Christina Borgman and Mariah Mills have proven themselves to be some of the best high school girls wrestlers in the country, and now it’s their chance to prove themselves on the international stage.
Maria Mills attends the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Junior and Under-16 National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota. Photo provided
Both have been invited to wrestle as part of the U.S. team at the International School Sports Federation’s World School Sports Games in Manama, Bahrain, this October.
On July 13 and 14, the two high school seniors competed in the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Junior and Under-16 National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota, the largest high school freestyle wrestling tournament in the world, with approximately 7,000 wrestlers competing.
Borgman earned All-American honors by placing sixth in the junior girls’ 130-pound weight class. The Flagler Palm Coast High School senior won six of eight matches in the tournament to reach the semifinals.
Borgmann entered the tournament as the ninth seed, and her FPC coach David Bossardet said it was quite an accomplishment that she made it this far.
“If you’re a high school athlete, this is the tournament you want to win,” Bossardet said. “It’s the biggest and toughest tournament for high school students.”
Borgman was one of four FPC girls wrestlers to compete in the tournament, the others being Jocelyn Johnson, Alexa Kalidonia and Alisha Biller. Bossardet did not travel to Fargo, instead staying local to coach the Flagler Wrestling Club.
FPC wrestlers Alisha Biller, Jocelyn Johnson, Alexa Calidonio and Christina Borgman competed at the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Junior and Under-16 National Championships in Fargo, N.D. Photo provided
“Christina texted me five minutes after her last match,” Bossardet said. “She said she wasn’t satisfied. She said she wants to win every tournament. That’s what I like about her. I’m proud of the way she played.”
Mills, who lives in Ormond Beach and competed at Matanzas High School the past three seasons, went 4-2 in the junior girls 115-pound weight class. Mills, who defeated three state champions in the same weight class, was also disappointed with the final result.
However, Mills is currently wrestling without a club team. She does not have much experience in freestyle wrestling and entered the tournament unseeded, but defeated three seeded wrestlers. She trained as a guest with various teams and coaches in preparation for the tournament.
“She worked hard, she went out and did a lot of things and it showed,” her father, Abe Mills, said.
She wrestled at the beach with former Matanzas coach Mike Fries and several former teammates. She has been to Orlando, DeLand and FPC. Bossardet said Mills has a positive impact on the team when she comes into the FPC wrestling room.
Christina Borgman placed sixth in her weight class at the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Junior and Under-16 National Championships in Fargo, N.D. Photo provided.
“She makes everyone feel better,” he said.
She attended practices at Lake Highlands Prep in Orlando, drove with her mother to Venice, Florida, for a day of practice and back, then trained for a week at Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School in Pennsylvania and was invited to a Federation of Christian Athletes clinic where she trained with 2012 Olympic gold medalist and six-time world freestyle wrestling champion Jordan Burroughs.
“It’s a sad situation for her because she doesn’t have a home,” said Mariah’s mother, Rachel Mills. “But she didn’t sulk. She worked at it on her own. God has opened so many doors for her. It’s really miraculous to see how many people have reached out to her and helped her. She was so tenacious and kept on hanging on.”
Mariah Mills is currently raising funds for her trip to Bahrain. She posted on Facebook that she’s half way there, with $2,800 for travel and competition expenses. Donations can be made via Venmo (@Abe-Mills), Cash App ($theabemills) or PayPal (@AbdullahMills).
Mills and all four FPC wrestlers competed against Team Florida in Fargo. FPC’s Johnson went 3-2 in the tournament, while Calidonio and Villar each went 2-2.
