88 seconds.
BULLS WIN RELAYS
Although Northwestern did not win the team crown, it still managed to take home gold in both the 400- and 3,200-meter relays.
The Bulls won the 3,200 relay for the third consecutive season with junior Skyler Wallen, freshmen Brianna Streeter and Keisha Richburg, and junior Brittney Pringley finishing in 9:11.70.
Northwestern ran its best time of the season to win the 400 relay in 46.61. Senior Danille Nolton, junior Brittney McCord, sophomore Sandy Jean and freshman Shannon Spence combined for the win.
The Bulls lost key points, however, when Brianna Rollins fell during the 100 hurdles preliminaries and aggravated a hip injury that prevented her from finishing the 300 hurdles at last week's regionals.
''Things didn't go as planned, and we had some setbacks,'' McCord said.
``We felt we had to come in with a lot to prove. A lot of us come back next year so we'll have a chance to win next time.''
