103 -- can anyone touch the OL kid?

[BIG DADDY]

I keep reading about the kid from Oak Lawn, is he that good? Can anyone touch him? Is he OK with the weight? :cool:

[baddoz11]

I havent had an oppurtunity to watch McNaughton at all this year, but he certainly brings an offseason resume to the table. The one kid I have seen that really looked like a state contender was Tyler Johnson. He is a monster for the 103lb weight class. I guess we will find out in February.

[luvthesport]

These guys met up at the State Tournament last year at 103 with McNaughton winning 6-0. Not that that means a whole lot, just stating facts.

McNaughton really stepped it up during the offseason though. Hope we can see these two fine wrestlers go at it again downstate this year too! We'll see who shows up and has the better match that day.

[ISAG]

if he does lose to someone it will be an upset. That is not a slam against anyone else, he is just that good. If you get a chance to watch him, you will be impressed.

[Pin2Win105]

I think Nallen from Notre Dame will come into the mix this year at State. My pick is that it's him and McNaughton in the finals but thats just my opinion. What does everyone else think. I've seen Nallen, Johnson, and McNaughton this year and they all look about the same size, all huge 103 pounders. Nallen and McNaughton also wrestler similar so it might be a barn burner. In the end its going to be a battle of will, whoever wants it more is going to be the State Champion....:p

[mckbln]

Still tough though. McNaughton is the best I have seen so far, Nallen the 2nd best. Tyler is #3. All 3 are very physical wrestlers for 103 lbers, but you have to add Spangler in the mix. Futrell is good, but undersized vs some of the above mentioned. Nelson, Blake, and MacAuliffe also deserve mention. I am sure there are several others I have not seen that are tough, and Lavell Miller, if he is indeed certified at 103 will be very tough also.

[MR TWISTER]

I have seen all of the mentioned 103's and I came away impressed with Josh Krativil from Lincoln Way Central. I imagine he would have to battle Nelson from Providence and McAuliffe(who he has beat twice) but I think he will be downstate. I liked his mat action and the way he throws legs. And he has the size also. You heard it here first. But McNaughton will be very tuff to beat once the Champaign tourney begins. :)

[wrestlingfather1]

Lavell Miller had to certified at 103 since he wrestle there at Lake Park.
I am wrong?

[OL119]

He is very good...and he is doing fine with the weight. I look forward to seeing him in Champaign this year.

[eazymoney]

Johnson wrestles a tough class A kid in Tyler Clark this weekend at the PIT. He also did pretty well over the summer and is a monster. I believe he lost to McCaffrey by a point or two in the state finals last year

[xfaceu2]

That is true' both very good wrestleres who have known each other for years. Johnson beat Clark last year in the finals 4-2 o.t. Always a great match when these two meet.

[Scout501]

I think the state finals will be very interesting.....I think it will be McNaughton-Nallen in the finals....

[Soup Nazi]

Don't wanna be flamed for this, but he reminds me of a lesser Tony Pretto, in the way that he is always moving and working the kid. Saw him wrestle someone at the Stagg Tournament in the beginning of the season, the kid is just nonstop, takedown, worked some tilts, let him...... repeat. He was up like 16-2, looked up at the clock, saw that he was ahead by 14, then just turned the kid over and pinned him. Simply amazing

[btnh]

he will win it all, but i dont think he will be "untouched"

[miami51]

The kid from Elmwood Park will win State!!!!!!!!!!!

[GriffsRugby]

Does anyone have the text to or a link to the McNaughton story from the paper? I missed it and cannot find it online, let alone which publication it came from. Thank you.

[BIG DADDY]

It was in the Sun-Times

[MR TWISTER]

Does anyone have the text to or a link to the McNaughton story from the paper? I missed it and cannot find it online, let alone which publication it came from. Thank you.by Andre Morgan


Above the entrance to the Oak Lawn wrestling room, Matt McNaughton can see the names of the Spartans six state champions everyday before practice. He notices that the last two, Jim Cizek and Terry Mulrenin were crowned 30 years ago in 1974. McNaughton, a senior 103 pounder has set adding his name to that list as his goal. Setting goals has always been easy for McNaughton. Getting an opportunity to reach them has not been as easy.


