Fort Morgan wrestlers place five at state

Mael Zannou, Ulysses Montes, Ben Fritzler, Keily Molina Deleon, and Brisa Serrano Gamino earn podium finishes at CHSAA state tournaments

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Hundreds of Colorado's best high school wrestlers competed at the CHSAA state tournaments in Ball Arena over the weekend, with Fort Morgan's boys and girls teams combining for five placers. Sophomore Mael Zannou took fourth in the heavyweight division, freshman Ulysses Montes placed sixth at 113 pounds, and senior Ben Fritzler finished sixth at 165 pounds on the boys' side. For the girls, Keily Molina Deleon earned fourth at 110 pounds, and Brisa Serrano Gamino placed sixth at 125 pounds.

Why it matters

Fort Morgan's strong showing at the state wrestling championships highlights the continued excellence of their high school wrestling programs, with both the boys and girls teams producing multiple state placers. This success helps build the reputation of Fort Morgan athletics and inspires the next generation of wrestlers in the community.

The details

On the boys' side, sophomore Mael Zannou reached the third-place match in the heavyweight division before falling to Hayden Kennedy of The Classical Academy. Freshman Ulysses Montes worked his way through the consolation bracket at 113 pounds to claim sixth place, while senior Ben Fritzler placed sixth at 165 pounds. For the girls, Keily Molina Deleon took fourth at 110 pounds, and Brisa Serrano Gamino placed sixth at 125 pounds.

  • The CHSAA state wrestling tournaments took place over the weekend at Ball Arena in Denver.
  • Fort Morgan wrestlers competed at the state championships on February 21-22, 2026.

The players

Mael Zannou

A sophomore wrestler for Fort Morgan High School who placed fourth in the heavyweight division at the 2026 CHSAA state wrestling championships.

Ulysses Montes

A freshman wrestler for Fort Morgan High School who placed sixth in the 113-pound division at the 2026 CHSAA state wrestling championships.

Ben Fritzler

A senior wrestler for Fort Morgan High School who placed sixth in the 165-pound division at the 2026 CHSAA state wrestling championships.

Keily Molina Deleon

A wrestler for the Fort Morgan High School girls' team who placed fourth in the 110-pound division at the 2026 CHSAA state wrestling championships.

Brisa Serrano Gamino

A wrestler for the Fort Morgan High School girls' team who placed sixth in the 125-pound division at the 2026 CHSAA state wrestling championships.

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What they’re saying

“He wrestled probably the best tournament he's ever wrestled.”

— Kyle Graulus, Fort Morgan wrestling coach (fortmorgantimes.com)

“I had a freshman at 113s that did awesome. He wasn't ranked pretty much all year. I think he was ranked 11th as his highest. He had a good first two matches and got into the semis and placed and then finished sixth.”

— Kyle Graulus, Fort Morgan wrestling coach (fortmorgantimes.com)

“He kind of tweaked his knee and wrestled hard through it, but ended up sixth. He had to wrestle through some pain in the fifth and sixth place match, but it was really exciting. I was proud of those three that ended up placing. You couldn't ask for more as a coach.”

— Kyle Graulus, Fort Morgan wrestling coach (fortmorgantimes.com)

What’s next

The Fort Morgan wrestling teams will look to build on their state tournament success in the offseason, with the goal of sending an even larger contingent of wrestlers to the 2027 CHSAA state championships.

The takeaway

Fort Morgan's wrestling programs continue to develop talented athletes who are able to compete at the highest levels of Colorado high school sports. The school's ability to produce multiple state placers, including underclassmen, bodes well for the future of their wrestling teams and the pride they bring to their community.