The turnout numbers may be down for the Redmond High wrestling team and the rest of the 4A Kingco teams, but optimism runs high.

Unlike other sports such as football, when compared to the rest of the state, 4A Kingco has traditionally been a weak league for high school wrestling. Redmond head coach Paul Mullen admitted that the 2010-11 season turnout was even a down year for Kingco, with low turnout numbers affecting powerhouse programs like Inglemoor, Issaquah and even Woodinville.

“A lot of returners didn’t come out this year,” said Mullen, who has 28 wrestlers on this season’s squad. “All of Kingco’s having that trouble. Inglemoor only had 28 guys, and some of the Lake Washington schools are in the 20s or the teens. Even Woodinville, for a while, only had 12.”

Despite the disappointing turnout, the Mustangs do have several big names returning, ready to pin down a berth at the state tournament — the Tacoma Dome’s Mat Classic — this February.

Catherine Kelly, the program’s first and only female wrestler, is coming off a fourth-place state finish last year and looks to better that mark as a senior. Kelly is currently at 119 and looks to drop to 112, filling a crucial weight class for the team.

“This year I just want to make it into the finals,” she said. “That’d be really cool.”

In addition, the Mustangs have Joe Glass (189), a co-captain with Kelly, who worked hard in the offseason and is primed for his first state berth after narrowly missing last year, earning an alternate spot.

“I definitely want to go to state, and do as well as I can,” said Glass, adding that he has had a busy summer preparing for this season. “I’m trying to be able to take anyone down when I want… as close as I can get to that. I’ve been doing freestyle tournaments and a few Greco, and going to different clubs around the area, trying to get better any way I can.”

In addition to a couple more hopeful returners in Brandon Long (140) and James Carey (130-135), the Mustangs have a couple transfers in Kenny Griffin from Sequim (119) and Eli Grady (145-152), a sophomore from Cedarcrest who has already earned a starting spot.

“A lot of my guys are young, but it’s something to build on,” said Mullen, who is in his 17th year of coaching. “Hopefully we’ll have everything except the very extreme (weight classes) on each end.”

Mullen will be depending on his team’s few experienced upperclassmen to lead the way and invest in the program’s future by showing them the ropes.

“We’re definitely rebuilding,” Kelly said. “We got a lot of young wrestlers, a lot of sophomores, so we’re just trying to teach them what to do.”

As far as season goals, Mullen would love to send three or four to the Mat Classic, but as far as dual meets, he will settle for daily improvement as his wrestlers develop and hone their techniques over the course of the season.

“In our league there are some strong teams,” he noted. “If we will be in that upper eschelon, I don’t know. It depends on how hard they want to work and improve. We’re young, we’re a little bit raw, so we’re just going to take it one day at a time. Right now the motto is to try to get better each day and see where that leads us.”

The Mustangs will be wrestling tomorrow at the Lynnwood Classic Tournament at Lynnwood High School starting at 9 a.m. before taking a break for the holiday season.

MUSTANG WRESTLING AT A GLANCE

• COACH: Paul Mullen, 17th year

• LAST SEASON: 4-8, 9th place in 4A Kingco, 6-12 overall

• 2010 TURNOUT: 28

TOP RETURNERS (name, weight class)

• Sr. Catherine Kelly, 112: Second-year captain placed fourth at state last year. Dedicated and hard-working athlete looks to make a serious run at the 4A title.

• Sr. Joe Glass, 189: Had a busy summer of tournaments to prepare for this season. Co-captain placed 5th at Regionals last year.

• Sr. Travis Sage, 140: Injuries limited his success last year. Great athlete played defense for Redmond’s football team, will have a chance at state this year.

• Jr. Brandon Long, 135/140: Hard worker will be a postseason threat.

• Sr. James Carey, 130/135: Steadily-improving senior looks to make some noise in his final year on the mat.

TOP NEWCOMERS (name, weight class)

• So. Eli Grady, 145/152: Cedarcrest transfer looks to be a solid starter for the Mustangs. Very dedicated to the sport.

• So. Kenny Griffith, 119/125: Hard-working newcomer looks to win starting spot and solidify lower weights for the Mustangs.

KEY MEET

• Wednesday, Jan. 19 at home vs. Woodinville: Although the Falcon turnout was low, the wrestlers they do have are extremely solid. Second-to-last dual meet of the year, this will be a tough test for the Mustangs and a good indication of where they stand heading into the postseason.

DID YOU KNOW?

In addition to being the wrestling coach at Redmond since 1993, Mullen also spent 15 years as an assistant football coach for the Mustangs.

COACH’S QUOTE

“In practice and in matches, we look to maximize our points. If you can beat ‘em, get a major (decision). If you can major ‘em, tech ‘em, and if you can tech ‘em, pin ‘em. We’ve always worked for the pins, so that’s not a change in our philosophy. I like our guys to be aggressive, go in there, pin the guy and get off the mat.” — Coach Mullen