- July 26, 2024
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Flagler Palm Coast wrestling coach David Bossardet doesn’t want Joslyn Johnson to worry about cutting weight. The high school girls state champion cut a lot of weight to stay at 100 pounds during the season, Bossardet said.
So, Johnson has jumped up to the 115-pound class this spring. In her fourth tournament in that weight class, she won the junior title at the Florida Amateur Wrestling Association Freestyle State Championships on June 1 at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.
Johnson beat another state champ in the title match, winning by technical fall over Matanzas’ Mariah Mills.
“Mariah is one of the best in the country,” Bossardet said. “Joslyn won that match that day, but it’s very important we keep things in perspective. Mariah Mills is as tough as they come. And we better be ready if we wrestle her again.”
FPC’s Alisha Vilar also won a title at the FAWA Freestyle State Championships. Vilar won the 145-pound class in the 16U division. Kevin McLean, who will be a freshman at FPC in August, placed third at 113 pounds in the boys 16U division.
Johnson, who is currently ranked 27th in the nation at 100 pounds, qualified for the Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota, in July. Mills, who won the 107-pound title in April at the NHSCA High School Nationals in Virginia Beach, will also be at Fargo. Mills is ranked 13th nationally at 110 pounds.
Johnson avenged a loss earlier this spring to South Dade’s Beyonce Espinosa. She won by technical fall over Espinosa to advance to the final against Mills.
Johnson, who will be a junior in August, has been adjusting to the 115-pound weight class, Bossardet said.
“It’s a big jump from 100 to 115,” he said. “You have to make soe adjustments and I think she’s been doing that. We’ve spent a lot of time in the weight room, and we want Joslyn focusing on getting stronger and getting better technically rather than losing weight.”
Vilar, an incoming sophomore, won her second tournament of the spring.
“She’s still relatively new to the sport,” Bossardet said. “But she continues to get better every time she steps onto the mat.”
As an eight grader, McLean wrestled for St. Johns Country Day and placed third at the Class 1A state championships at 106 pounds.
“I can’t be more excited for him to wrestle at FPC next (season),” Bossardet said.
Johnson, Vilar and McLean are among six wrestlers from the Flagler Wrestling Club to qualify for the Fargo tournament July 12-20.
