Aaron Madill shifted in the stands Saturday as the 160-pound match started at the Basehor-Linwood Invitational.

The Lawrence High senior took mental notes as Garden City’s Paul Lappin and Junction City’s Brock Glessner battled, but not because Madill had to wrestle the winner.

That day, at least.

Madill soaked it all in as Lappin, the top-ranked Class 6A wrestler at 160 pounds, beat third-ranked Glessner 3-2.

If Madill, unbeaten in 22 matches and ranked fourth, is to meet either wrestler next month at the state tournament, he wants to know everything about them.

On this day, Madill said he wouldn’t have minded not waiting to face his potential foes.

“It’s kinda nice having the day off,” Madill said. “But I keep watching these guys, and I want to get down there and wrestle them just to see how I’d do.”

Madill won’t, however, have to wait a month to compete against state-caliber wrestlers. At the Blue Valley Northwest Invitational, which runs today and Saturday, Madill and the other Lions will face their toughest field this season.

For the Lions’ three ranked wrestlers — seniors Chris Hultine, Kenny Poeverlein and Madill — the tournament should help them learn how good they really are.

Aaron Madill, left, and Chris Hultine of Lawrence High practice their moves. The Lions will be in action today at the Blue Valley Northwest Invitational.

“We’ll find out at Blue Valley Northwest,” LHS coach Mark Dulgarian said. “They’ll be tested at different points, and we’ll see if they pass.”

Free State also will be at BV Northwest, though the Firebirds already have had their share of tough outings, including trips to Derby, Arkansas City and last week’s Basehor-Linwood Invitational.

The Firebirds also come in as the team with more ranked wrestlers. Junior Brett Shoffner (third at 152), senior Kyle Frank (fifth at 171), senior Nick McGovern (fourth at 189) and senior Grant Steinbach (sixth at 215) have been ranked most of the season.

But the Lions find it easy to ignore rankings.

“They really don’t matter,” Madill said. “Sometimes, coach Dulgarian might actually try to keep us out of the rankings so we don’t get caught up in that.”

Oddly, this week marks the first time this season LHS has had three wrestlers in the rankings. Hultine (16-0) moved into the 152-pound rankings at No. 6, while Madill (fourth) and Poeverlein (18-1 and third at 275) have been ranked all season, but never this high.

The rankings are deserved.

Madill has beaten Overland Park Aquinas’ Neil Crisper, Manhattan’s Derek Bunker, Kansas City Turner’s Nick Figge and Emporia’s John Kosko, all of whom were ranked higher than Madill when they wrestled. Only Figge, second in 5A, is still ranked higher.

Hultine has beaten three ranked wrestlers — Topeka High’s David Torres, Wichita Heights’ Richie Rios and Turner’s David Kruse.

Hultine didn’t even know he was ranked.

“I’m not really worried about it right now,” Hultine said. “Just because I’m not ranked doesn’t mean anything. If I’m not, I can just come and wrestle and not have to worry about it.”

Besides, if someone’s unbeaten, odds are the rest of the field knows about it.

“For the most part, if you’re a good wrestler, people know you’re a good wrestler,” Dulgarian said.

The state tournament is what counts.

“The ultimate ranking is if you’re standing in the (Kansas) Coliseum with the final six,” Dulgarian said. “I think that’s the most important one.”