As most high school students get ready to put their feet up to start the holiday break, top wrestlers from around the region are just looking to catch their breath.

With a full slate of Greater Spokane League duals Wednesday and Thursday followed by the 51st annual Tri-State Wrestling Tournament on Friday and Saturday, it’s hard to find a more difficult test of physical and mental fortitude on the calendar.

“It’s kind of learn by fire,” Mead coach Phil McLean said. “It’s the Christmas week grind, but we do that because it impacts their mental toughness for the end of the season. It’s just a really tough stretch with four meets in two weeks and then you add in these big tournaments.

“It’s kind of a survival deal.”

But before the top teams and wrestlers head to North Idaho College for Tri-State, GSL title contenders Mead and University had some important business to settle on the Titans’ home mat Thursday night.

Mead (3-0) raced out to an 18-0 lead and then held off a University onslaught in the middle weights to earn a 36-27 victory over the Titans.

After U-Hi (2-1) rallied to cut the deficit to 18-15, Mead senior Mason Knigge earned a come-from-behind 11-9 overtime victory to quiet the crowd and slam the brakes on University’s momentum.

“We got up early, but we were scared of what they could do in the lighter weights, but my match just set the tone for what the rest of the matches we’re gonna be like for us,” Knigge said. “And from there we pretty much put a cap on the score.”

After winning the State 3A title last season, McLean and the Panthers were forced to reload after losing 16 seniors. But the lack of experience doesn’t mean the cupboards are bare.

The Panthers return two state finalists in James Mason and Austin Justice, along with adding reigning GSL wrestler of the year and State 4A finalist Josh Neiwert from Gonzaga Prep.

“A kid like Josh may not know our system right away, it may be new and different, but he knows how to wrestle,” McLean said. “So that part is undeniable. He can wrestle and is good.”

For the Titans, who finished third at Mat Classic last year, getting another shot at the Panthers had been on their mind since last year’s dual came down to the last match before Mead pulled out the victory.

“You make sure that they are ready and excited to go compete at the highest level,” University coach Ryan Montang said. “Prepare them for what they are going to see with energy on the mat and in the crowd.”

That energy was present from the opening introductions with the Panthers getting pins from Mason and Niewert in the first four matches. University though wasn’t going down without a fight. Two-time state champion Q’Veli Quintanilla earned a first-minute pin, followed by Sam Thomas getting the fall on Justice that sent the crowd and U-Hi bench into a frenzy.

Mead then rattled off 18 straight points to put the exclamation point on the evening.

Both teams turn their attention to Tri-State, with each having individual and team title aspirations.

All eyes for the Titans will be on standout sophomore Libby Roberts and Quintanilla.

Roberts, who was named the most outstanding wrestler at last weekend’s Inland Empire Invitational, will get another chance to prove herself in a boys bracket as Tri-State doesn’t offer a girls tournament. Meanwhile, Quintanilla will look to defend his title in Coeur d’Alene.

“He’s definitely one of, if not the best, wrestlers across the board in the whole state,” Montang said of Quintanilla, who spent his first two seasons at Gonzaga Prep. “Having someone like that in the room just elevates everyone. He works so hard, technically breaks things down and is willing to wrestle and teach a lot of the younger kids.”

Loading up on tough competition early and often is key for both teams, as the GSL-Mid Columbia Conference combined for the top four places at state last year with Hermiston, Oregon, taking second and Mt. Spokane in fourth.

“It was really cool last year, but it’s scary too, because everyone is that good and we are trying to get all our kids to state,” McLean said. “So what we do is beat each other up when other regions don’t have to do that as much, but that just means the best kids are gonna get through.”

There’s also a good chance that a lot of those wrestlers will match up at Tri-State, which features teams from Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana.

Coeur d’Alene is the defending team champion, with Flathead, from Kalispell, coming in second ahead of Mead and La Grande, Oregon.

Wrestling begins at 10 a.m. Friday at the North Idaho College Christianson Gymnasium with finals scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.