Kuelling Reflects on State Wrestling Experience

It was his first trip to the state championships, but it wasn’t the biggest stage he’s wrestled on.

That’s why Zach Kuelling is just a teeny bit disappointed in his fourth-place finish but at the same time, he’s content with the result. He’s also more motivated than ever.

The Marion junior advanced to the semifinal round of the Division II 285-pound bracket last weekend in Albany. His semifinal loss to the defending state champion -- Troy Beeman of Waverly in Section IV — set the stage for him to finish fourth overall. And part of the reason for his disappointment is that with just 30 seconds left in that semifinal match, he was trailing by a 1-0 score.

But in that position, with that amount of time left, he had to gamble.

“I had to go big,” he said.

Zach said he made a move to score points, but “my leg got stuck” and Beeman was able to avoid surrendering any points the rest of the way. So yes, it was exciting for Zach to advance to the semifinals, but he learned that he can wrestle with the best wrestlers in the state and is already working toward next season.

“I feel like I’ve been on bigger stages,” he said of the Eastern States earlier this year, a competition that includes wrestlers from nine states and 170 schools. “But I learned I am capable of hanging with the best in the state. Now I know I’m going to work a lot harder than I did last year.”

For now, Zach’s focused on playing first base this spring for the Marion baseball team. But wrestling won’t be far from his mind, especially after being contacted by some college coaches during his time in Albany. 

Congratulations to Zach for his outstanding season!