Expectation and surprise were separated by just a few mats in the early session of Day 1 of the CHSAA state wrestling tournament.
North Fork’s Braeden Flores continued his impressive 2026 season, racking up a 31-second pin over Limon’s Ben Carr before battling to a 10-5 win over Ignacio’s Zane Pontine.
But as Flores had built a 10-0 lead over Pontine, the familiar smack of the mat echoed throw Ball Arena followed by a stunned gasp from the crowd.
Meeker’s Ellie Ford, a first-time wrestler in 2026, had scored a pin over defending Class 2A girls 145-pound champion Lillianna Lopez out of Pueblo Central.
“I was going to play basketball,” Ford said. “Last year I sat varsity so my sister convinced me to come out for wrestling, so here I am.”
Down 11-1 in the third period, Ford turned the tables and got Lopez on her back, scoring the biggest upset in the early session of the first day.
Team Scores
Class 4A Girls
| PLACE | TEAM | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo Central | 57.5 |
| 2 | Las Animas | 40.5 |
| 3 | Canon City | 36.5 |
| 4 | Meeker | 30 |
| 5 | La Junta | 29 |
Class 3A Boys
| PLACE | TEAM | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eaton | 70.5 |
| 2 | Fort Lupton | 42.5 |
| 3 | Alamosa | 39 |
| 3 | TCA | 39 |
| 5 | La Junta | 36 |
Class 2A Boys
| PLACE | TEAM | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedaredge | 55 |
| 2 | North Fork | 50 |
| 3 | Burlington | 45.5 |
| 4 | Rocky Ford | 44.5 |
| 5 | Buena Vista | 43 |
