For Bremerton wrestling, “R & R” is over.

The BHS grapplers have about three weeks to iron out the kinks left over from an extra-long winter break, prepare for the state tournament and weather a schedule littered with state-caliber competition.

Sub-districts are Feb. 6-7, marking the beginning of the postseason.

“It’s probably the toughest week of the month the way I look at it,” coach Jeff Barton said Tuesday, pointing to the schedule ahead.

The Knights faced Olympic in a dual yesterday — results were unavailable at press time — and will compete tomorrow in Matman Classic at Central Kitsap High School, a tournament Barton said is more competitive than most.

The 32nd annual Matman once again will feature 16 teams, including perennial state powers Auburn Riverside, A.C. Davis, Enumclaw, Rogers and Graham-Kapowsin as well as South Kitsap, Olympic and Central Kitsap. Mount Spokane, Shelton, Tahoma, Kentwood, Spanaway, Jackson and Lake Washington also will compete.

“You can’t ask for a tougher tournament than Matman,” Barton said. “There’s some good teams and some good schools there.”

Barton said he will enter nine or 10 wrestlers in Matman and his expectations for the tournament vary based on the individual.

“For the young kids, I really want them to see what they need to do to raise their level of wrestling,” he said. “For some of the older kids, it’s really a chance to see where they stand.”

Those “older kids” include 215-pound senior Andres Garcia, who is the Knights’ only undefeated wrestler (10-0), and 103-pound Lauren Richardson, who is 12-4.

Garcia hopes to make weight at 189 for the postseason, Barton said, but will wrestle at 215 tomorrow.

The Knights, who currently have three wrestlers at 215, are allowed only two wrestlers per weight class for postseason, meaning a slot would open at 215 if Garcia were to move down.

“We don’t have all the holes filled,” Barton said, pointing specifically to 160 and 189, which the team has been forced to forfeit in previous matches. “I would say the next two weeks will be a telltale sign of where we stand as far as the postseason goes.”

With such a deep field, Barton doesn’t expect his team to win Matman. But regardless of the outcome, he said, the wrestlers will come away stronger after facing such talented competition.

“That kind of tells some of these guys if they are ready for postseason, if they are on the right track,” Barton said. “They are going to take their lumps and I want them to come back strong in the future.”

Many of the Knights’ freshmen and more inexperienced sophomores will compete this weekend in a junior varsity tournament in Yelm rather than Matman, meaning the entire team will see some sort of action.

And action, Barton said, is what the team needs to fine-tune its weaknesses and bolster its strengths after a slow December and a somewhat sluggish beginning to January.

“I think we are starting to make some steps in that direction,” Barton said. “This week, I’ve already seen some better practices than we had last week.”

Barton said he has been pleased with the recent performances of Ryan Anderson, who took fourth at 130 at the Rainshadow Tournament in Sequim Jan. 3, and freshman Nicolas Garcia, younger brother of Andres.

Nicholas and Andres, Barton said, actually wrestled each other in the semifinals of Rainshadow, with older brother Andres reigning supreme.

“It was kind of encouraging and kind of funny in its own way,” Barton said. “Entertaining, I guess, is the word for it. It was a good experience for them, they are both good guys.”

Matman begins at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Central Kitsap High School. The final round begins at 5:30 p.m.