Wrestler of the year

In wrestling, it helps to have a teammate of comparable size and skill, and compatible personality, as a sparring partner — someone who can sharpen skills, fine-tune techniques and keep your head on straight.

Brandon Beemer and Chris Bowyer served in that capacity to one another over the past four seasons, both on the football field and in the wrestling room at Jefferson Forest.

The two upperweights showcased very different styles on the mat and distinct personalities off of it. But both benefited from the other’s presence in the lineup and mirrored the other’s success.

Bowyer, who missed the start of the season while recovering from a bout with mono, went 39-2 with 32 pins, finishing runner-up at 189 pounds in the Group AA state tournament. Beemer, who never missed a practice or a match, placed third in the state at 215.

“They complemented each other very well,” JF coach Hutch Hutchinson said. “Bubby (Bowyer) was the strength of our team, the muscle you need, but Beemer was the heart of our team.”

Both served as football and wrestling team captains their senior seasons.

“Both were great leaders, but they have different styles,” Hutchinson said. “They’re two totally opposite kids. Chris tends to lead by example. Brandon’s a cheerleader, very vocal, very emotional. Beemer was there. He didn’t miss anything.”

That steady leadership and heart of a champion is what distinguished Beemer as The News & Advance All-Area wrestler of the year.

The two seniors may have butted heads at times, but only in physical confrontations, never personal ones.

“One thing I remember from our freshman year, we were doing this tackling drill,” Beemer said. “Me and him were about 20 yards apart and we both ran full speed right into each other. We both lowered our shoulders and came to a complete stop. We both got stingers in our shoulders and we both were jumping around and yelling (in agony).”

That powerful impact set the tone for their competitive careers, as they matched up time and again at the line of scrimmage and on the wrestling mat.

“They’re really good friends (but) to watch them practice, you’d think they were mortal enemies,” Hutchinson said. “They’d go at it.”

“It wasn’t unusual for me and him to have bloody noses and black eyes after practice,” Beemer added. “Me and him, it’s not like we hate each other. We love pushing each other to the limits to see how far we can go. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Beemer was at his best, and most dangerous, wrestling off his back. He wasn’t pinned once in his junior or senior seasons, often decking his opponents with surprise roll reversals.

“He’s very flexible,” Hutchinson said. “We nicknamed him the Big Cat, because he’s very quick for his size.”

The Cavaliers called Bowyer — a bodybuilder with a 4.4 GPA and an academic scholarship to Virginia Tech, where he plans to walk on to the football team — “Bowyer the Destroyer.”

“He’s very strong but also very quick for his size and very smart,” Hutchinson said. “He knew what he had to do and when he had to do it. He was very strategic about everything. He always went in with a plan.”

Beemer, on the other hand, who is leaning toward playing football at Bridgewater College, was more spontaneous.

“Beemer never had a plan, he just went out and wrestled and had fun,” Hutchinson said.