Orem » Except for a couple of state titles, there's no difference between Carson Kuhn the defending state champion and Carson Kuhn the aspiring state champion.

It's the wrestling mentality. The only match that matters is the next one.

When Kuhn, the senior legend from Alta, takes to the mat along with all the other defending state champion individuals and teams at the state meet beginning today at Utah Valley University, the attitude and focus is the same: Take care of what you're supposed to do and everything else takes care of itself.

"You go out and wrestle your match. Be aggressive," said Kuhn, who enters the 5A 119 pound flight undefeated in his quest for a third straight state title. "It doesn't matter if you are a state champion or not."

Kuhn has the perspective from the individual competitors. There's very little nostalgia about this being his final high school meet.

"I'm excited. I'm going to go out and get after it for four matches," Kuhn said. "I know I have a lot more wrestling in me. ... I'm probably at the halfway point of my career so in that way I have to look at it as another tournament."

The team approach is pretty much the same. Viewmont's going after its third consecutive 5A title and coach Brandon Ripplinger knows the Vikings can't rest on their laurels.

"Each year is a different task, a different team with different strengths and areas to improve," Ripplinger said in an e-mail response. "You're always proud of where you've come from, but we don't stand around talking about how great it was to win last year. We strive to focus on what we need to do right now."