Tommy Borgia is going to the states – and so is his brother Michael.
Tommy became West Morris’ very first three-time region champion and is a state contender at heavyweight. If you are surprised at him making his way to Atlantic City, then you haven’t been paying much attention.
But Michael? Now there is the ultimate Cinderella Story. There aren’t many people out there who could have foreseen him making his way to Boardwalk Hall, not after the way things began this year.
The Borgia’s, both seniors, are two of the six West Morris wrestlers who qualified, tying a school record. The others are Henry Frayne (190), Brody Neill (138), John Garcia (157), and Robert Fazzino (175).
None of them had to endure the potholes to AC that Michael Borgia had. The deck was stacked against him, but here he is, a third-place finisher at Region 3 – and headed for the states with the wind at his back.
Who would have believed it?
No wonder he said, “I have been looking forward to this for a long time.”
You can count on one hand in New Jersey history the wrestlers who have been on the junior varsity and then qualify for the states that same season.
But not many wrestlers have his heart and the will to push through adversity the way he does.
And, for that matter, not many are like teammate Frayne, who burst onto the scene this past football season and became a first-team All-Morris running back as a mere sophomore, something very few people saw coming.
But he should be just as lauded for choosing to cut weight all the way down to 190 to clear out room for Borgia, who had been a three-year starter but was nosed out of the starting role when he lost a wrestleoff to Frayne.
Early in the season, the Wolfpack had four wrestlers to squeeze into three spots.
Borgia was the odd man out.
But when 190-pound standout Chris Kowalik was injured, that turned into a spot for Borgia, thanks to Frayne’s selflessness.
“What Deacon did for Mikey was just awesome,” coach Chris Marold said.
Michael Borgia broke his hand during football and wasn’t cleared to wrestle until after the Morris County Tournament (Jan. 24). He made the district final and then he had the tournament of his life at the regions to get to the next level.
Rarely do too many people cheer when someone wins a third-place match, but Michael Borgia nearly brought the house down when he decked Becton’s Everett Bell for third in 4:08.
Earlier in the day Saturday, Borgia majored North Bergen’s Adam Santiago in the consolation wrestlebacks, automatically qualifying him for the states.
How big a deal was this?
“This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me in wrestling,” said Tommy Borgia, who was seventh in the state last year and has one his share of tournaments during a stellar career.
“This is a huge thrill,” added West Morris assistant coach Tom Borgia, the father of the two boys. “Mike making it is unbelievable.”
Tommy Borgia, meanwhile, was always considered a virtual lock to get to the states. He decisioned Delbarton’s August Moser, 4-0, to advance to AC and is bound for Princeton to play football. Next weekend may well be his final time on the mats.
As he and the other placewinning heavyweights went their separate ways after standing on the podium and getting their photos taken, Tommy Borgia climbed down from the top spot and said, “See you in AC, boys.”
He’ll be seeing his brother Michael, too – a delightful twist to the wrestling season for the Borgia family.
