Colorado Youth Wrestling Thriving, Showcased at 2026 State Tournament

Freshmen wrestlers from feeder programs shine at Colorado high school wrestling championships

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The 2026 Colorado high school wrestling state championships have showcased the growing strength of youth wrestling programs across the state, with a surge of talented freshmen competitors making deep tournament runs. Programs like the Betterman Elite Wrestling Club in Colorado Springs and the Pomona Wrestling Club are feeding top-level talent into high school teams, allowing freshmen to excel at the state tournament level. Coaches emphasize the importance of year-round training and strong feeder programs to build successful high school wrestling dynasties.

Why it matters

The rise of youth wrestling programs and influx of talented freshmen competitors at the Colorado high school state tournament highlights the growth of the sport at the grassroots level. This trend points to a bright future for wrestling in the state, as high school programs are able to build sustainable pipelines of elite talent through their partnerships with youth clubs.

The details

At the 2026 Colorado state wrestling championships, 11 different freshmen wrestlers advanced to the semifinals across the 5A boys' and girls' brackets. This includes three freshmen from Sand Creek High School's brand-new girls' wrestling program, all of whom train at the Betterman Elite Wrestling Club. Elsewhere, Air Academy freshman Dylan Saba is aiming to four-peat as a state champion, having already pinned the reigning 4A 106-pound titleholder this season. Pueblo East, the boys' 4A favorite, features freshman Uriah Duran, whose father runs one of Pueblo's biggest youth clubs. And Pomona freshman Donovan Symalla, who has "worn a Pomona singlet forever" according to his coach, knocked off a highly touted senior to reach the 5A 157-pound final.

  • The 2026 Colorado high school wrestling state championships took place this past weekend at Ball Arena.
  • In August, Sand Creek High wrestlers begin their training regimen of two-a-day practices at the Betterman Elite gym, with only Mondays and Wednesdays spent in traditional classroom instruction during the school year.

The players

Deanna Betterman

The Sand Creek High wrestling coach and co-founder of the Betterman Elite Wrestling Club, a youth academy in Colorado Springs.

Joe Betterman

A former Team USA wrestler who runs the Betterman Elite Wrestling Club with his wife Deanna.

Dylan Saba

A freshman wrestler at Air Academy High School who is aiming to four-peat as a state champion, following in the footsteps of his mother Hillary Wolf Saba, a two-time Olympian.

Brandon Lucero

The head wrestling coach at Air Academy High School, which does not have a traditional feeder youth club.

Uriah Duran

A freshman wrestler at Pueblo East High School, whose father runs one of the "bigger youth clubs in Pueblo."

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What they’re saying

“When we're looking at the big goals, we're looking at the Olympics for Peggy Dean, Karris Carter, all those girls. So these are just little stepping stones we're hitting. We don't put a lot of pressure on winning state titles and these little things.”

— Deanna Betterman, Sand Creek High wrestling coach (Denver Post)

“This is a normal match for me. This is normal.”

— Dylan Saba (Denver Post)

“It's making me old fast. It's taken a lot of life out of me, because you've gotta turn around really fast, and get kids good quickly.”

— Brandon Lucero, Air Academy High School wrestling coach (Denver Post)

“I don't know if he's going to win this tournament. He's got some seniors that are in the semifinal that are really good ... I mean, at this point, they're good, and they're men. And Donovan doesn't drive a car yet, you know what I mean?”

— Sam Federico, Pomona High School wrestling coach (Denver Post)

“The level of wrestling, it doesn't stop. It keeps elevating every year, because of programs like this.”

— Deanna Betterman, Sand Creek High wrestling coach (Denver Post)

What’s next

The judges will decide on Tuesday whether to allow Air Academy freshman Dylan Saba to compete in the 120-pound weight class, where he is aiming to take on two-time state champion Drake VomBaur of Severance High School.

The takeaway

The surge of talented freshmen wrestlers at the 2026 Colorado high school state championships is a testament to the growth of youth wrestling programs across the state. High school teams that can build strong partnerships with feeder clubs are reaping the rewards, with freshmen able to make immediate impacts at the varsity level. This trend points to a bright future for wrestling in Colorado as the sport continues to elevate its level of competition.