Trevor tries to duplicate brother Austin’s feat of four state wrestling titles

ROBIN FAMBROUGH
rfambrough@theadvocate.com Feb. 25, 2014

Brothers Austin and Trevor Schermer have always been a study of contrasts for Brusly High wrestling coach Jimmy Bible

“Austin has always been shorter and a little stocky, and Trevor is the tall, slender one,” Bible said. “Trevor is quiet and serious; Austin’s the guy who jokes around. “Like brothers, they have days when they get after each other, but in the end blood is thicker than water. They stick together.”

If Trevor Schermer wins his fourth individual state title at this weekend’s Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s State Wrestling Tournament the brothers will stake a claim to wrestling history. titles, according to Baton Rouge High coach and wrestling historian Bill Bofinger.

“I’ve just got to go out there and wrestle hard like I’ve been doing all year,” Trevor Schermer said. “I’ve got to keep my mind on the goal and work to achieve it. When I first started wrestling, I never thought I’d take it this far or be this good at it. Never ever. It’s not over yet.”

Schermer is the top seed in the Division III 152-pound weight class and has a 51-3 record while wrestling in three weight classes. His 177-29 career record includes state titles at 112 (freshman), 126 (sophomore) and 132 pounds (junior).

"I have all the memories from wrestling with my brother my freshman and sophomore years when I watched him achieve all his goals. I watched him win his fourth state title and now he’s around to watch me as I go for mine. That’s nice.” TREVOR SCHERMER, Brusly wrestler

Austin Schermer completed his career in 2012 with a school-record mark of 196-45. He won state titles at 103, 112, 119 and 132 pounds. The older Schermer brother works locally, attends classes at Baton Rouge Community College’s westside campus and helps with Brusly’s age-group wrestling program. “It’s been fun watching him,” Austin Schermer said. “I’ve got to come to practice and tournaments. Plus, we do drills together on the side. I’ve really seen him grow as a wrestler. He’s improved so much. I can’t really describe in words what it would mean for me to see him win state again. I do know it will bring tears to my eyes.” The Schermers help illustrate why the Brusly wrestling program is so successful. Austin Schermer got involved with Bible’s youth wrestling program as a seventh-grader, while Trevor started as a sixth-grader.

Bible said the Schermers have a special support system that fostered their growth in wrestling. Their father, Brett, was a competitive body-builder. Their mother, Kimberly, worked as a dietician.

“Their father handled the strength training aspect, making sure that both boys did the right things,” Bible said. “And their mother has always made sure they eat right and take healthy supplements. That’s also a team effort.”

The Schermers, however, said Brusly’s team effort is always the most important thing. The Panthers have won nine of the past 10 state titles in Division III and upstaged the area’s larger schools to win the Greater Baton Rouge City Wrestling Championships two weeks ago, snapping a string of 11 straight titles by Catholic High.The 2013-14 success has brought added notoriety for the Panthers, something Trevor Schermer relishes.

“We get a lot of support from our parents and other people involved with the wrestling club,” he said. “This year the school has gotten more involved and so has the community. More students have come to watch us and so have other people who don’t have kids in the program.”

Extending his wrestling career at a junior college or a small school is something Trevor Schermer is considering. There could be a scenario that would have the Schermers going off to school together.

For now, the focus is on the LHSAA tourney and the mixed emotions it brings,

“Sometimes when I think about this being the end of my high school career I shed a couple of tears,” Trevor Schermer said. “I have all the memories from wrestling with my brother my freshman and sophomore years when I watched him achieve all his goals. I watched him win his fourth state title and now he’s around to watch me as I go for mine. That’s nice.”