Braydon Akeo was already a big deal around the Mililani wrestling room as one of only eight boys from the school to win a state title.

Now he has a little more bulk to help him carry the honor around.

Akeo, the reigning state champion at 108 pounds as a sophomore, is stepping up to 125 this year. So far, the stronger competition has been no problem.

Akeo has already beaten his main competition this season, but nothing has come easily. He beat Campbell’s Zach Kido 6-1 in a tournament before the season and beat Thomas Tawata of Pac-Five 5-2 in the officials tournament in December.

Not that close matches faze Akeo. He needed to take down Waialua’s Treylan Kobayashi with 15 seconds left in the state final last year and got it done.

"That one was kinda sloppy technique, but I had the single," Akeo said. "I knew once I had the single nobody could stop me. I was going to finish my takedown. I was only thinking I didn’t want to go to overtime."

Akeo didn’t have to worry about any drama at Saturday’s regular-season crossover meet at Farrington, destroying Mcgregor Gaborno of McKinley 22-6 in his first match on Saturday. He later beat Kamehameha’s Dustin Lee and Landon Arita of Kaiser.

He wrestled at 130 pounds on Saturday but will step back down to 125 for good next week. Akeo walked around at 140 after last year’s state tournament, so meeting the stronger wrestlers at 125 has not bothered him yet.

"He really hasn’t had that much problem this year with stronger guys," Mililani coach John Robinson said. "He can use his length and leverage well; we want to work on his attacks."

Even with Saturday’s performance, Akeo knows that a state title won’t be easy. He trains with Kido and Tawata at Grapplers HI in Halawa on the weekends and spent two weeks with them on the road at a national tournament in Fargo, N.D., to prepare for this season. There will be no secrets if they face each other at states.

"It’s kind of weird wrestling your teammate and friend and stuff, but once you get on the mat you just have to wrestle," Akeo said. "We have kind of known for a while we would be at the same weight."

Akeo’s Mililani squad finished second at states last year, nearly 100 points behind Punahou. But the Trojans are looking to fare better this season. In addition to Akeo, the Trojans return Robert Kim, who won the OIA the last two years; Isaac Diamond and Dayton Furuta. Zach Diamond, Isaac’s brother, is one of the most promising freshmen in the state, and Gabriel Jimenez won his bracket on Saturday.

The team aspect adds even more pressure for Akeo to perform later in the season, when it matters.

"I won one state title, but I want more," Akeo said. "I don’t want to be satisfied, I want to be a multiple state champion."