POULSBO — Jake Sievers wants to make the most out of his final months of high school. That includes wrestling and going beyond last year to place at the 2012 Mat Classic XXIV.

He wants to succeed and knows this is the time to do it.

“Plus, it’s my senior year,” the 120-pound wrestler said. “You gotta go big … Gotta go big.”

Sievers is the first member of his family to have reached state competition at the high school level. He made his first appearance at State last year, during the 2011 Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome. He began wrestling four years ago, when he was a freshman at North Kitsap High School. His father, Drew, said it’s uncommon for someone to wrestle for such a short amount of time to be so successful on the mat.

“It’s phenomenal,” Drew Sievers said Wednesday night after seeing his son defeat Port Angeles’ Ozzy Swaggerty 8-4.

It goes without saying, Sievers wants to return to the Mat Classic this year. His goal is to place third or fourth. To place at all, wrestlers must make it into the final eight of their class. Sievers said people keep telling him how rare it is for someone to make it as far as he has after only wrestling for a few years.

Sievers is a co-captain, along with State wrestlers AJ Milyard and Jake Velarde; Velarde took his second state title in 2011. When Sievers and Velarde were more equally matched in weight a few years ago, the two worked together. At first, Sievers didn’t quiet have the technique, although he had the strength and tenacity needed for wrestling, Velarde said. Then, last year, everyone started to see Sievers become a true wrestler.

“I don’t know, we just started seeing improvement and [Coach Joe Amick] really taught him good technique,” Velarde said. Sievers, he continued, started to utilize the technique he was taught in the second half of the season. “He did really well.”

Sievers went from a limited use of wrestling maneuvers to “hitting multiple shots,” Velarde said. Now, he’s using technique and putting his strength behind it.

Along with practice on the mat, Drew said he constantly gives his son words of encouragement. His goal is to push his son in a positive way, to keep him wanting to return to the mat. It’s making his son believe he can accomplish what he’s set out to do in wrestling.

Sievers’ work paid off last season with his first trip to State. Velarde said he had hoped his fellow wrestler would have gone further.

In the first round, Sievers lost to Cheney’s Duncan Rhoades by pin (2:56). His chances stayed alive, however, after defeating Tanner Zavala of Burlington Edison by injury defeat. He was eliminated in the consolation finals by Blaine’s Kelton Nix (10-4).

Though the loss was disappointing — Velarde said Sievers had a difficult time staying for the second day of wrestling — it may have benefitted him this season.

“I think [last year’s losses] propelled him into this season,” Velarde said. “He’s hit it running.”

Sievers felt like the underdog last year. He had family rooting him on, but the overwhelming atmosphere of the Mat Classic did have an affect on him. As far as his goal of third or fourth place this year, however, Velarde said it’s definitely a possibility.

“I would be disappointed if he didn’t place top four. He’s got the talent and the strength … I think he’s got it.”