McNaughton is ranked number one in Illinois, second nationally by W.I.N. magazine and is a USA Wrestling All American after capturing the 98 pound.national championship in Greco Roman and second in Freestyle this past summer.


Wrestling since he was four, Matt gained instant recognition on the Illinois kids wrestling scene, upsetting the defending junior high state champ as an eight grader to win the 70 pound state title.


Matt followed his brother Frank, a state placer at 112 in 1999, enrolling at Mount Carmel in 2001. Weighing 80 pounds, he was talented but not heavy enough to compete on the varsity at the lowest weight of 103. Mt Carmel filled the weight class with Kenny Jordan, 4 time junior high state champion. "I didn’t know how good he was because he was from a different league." said McNaughton. "He(Kenny) was just so strong and skilled."


Sophomore year he was 95 pounds but still didn’t make the varsity lineup. Once again Mount Carmel filled the 103 slot with three time junior high state champ, Mario Morgan. "I was giving up 10 pounds" said McNaughton. "If I was bigger maybe but Mario was such a good mat wrestler and scrambler, it was tough for me."


With time running out on his high school career, the summer off season meant changing goals, extra training with private coaches and lots of weight lifting to get bigger and better.

But Mount Carmel was undergoing a coaching change and with five time junior high champ, Cartice Lloyd enrolling at Mount Carmel, it was decision time. Transfer out or fight with three national level wrestlers for three spots. "I didn’t want to take the chance on not wrestling for a third year." said McNaughton. "My Dad did not want me to lose eligibility so if I was going to transfer it was to Oak Lawn, but he left the final decision to me."


Entering his junior year and finally getting a chance to wrestle, McNaughton posted a 40 –5 record, advancing to the quartefinals of the state tournament. "The biggest difference in Mount Carmel and Oak Lawn is the practice room." said McNaughton. "I went from practicing against national contenders to a much slower pace. And the schedule is so much tougher in the Catholic League. Every time out you face a great wrestler. But being at Oak Lawn is easier because it is close to home. I was welcomed home with open arms." McNaughton weighing 110 pounds, can cut to the 103 weight class.


The premier mid season tournament in Illinois is the 33 team Dvorak Memorial held at Dundee – Crown during Christmas week. Oak Lawn entered the tournament for the first time to give McNaughton an opportunity to test his mettle against the best at his weight. Winners are considered sure bets to place high in the individual state championship.

Mc Naughton did not disappoint, winning the 103 weight class with a 11-2 victory over Brian Spangler of Neuqua Valley. "Pretty much this is just a step below state."said McNaughton. "I feel this tournament really stamps me as the top title contender in Illinois."


A solid student, McNaughton wants to teach physical education and coach wrestling, has a 24 ACT, a 3.0 G.P.A. and a full scholarship offer from Northern Michigan. "Funny thing is that only certain people know what I am trying to do. Even some of my teachers don’t know that I even wrestle." said McNaughton. "My senior year is making me push harder. It’s all or nothing. And I want to see my name on that wall every time I walk in this gym."

Get the paint and ladder ready to add a new name to the champion wall.

[mckbln]

Jim Cizek won the sectional we (OPRF) were in (Bloom) at 98lbs my senior year in high school, and went on to win state. That was in 1974. It was a tough sectional at 98 lbs, and the kid Cizek beat in the finals (Hulbert from Bloom) won state the following year at 98 lbs. Probably the biggest surprise was the kid from Proviso East, Ernie Watkins, NOT advancing. He absolutely CRUSHED Hulbert earlier in the season, but lost to him in the sectional semi-finals. Back then, only the top 2 advanced. Watkins was such a tough wrestler, like his 105 lb teammate Carl Foreside, it was a shame he didn't make it to state.

[GriffsRugby]

Nice article, Twist. Thanks for sharing it.

[OL119]

Johnson lost to Tyler Clark in the finals of the PIT. Looks like he drops a bit from #2 to probably #3 in the rankings. Nallen should replace him at #2 for now.