Tan wins region title
By Bob Nuse, The Packet Group
The Robbinsville High School wrestling team put a stamp on perhaps its best season ever last weekend as three Ravens earned a trip to Atlantic City for the Tournament of Champions, which begins on Friday.
Chris Tan won a Region 7 championship, Tyler Gildner finished second, and Nicholas Bossie was third as the Ravens put together an impressive weekend in their home gym.
Tan defeated Bill Henry of Audubon, 6-4, to win the title at 113 pounds. Tam received a first-round bye and will open the TOC against Bobby Jordan of Woodbridge.
”I was excited to win at regions,” said Tan, who is 39-2 this season. “The state tournament has really good wrestlers and now I get to see how I compare with everyone else. It is great to finally say I was one of the guys who made it.”
Tan will face Jordan, the Region 5 champion who is 34-0 this season. But as far as the Robbinsville senior is concerned, it does not matter who the other wrestler is on the mat.
”This is my first time going to states so I don’t know what expect,” Tan said. “Once you make it to states it doesn’t matter if you’re a region champ or not. I am not concerned with who I am going to wrestle. I will still wrestle my match and try to do he best I can.”
Gildner finished second at 285 pounds after falling in the finals to unbeaten Andrew Stevens of Camden, 3-1. Gildner, who is 32-2, will face Region 8 third-place finisher Davontae Randall of Paulsboro in the opening round at states.
”The excitement is slowly building,” Gildner said earlier in the week. “We still have a couple more days. It is the same way as other tournaments where you have a couple days of calm and then right before the tournament you get exciting and nervous.”
Gildner gave Stevens a solid match in the Region 7 final, which will help his confidence going forward.
”That was my first time wrestling him and he was much stronger than anyone else I have wrestled this year and also the highest ranked guy I had wrestled,” Gildner said. “He was No, 4 in state and it was a relatively close match so I have hopes for this weekend.”
Bossie advanced with a third-place finish at 138 pounds at the Region 7 tournament. Bossie defeated Connor Rogovich, 11-4, to finish third. Bossie had dropped a 5-2 decision to Justin McTamney of Bordentown in the semifinals. At the TOC, Bossie (33-9) will face Brick Memorial’s Joe Ghione in the opening round. Ghione was second at Region 6.
For the trio of Robbinsville seniors, ending their careers together at the TOC is a great way to finish.
”Every year we’ve been together,” Gildner said. “We went through it all last year and you’re disappointed not make it out. Now this year we’re all together and it is amazing to know that we’re going together.
”I’d love to bring a state title or a state place back to the school. I know we had one year where we had four guys go, but they all lost in the first round or two.”
Added Tan: “It is fun with my teammates also going. It is great to go and to get to share the experience. I think it shows a lot about the coaching at our school and how hard we work. It’s going to be a great experience that we get to share together.”

