Only the Todd Beamer Titans’ two state placers of last year survived this bloodbath.

Senior captains Trevor Mills and Tyler Enos won their wrestling matches against last year’s second place 4A state team’s wrestlers of mighty Graham-Kapowsin and that limited amount of victories led to a quick-cutting, 58-13, loss at home Wednesday.

Titans head coach Brett Lucas, in his sixth season, progressively moved the Titans from a couple losing seasons his first two years to top three in league success the past couple seasons, wasn’t hoping to necessarily beat G-K. But...

“Hoping for a little closer final score,” said Lucas. “On paper, I knew we were in trouble.”

Trouble. The Eagles, who improved to 1-0 in the South Puget Sound League South Division while the Titans dropped to 0-1 in this opening league action, jumped to a 13-0 lead on a major decision starting things off and then a pin and then a minor decision. The Titans fought back to make it 13-7 on the strength of Mills winning his match at 135 and Enos, right after, winning his at 140. Mills got a major decision win, 8-0, and Enos a minor, 9-3.

But there were no wins after that, excuse a G-K forfeit at the lowest weight class, 103, to freshman Tre Uson’s benefit.

So...

Take that in, and, this: the Titans very well could finish this season stronger than any seasons of their total six-years past. Maybe even state championship strong. And, maybe, times it by two.

Mills and Enos have been there before, two times each, and each time’s been closer to the glory of winning it all. Well, Mills took fifth twice and Enos, seventh as a junior, and was a state participant, not placer, his sophomore year.

Mills and Enos are smart guys, both in advanced learning programs in school.

They have a lot of fun, even going at each other.

Mills was fifth in state as a sophomore and junior, as just said, with records of 25-9 and 29-5, respectively, overall for his wins and losses for the season. Enos may have been joking or serious, but when he was asked what his record was, he said it was 32-9 last year, taking seventh at state. Then, as a sophomore, Enos looked at Mills and said, “I was 26-9.”

He knew that Mills had just said his sophomore record was 25-9.

“One upping me,” said Mills, laughing and jesting Enos.

Enos just smiled.

How are they “smart guys,” as aforementioned? They are both in the “Running Start” program for students advanced in learning enough to be able to take classes in high school for college credit.

Mills said, “I am taking 15 credits.”

Enos then said, looking at Mills, again, “I am taking 16 credits.”

Mills shook his head, saying, ‘One upping me again are you,” taking a playful swipe at his teammate.

Enos ducked.

Both were smiling. Both are good friends. And, all kidding aside, these two are dead serious this season about wrestling and improving on what they both will tell you are lesser placements than they’ve wanted thus far in their wrestling careers at state.

“It was kind of upsetting,” said Mills, whose lost some tough matches in semifinals at state, including 5-1 scores in go-either way action both his junior and sophomore seasons.

“If win, in finals,” said Mills. “I lost to Steven Loose of Heritage (Vancouver, WA). And I beat him earlier in the season at Pac Coast.”

Then, as a sophomore, he lost to Steve Otto. Both were sophomores. Both are seniors now.

“Hopefully, a rematch with him,” said Mills.

But it’s a new season, the past losses gone and not a part of your life any more?

“Oh yeah,” said Mills. “Definitely. Starting fresh. Trying to be on top of the podium.”

So, both these guys are the cream of the team, even though there are others that could surprise and be right there at the top.

Most notably, freshman Ares Carpio. He got the unfortunate match-up of going against last year’s state champion in the 119 class, Ephraim Aguilar of G-K.

And Carpio held his own!

Carpio trailed 5-1 after the first round, thanks to an Aguilar takedown and near fall. But Carpio struggled away from the grips of that pin to go on in the second round to actually take down Aguilar, twice, and he trailed, 5-4, midway through the second round. Aguilar got an escape to make it 6-4 entering the third round, and that is where this close match ended. Aguilar, with Carpio able to garner some points off escapes (one-point-each), lost 16-7.

“I thought he wrestled well,” said Lucas.

And “great,” said Mills.

“I thought he wrestled great,” said Mills. with Enos nodding, too.

“He was keeping up with him for a great while. To go for your first high school dual match and wrestle a state champion is fantastic (to wrestle like that).”

“Definitely talk about Ares,” said Enos. “Tre is good, too.”

Uson, though not wrestling from forfeit, may have even won his match. Lucas spoke highly of he and Carpio, and, others.

Aaron Set-heit, not at this dual because his grandmother passed away, is a good one, along with others with state potential like Ben Draeger and Johnny Kemman.

Shane Shown, a sophomore, performed well in his match against his tough G-K guy.

“He’s a transfer, first year wrestling here,” said Lucas. “He’s not wrestling too bad. Pleasantly surprised with his ability to wrestle.”

Shown trailed 2-0 after the first round.

“He actually did pretty good,” said Mills. “He almost had a pin.”

Shown, for a second, had his guy in a predicament but the referee gave the “even” signal and Shown was not able to garner any points. He lost 16-4, but showed potential and that means another name.

So if one adds all these names up as state quality guys, that’s 7-8 guys that Lucas could bring to state. He brought four to state last year and three placed. And the year before he brought five to state and two placed. This year’s team could be just like that.

“We have a pretty good tournament team,” said Mills.

And the SPSL South dual meet season could still turn out good, too, for the Titans, as Lucas did say “not to count them out yet.”

And so did Enos.

“I think we will be a pretty solid team,” said Enos.

Lucas mentioned his coaches, too, including Ben Thuney, who has been with Lucas every step of the way, even back when the Titans started out wrestling, and, as a school, six years ago.

“We were winless the first couple years,” said Lucas. “My coaches help me out a lot. I couldn’t do it without them.”

The last couple years the Titans have been 5-3, 6-2, and second, third place finishes ballpark figure. So quite a lot of improvement.

Lucas also mentioned the Spartans Wrestling Club as a program that is helping the improvement of Titans wrestling now and in the future.

“Coach (Gerold) Carpio, coach (Andy) Solomon, and coach (Manny) Uson,” said Lucas, boldly mentioning their names. “You notice two of those are fathers of wrestlers on our team.”

Good wrestlers. Uson and Carpio both are expected to make it to state.

And the other coach, Solomon, that helps at the club was a former Duke Blue Devil wrestler. So it’s nice to see this kind of ushering in of teaching talent in the area that will help the Titans and other schools undoubtedly.

So this meet against G-K was not that big of a deal, even though it probably means the Titans have no shot of winning the SPSL South title.

“We try to progress so we are in prime shape at the state championships,” said Lucas. “Eight or nine weeks until state championships.”

So all the wrestlers need work, even Mills and Enos.

“We’re still not in the best shape,” said Lucas. “Everyone has stuff to work on.”

Mills echoed those thoughts.

“I felt I wrestled as hard as I could,” he said. “I haven’t peaked yet. I’ve been a little out of shape.”

Why?

“Beginning of the year, first (league) match,” said Mills. “I want to peak at the end of the season when state comes around.”

It sounds like the workout from down under (not Australia) was coming very soon after this kind of loss that Lucas now knows shows him this team is not at a G-K caliber yet.

“I know, we are going to have a hard practice after this,” said Mills. “It’s going to make us better.”

What could be better than that?

G-K got pins in six wrestles and one 16-1 technical fall.