Kemmerer succeeds under pressure

After going 54-0 and winning a state championship as a junior, Upper Perkiomen's Zack Kemmerer went into his final season as Amateur Wrestling News' top-ranked wrestler in the country at 140 pounds.

That made Kemmerer a marked man. At Pioneer Athletic Conference matches and prestigious out-of-town tournaments, expectations for the highly touted senior were off the charts.

"This year, every time I gave up a point, it was like people were amazed," Kemmerer said. "They thought it couldn't happen. But it does happen."

Possibly burdened by the goal of another unbeaten season, Kemmerer struggled in the early going. He placed third at the Walsh Ironman Tournament in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Next, at the Beast of the East Classic at the University of Delaware, there were two more defeats and a disappointing fifth-place showing.

Kemmerer was down but far from out. He lost just two matches the rest of the way and ended by winning his second straight PIAA Class AAA state championship.

For his efforts, Kemmerer is the The Inquirer's Southeastern Pennsylvania wrestler of the year.

"Some of those early setbacks helped Zack focus for the league matches and the postseason," Upper Perkiomen coach Tom Hontz said. "He was not going to be beaten in his quest for another state title."

Kemmerer, of East Greenville, compiled a 53-5 record this season and claimed the 140-pound state crown. Another highlight was winning a title at the Reno Tournament of Champions in late December.

"I went into the year worrying about my No. 1 ranking," Kemmerer said. "After the Beast of the East, I let go of that and just went out and wrestled. I really didn't care about anything else."

With a career record of 199-18, Kemmerer holds the PIAA state record for all-time victories. The Penn recruit shattered the old mark of 179 wins, shared by Connellsville's Ashtin Primus and Mount Pleasant's Donnie Ament.

Kemmerer was barely tested in the state tournament. It was widely believed that many wrestlers slated to compete at 140 pounds went down to 135 or up to 145 to avoid facing him.

His toughest bout in the state tournament came in the semifinal round. Against previously undefeated Jarred Kane of Lower Dauphin, he triumphed, 5-3. "Other than that match, I pretty much dominated," Kemmerer said.

At 140 pounds, Kemmerer finished the year ranked No. 5 in the country by Wrestling International Newsmagazine and No. 6 in the country by Amateur Wrestling News.

Last week, it was announced that Upper Perkiomen had to forfeit all team victories from the season that just ended because it was found that junior Anthony Uhrik, a 152- and 160-pound competitor, was not legally enrolled in the school district.

"Obviously, I'm upset," Kemmerer said. "The matches we won, we won them handily. But it's not going to go down in the record books that way."

At Penn, coached by Zeke Jones, Kemmerer expects to wrestle at 141 pounds. "It's absolutely going to be a fight for a starting job next season," he said. "I'm going to train real hard for that."