It was just one year ago that Zach Kuelling was at the top of the Section V wrestling world.

He’s back on that perch today, but the 2026 journey to a Section V championship was quite different. And that journey took its turn at the January 15 dual meet against Palmyra-Macedon.

Kuelling was wrestling John Turner of Pal-Mac when something went wrong with his right shoulder, and the pain was immense.

Diagnosis? A separated shoulder. 

But Kuelling not only finished the match, he won by fall. And that’s the kind of determination that helped Kuelling heal his shoulder in three weeks instead of the projected six weeks doctors told him it might take. He was back on the mat last weekend for the Section V Class B1 championships in Wayland and the Marion senior cruised through the field after an opening-round bye. He won his three sectional matches by forfeit, fall and fall.

“I knew I was coming back no matter what,” he said. 

With the pin in 2:49 of Immanuel Cornell (Holley-Kendall) in the B1 final, Kuelling also picked up career win No. 100. 

“It feels good to join the Century Club,” he said.

And so the journey continues for Kuelling to hopefully match that of 2025, and maybe even exceed it. Last winter, Kuelling finished in fourth place at the Division II state championships. And as much as a return to states remains the goal, the immediate vision is focused on nothing beyond the state qualifier meet this weekend at Haverling in Bath, where he’ll likely be the No. 1 seed. 

“I’m shooting for first place and as little time on the mat as possible,” he said. “I don’t want to aggravate the injury.”

If the 2025 state qualifier is any indication, where Kuelling won his matches by fall, fall, fall and a 13-0 decision, the only aggravation on Saturday may be that of his opponents.