Mike Bressler is the man at Decatur, making that program sing since arriving as coach in 1998, taking the Gator wrestlers from a dismal place to a spacey state -- two state champions and many, many qualifiers.

What was it like in ‘98?

“We were at the very bottom, with only eight kids,” said Bressler, who this season has a full slate of wrestlers like he’s pretty much had for many years now. He must have felt something for the Spanaway Lake Sentinels’ young coach, Dan Pitsch, who had 11 wrestlers instead of 14, missing three weight classes in a match against the Gators that Bressler’s team won, 72-9, Friday.

The Gators won the SPSL North in 2000 and 2001 and every year after that have been no less than top four under Bressler. The only year they were not top four was that first year in ‘98.

“It’s not me that does it,” said Bressler, who has had two sons make state, with one, Kyle, having won state back in 2003 under Bressler. Kyle went on to wrestle in the Pac-10 conference at Oregon State, doing well there.

But it’s not about coach Bressler at Decatur. It can’t be, the head coach says himself.

“I have three coaches that help me,” said Bressler. “Roger, I could not do it without him. Roger Wingert, he coached my son. He wrestled with Kyle every day. You got to have that.”

Dedicated coaches. The other two being, Travis Hoeft and Myles Peckman.

Did Bressler have anything to say about their contributions? You bet.

“Travis and Myles were both regional champs for me,” said Bressler, stating that Travis, Myles, Roger make up the beauty about what I have right now.”

You want beauty? Real beauty? Well, look at who else Bressler mentioned making a difference. He introduced a manager, Alex Talamante, coming up to him after the Spanaway Lake match.

Who’s that?

“She’s one of my star managers,” said Bressler. One of Talamante mentioned the other ladies besides herself that do things to help these boys along, including mopping the mats before matches: Kayla Rodriguez, Chastity Rogers, Krystal Arredando, Mindy Schmaltz, Megan Frankhauser and Alyssa Hammock.

Bressler mentioned that his managers have been with him a long time.

So, it’s really a whole team thing for the Gators, coaches, wrestlers and managers?

“You bet,” said Bressler.

And you can bet your life on Tevyn Tillman winning state again. Maybe that’s a little too much, but the Gator heavyweight is large and svelte and in charge. He will likely defend his state title in the 4A ranks at the Tacoma Dome, starting Feb. 20 with preliminaries and finals the day after that.

Bressler was asked about the guys he felt had the best shot at state in February.

He wouldn’t name kids’ names specifically, but when seniors Tillman, Greg Bull and Darren Faber were mentioned it was easy for Bressler to release a comment on that subject.

“Those are the seniors with state potential,” said Bressler. “And there are other kids, but I’m not naming any names.”

The Gators thoroughly ripped apart Spanaway Lake, like a gator getting a snap of flesh.

Eric Godfrey, a 145 pound junior, kicked off the match with a quick pin, six seconds shy of the first round buzzer going off at 1:54. Then 152 pound junior Dylan Aparis exited his man 1:20 in a pin, too. So, 12-0, and, next up, Kieron Bronson-Doherty, a 160 pound junior, got a little behind in momentum and points before coming back in the second round with a pin at 3:34.

So, 18-0, and, at this point, against learning sophomore Nick Belcourt. The Sentinels’ Cameron Sevilla-Rivera won, with a pin, at 3:00. Still, it was 18-6, and, the Sentinels were very near done. Next up, Darren Faber is a force, the state qualifier from last season. He man-handled his foe, doing a pin 1:37 in the first round. At that point it was 24-6, and the rest of the wrestlers pretty much mastered their opponents for the final blow-out score.

Faber likes his team’s chances at state. The Gators already have a good season, 6-1 in the South Puget Sound League South.

Is this the year of the Gators?

“I think it is,” said Faber, a captain on the team. “We only lost to G-K (Graham Kapowsin) and they are ranked No. 1 in the state.”

And it was a close loss, 48-24, relatively speaking.

“We gave them good matches,” said Faber, who beat his opponent, 6-2.

“This year he should place high,” said Tevyn Tillman, who did win the heavyweight crown at the T-Dome at state last February. “Jake Schwartz is one to beat but Darren can beat him long as he wrestles his match.”

Faber noted his teammates with chances, maybe even missing one or two, because there are so many on Bressler’s squad that could, with determination and more matches, get to state.

“Greg Bull, Dylan Aparis, Eric Godfrey, Nick Lindholm, a freshman is doing well too,” said Faber. “Jerry Doran and Tevyn Tillman, of course.”

Faber went on talking, “But the thing that makes our team good is the coach, Mike Bressler.”

“A lot of teams inherit wrestlers from little kid programs, but we do not have that,” said Faber. “What he (Bressler) does is build wrestlers from just kids.”

Normal everyday kids?

“Yeah,” said Faber. “I think it’s a testament to his coaching abilities to make boys into men.”

Bressler didn’t have as much to say for Faber’s match. It was pretty much over before it even started, but Faber said that Bressler gets on the best of the team.

“Oh yeah, he gets on me, too,” said Faber.

Not this time. One guy, however, that was not so lucky as Faber, as far as yelling goes, was sophomore Justin Hartinger. He was getting beat up the first two rounds and Bressler was coaxing him without shouting too much in those first six minutes of wrestling. But, going into the third round, Bressler really got on him. He was down 4-0.

Hartinger seemed to take that message to heart, as he was the aggressor after that the rest of the way. Hartinger did lose, 4-0, not getting any points in the final third period’s two minutes. But his domination of that round was a sight to see.

After Faber’s quick pin, it was Matt Turner’s turn, and he turned his man on his back for a pin at 2:33. Then Tillman pinned his guy at 2:02. Lindholm got a forfeit at 103. Sophomore Rad Krysa got a forfeit at 112. Then Hartinger had his match spoke of before Tyler Thomas had the move of the night. In the last minute of the second round, he took his foe and put him on his shoulder like a burlap sack and then braced him and flipped him over and onto the mat for a quick pin at 4:26. Then Doran got a pin at 3:25, and Bull pinned his man at 1:58.

Bressler’s team is always right there in the thick of things. Maybe this is the year they get top 10 in the state.

“He’s a great coach, still tough as nails,” said Tillman, a football player who is not sure if he’ll go for that or wrestling in college for a scholarship. “He still gets on me if I’m lackadaisical, if I stop attacking.”

Maybe that’s why Bressler just keeps on attacking success head on with victory after victory. Because he knows there is no “I” in the word team and he knows what it takes to win dual matches.

“They are tough matches preparing us. What we are training for is the postseason,” said Bressler.