Not long ago the Auburn Riverside wrestling team ranked among the best in the state.

With Eric Jones (two state titles) and Michael Mangrum (three-time state champion) leading the program, the Ravens finished fifth at Mat Classic in 2007 and 10th in 2008.

“We were placing (in the) top 10 at state and just had a great core of kids,” coach Steve Mead said of the program’s consistency. “And then we just went young.”

In 2009, the Ravens finished 35th at state with just one wrestler placing.

The Ravens qualified only two wrestlers for the regional meet – Jason Greeley and Keaton Dalfrey – but were unable to advance any grapplers to state.

“We’ve taken our lumps,” Mead admitted. “We were really young last year. I had five or six freshman on varsity.”

Now, those freshman are a year older and wiser.

“This year we’re mostly sophomores and juniors, with two, sometimes three seniors, on varsity,” Mead said. “But we’re better this year. No one is going and winning tournaments, but a lot of us are going out and getting third and fourth.

Mead says his group vows to get better as the season goes longer.

“Our progression is really good right now. We get better every week,” Mead said. “And it’s a fun team to coach. Last year, we kind of knew our destiny. We were getting better, but I knew we weren’t good enough to take anyone to state. This year, there is no bar. I hope we’ll get someone through, maybe a few.”

The Ravens’ best hopes for state are Greeley at 171 pounds and Daltrey at 145. Also in the mix is senior Austin Reyes at 152 pounds, who qualified for regionals as a sophomore but was injured last season.

Despite the youth movement, Mead said this year’s squad is beginning to buy in and believes it can compete in the South Puget Sound League North and beyond.

“They’re creating the motivation themselves,” he said. “They’re winning matches, they’re competing. I think they’re believing. I think they believe we’re going to be good. And I think by league we’re going to be pretty good.”