WHO’S NEXT? USAW STAR OF THE FUTURE McIntosh has all the tools
The ASICS High School Wrestler of the Year looked strong in winning his 2nd Junior Nationals crown
F By Craig Sesker
ARGO, N.D. – Morgan McIntosh has the makeup of a champion.
Not only is he immensely talented and driven on the wrestling mat, he displays a character and maturity far beyond his years.
That was apparent when the graduated senior from California won a USA Wrestling Junior Nationals freestyle title this past July in Fargo, N.D.
McIntosh bumped up a weight class from 189 pounds to 215, and still turned in a dominating performance. The ASICS High School Wrestler of the Year is headed to
2011 NCAA team champion Penn State to wrestle collegiately. “It’s a fun trip, coming out to Fargo,” McIntosh said. “I wanted to support the California team and help the team do as well as they can. I love being here. It’s fun wrestling on that stage in front of all these people.”
The powerful McIntosh downed Iowa’s Blaize Cabell 5-0, 5-0 in the Junior Nationals finals at 215. He won his first Junior Nationals crown at 189 in 2010. "I talked to the (Penn State) coaches, and they wanted me to focus on getting better and not worry about my weight,” McIntosh said. “I want to get used to the bigger, stronger guys. There was a difference. A lot of these guys were 10-15 pounds bigger than me. It was a good experience for me. “I tried to stay with what I do. I tried to be quicker on my feet, get on low shots and not get underneath these big guys.” McIntosh won three California state titles for Calvary Chapel High School. He chose Penn State over Cornell and Ohio State. “I went out and saw the campus and all the facilities, and they were really nice,” he said. “The coaching staff is a great group and is all family men.”
McIntosh won’t have any trouble finding quality training part- ners when he walks into the loaded Penn State wrestling room. Penn State coach Cael Sanderson, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist, returned to competition this year and made the U.S. World Team at 84 kg/185 lbs. Jake Varner also trains in State College as a member of the
Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. Varner, a California native who won two NCAA titles, made his second U.S. World Team this year at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and won a World bronze medal. 2011 NCAA champion Quentin Wright of Penn State is anoth- er wrestler McIntosh will be able to train with. Wright competes at 184 and is a top freestyle prospect. “I can’t wait, I seriously can’t wait, to start training with those guys,” McIntosh said. “I dream about being in there and wrestling with all of those guys. There are so many great work-
30 USA Wrestler
Two-time Junior Nationals champion Morgan McIntosh of California will wrestle collegiately for 2011 NCAA team champion Penn State. John Sachs photo.
out partners and they have a great team. I’m excited to be a part of that program. It’s going to be fun.”
McIntosh was in Oklahoma City when Sanderson made the World Team in June.
“I was excited for him,” McIntosh said. “It’s really cool to see him back wrestling again. It was a little bit of a surprise to see him wrestling again because he kept it pretty quiet. But it’s great to see.”
Even with all his success, McIntosh has kept everything in proper perspective.
“Throughout all his success he has had, he has never changed as a person,” said Arsen Aleksanyan, Calvary Chapel head coach and California National Team Coach. “He never got cocky, never got an attitude and never thought he was too good for anything.”
McIntosh is projected to wrestle at 197 pounds in college. “I’m going to set my goals very high for college,” McIntosh said. “I want to be a four-time national champ.”
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