If one person can approach today’s Lawrence High-Free State wrestling dual as just another point in the season, it’s Lions coach Mark Dulgarian.

Don’t misunderstand him. The first-year LHS coach knows about the schools’ rivalry going into the 6 p.m. showdown today at Free State, but he’s focused on the big picture.

“Most people probably feel it’s more important than I do,” Dulgarian said. “I just consider it to be another step to the ultimate goal; the ultimate goal being to get better and to get as many people as possible to the state tournament.”

Dulgarian’s caution isn’t odd; he’s merely preparing his wrestlers from getting too hyped. In wrestling, a lack of mental preparation in favor of adrenaline can end badly.

“You don’t want to get too pumped up,” FSHS coach Darrell Andrew said. “To go around and not prepare yourself, trying to charge up the crowd, you’ll end up stuck.”

But hey, it is FSHS-LHS. So a little exuberance goes along with it, especially since each team features some of the area’s best wrestlers.

LHS seniors Aaron Madill, Chris Hultine and Kenny Poeverlein are ranked by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Assn., while FSHS junior Brett Shoffner and seniors Kyle Frank, Nick McGovern and Grant Steinbach also are ranked.

Madill is 26-0 and captured the 160-pound title at last week’s Blue Valley Northwest Invitational, while Frank (171) and McGovern (189) both took third.

Poeverlein, who was out last weekend because of the flu, figures to have a tough match with the Firebirds’ Jeremy Bustamante. Poeverlein is 18-1 this season; Bustamante 14-8.

LHS freshman Nolan Kellerman, sixth last weekend at 140, will be tested by FSHS freshman K.J. Siebert. Firebird Matt Somers, fifth last weekend at 125, will have the same challenge by LHS junior Pharouk Hussein.

Both matches will play a major factor in the dual’s result.

“There are probably several matches like that,” Dulgarian said. “If you don’t give up a pin, if you pull out a decision, that’s what we’re looking for.”

The best match of the night could come at 152 pounds, when Hultine takes on Shoffner. Shoffner, 16-8 and ranked third, has never wrestled Hultine, 19-2 and ranked sixth. Shoffner was second last weekend, while Hultine picked up his first two losses of the season before finishing fourth.

“It’s traditionally been quite a rivalry,” Andrew said. “It seems like no matter what happens coming in, whether you’ve got the better team or not, it’s always come down to the last few matches.”