Cornell Beachem Jr. has lived a lifetime since the last time he played football for Mount St. Joseph. Mount St. Joseph athletics photo by Mark Byron

By Joe Sager
D3sports.com

Cornell Beachem Jr. took the football field for the first time in nearly three years on Saturday.

For the Mount St. Joseph senior, it was an almost unbearable wait from his last game appearance on Nov. 16, 2019, to the 31-28 win over Baldwin Wallace. Beachem overcame a lifetime of obstacles during that time away from the gridiron.

A Cincinnati native, he excelled in football and wrestling at Winton Woods High School. He spent his freshman year at Notre Dame College in Ohio and wrestled at the NCAA Division II level for the Falcons and went 2-2 at the national championship tournament.

Wanting to play football and wrestle at the collegiate level, though, he was thrilled to take his talents to nearby Mount St. Joseph for his sophomore year in 2019. He made an immediate impact in both sports for the Lions.

As a wide receiver and running back, he racked up 1,704 total yards, which ranked third in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. He led his team in rushing (648 yards on 95 carries) and receiving (837 yards on 53 catches) and was a first-team all-HCAC selection.

Transitioning to wrestling after football, he continued to excel in the winter and spring as he ascended the rankings and reached No. 1 at 174 pounds with a 21-0 mark. He claimed the Central Regional championship and entered the national championship tournament as the favorite. However, COVID-19 halted – and eventually – canceled that tournament before it could begin.

“That was draining, mentally. The hardest part was being ranked first,” he said. “I just told myself that I’d have to come back and do it next year.”

He didn’t get that chance.

The national championship tournament was cancelled in 2021, too, because of COVID-19. Meanwhile, Mount St. Joseph’s 2020 football season was pushed to the spring. In the first week of practice in the spring of 2021, Beachem tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee on a noncontact play.

“That was my first time tearing any ligaments,” he said. “It was frustrating just having to watch people doing the stuff I love to do.”

That started his whirlwind of life experiences.

He became a father when his daughter, Braelyn, was born just a couple months later in May 2021.

“She gave me a lot of motivation,” he said. “Every time you see her, she is smiling and bright. I know she has a great future ahead of her.”

The knee injury sidelined him for the regular 2021 fall football season, too, but he was able to rehab and join the wrestling team in the winter. On the mat is where he first had to overcome the mental obstacles associated with that knee injury.

“In January, I got cleared to compete. I wasn’t back totally yet, though,” he said. “The first couple weeks of practice, I was wearing a brace. Mentally, I think it was messing with my head because there are lots of tweaks and turns you do in wrestling. One practice, I told our trainer that I was just throwing the brace off and that helped a lot.”

Then, while competing at the NWCA National Duals in early January, Beachem found out his father, Cornell Beachem Sr., suddenly passed away.

“It was hard,” he said. “I’d leave a wrestling match and I don’t have my dad to call to tell him how it went. I was able to cope with it, though. It really motivated me because I know how much he wanted to see me succeed on the wrestling mat and the football field. It gave me a lot of motivation.”

Beachem Jr. focused his grief into a positive drive. He got stronger on the mat and ran the table for the Lions. He capped off a 22-0 season with a national championship – Mount St. Joseph’s first – at 174 pounds.

Cornell Beachem Jr. celebrated his NCAA Division III national championship match win with his daughter, Braelyn, last March in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Photo by Doug Sasse, d3photography.com

“It was the greatest feeling ever just because I had a lot going on at the time,” he said.

He celebrated by hoisting Braelyn in the air after the victory.

“She had a good time watching me,” he said with a laugh. “She was just clapping and saying, ‘Dadda!’ ”

He immediately got to work preparing for spring football practice. He eased back in during those spring drills for the Lions.

“I went right to spring practice because I wanted to stay focused,” he said. “I played defense only in the spring. I wanted to work on being a cornerback and safety this season, just in case we needed any help on defense. I actually played our last play of Saturday’s game on defense, too.”

More adversity hit Beachem in April and May. Without his father’s income, the family was evicted from their home. He moved in with his girlfriend, Dominique.

“It was hard,” Beachem said. “My dad always told me to do what I know and just keep working. So, I worked out every day. I’d call one of my friends to come work out with me at 6 a.m. and then hit the field later in the day to get some work in. I just needed to do something productive to take everything off my mind.”

The preparation paid off. Beachem entered fall camp ready to go.

“I dedicated a lot of time to training. I just went into the season with a clear mind and playing as hard as I can,” he said. “I feel great. My knee feels great. Winning a national title in wrestling boosted my confidence.”

Beachem was back to his old self on the football field against Baldwin Wallace. He racked up 130 yards rushing on 22 carries. He added eight catches for 131 yards as well. He returned one punt for seven yards and three kickoffs for 74, too. Though he didn’t get in the end zone, his 64-yard reception off a deflection set up the team’s go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter.

“It was a blessing to be back out there,” he said.

Mount St. Joseph coach Tyler Hopperton was thrilled to see Beachem back out in game action.

“We always knew he was tough. Unfortunately, he has had plenty of times to prove his toughness. We believed him the first time. But, the obstacles keep coming and he keeps going,” he said. “It’s been a long couple years having him on campus and not playing football. To see him out there and playing great is awesome. He is a really good teammate, too. Watching him block and doing the other little things and cheering his teammates on is great also. To not play football for basically three years and get 342 all-purpose yards against a team with high expectations is special.”

Beachem, a 5-8 senior, starts at running back, but will split out at receiver as well.

“I think I am a balanced back. I can use power and speed and go with a spin move or anything,” he said. “I just like having the ability to go anywhere. If a team has a weak corner and I know I can win on a slant or whip route, I’ll go there. Or, if the linebackers are softening up, I just hit them right down the middle. Anything it takes to win, basically. It’s a beautiful thing. Good quarterback play is a big thing, too.”

Mount St. Joseph quarterback Josh Taylor is another versatile option for the Lions. He passed for 265 yards and ran for 20 and two scores on Saturday. Tragedy and football have bonded Beachem and Taylor as well.

“His dad passed away recently and we were kind of in the same boat,” Beachem said. “We clicked immediately. I know the type of person he is and he knows what type of person I am and we get along well.”

“It’s definitely been unfortunate. I think they are similar are in ways that they play for more than themselves and their team – they keep their dads with them in everything they do,” Hopperton said. “They both had good relationships with their dads and it’s tough to deal with. Those two, in particular, can lean on each other since they’ve gone through something similar.”

Beachem hopes to build on Saturday’s win, personally and team-wise.

“My goal is to go big or go home. I’d love for us to win a national championship. I want to upset teams every week and put points on the board,” he said. “My dad always believed I could achieve big things. If I have an extraordinary season, hopefully, I’ll get a tryout and get a chance to play at the next level. That’s in God’s hands, though.”

Hopperton knows not to count out Beachem.

“Mainly because of his competitive nature – he tries to win in everything he does on and off the field,” he said. “He tries to win in the classroom; he has been on the dean’s list. He does a really good job in class. That’s really the example he sets is competing every rep. With each rep, it ain’t over until it’s over, too.

“What he does is pretty remarkable.”