- February 23, 2025
Flagler Palm Coast’s Christina Borgmann has not lost a high school wrestling match in two years. When she found herself on her back in the semifinals of the Region 1 girls wrestling tournament on Feb. 22, the spectators sensed an upset.
Lahela Turnquest of Pace caught Borgmann in a cradle and put her on her back in the second period of the 130-pound semifinal and spectators in the Panama City Bay High gym cheered.
“The gym got very loud and not in our favor,” FPC coach David Bossardet said. “But Nina was able to stay focused and battled back.”
Borgmann recovered to pin Turnquest in the third period and then pinned Tallahassee Lincoln’s Amelia McKnight in the title match. She was one of five FPC wrestlers to win regional titles as the Bulldogs advanced eight wrestlers to the state championships on March 6-8. Maria Mills (110 pounds), Tiana Fries (145), Alexa Calidonio (155) and Kendall Bibla (170) also won their weight classes.
The Bulldogs’ other state qualifiers were Juliana Mills (third, 100 pounds), Joslyn Johnson (third, 105) and Anna Vilar (third 135). FPC’s ninth wrestler, Alisha Vilar, missed state by one round losing to Kelsey Marschka of Tallahassee Chiles by an 8-7 decision in the 140-pound consolation semifinals.
Seabreeze senior Sofia James, who won a fourth-place medal at the state girls weightlifting championships a week earlier, also qualified for the state wrestling championships, placing third in the 170-pound weight class.
Three Matanzas wrestlers are also headed to state: Ani Brown placed second at 190 pounds, Cardy Michel placed third at 120 pounds and Briana Durry placed fourth at 235 pounds.
FPC won the regional title with 202 points. Middleburg was a distant second with 92.5 points.
FPC’s Borgmann, Mariah Mills, Fries, Kendall and Johnson will all be trying to win their second state championship. Johnson, Camdyn Elliott of Gulf Breeze and Erin Rizzuto of Ponte Vedra entered the tournament ranked first, second and third, respectively, in the state at 105 pounds. Johnson lost to Rizzuto in the semifinals and then went on to win the consolation final to take third place. Elliott won the regional title.
“It was the second time they ever wrestled,” Bossardet said of Johnson and Rizzuto. Joslyn is now 1-1 against her. There is a very good chance we’ll see that girl again in the state semifinal.”
Calidonio probably wrestled the best match of her career, Bossardet said, when she won a 14-8 decision over Lake Mary’s Zaria Slater in the final. In the district final a week earlier, Calidonio trailed Slater 11-1 at one point before battling back to pin the Lake Mary wrestler.
But the match that excited the crowd the most was Borgmann’s.
“Nina is a perfectionist,” Bossardet said. “I say there’s ice in her veins. I don’t know too many people who can stay focused in a moment like that. An undefeated state champ gets caught on her back, down four points and the gym is cheering against you.”
