NL_120618

54 | December 6, 2018 | The New Lenox Patriot sports
newlenoxpatriot.com
Toughness earns Mahoney All-State recognition
Senior O-lineman
played through
injuries entire threeyear
varsity career
Sean Hastings
Freelance Reporter
The first play on Lincoln-Way
West senior right
tackle Nate Mahoney’s
highlight tape is him taking
a linebacker, pushing him
back 13 yards and burying
him into the ground, popping
his helmet off.
It was plays like that, and
as coach Dave Ernst put it,
“playing through the echo
of the whistle” that helped
make Mahoney an All-State
offensive lineman.
“It’s fun when you do
that kind of stuff. It makes
the other team look at you
a little funny because not
a lot of people are doing
that,” Mahoney said. “The
offensive line I played with,
every single kid was doing
that, and we take a lot of
pride in that.”
Earning All-State was not
something Mahoney worried
about, but was happy
that everything came together
for him in the end.
“It’s something that is
really special. I’ve been
playing since I was 5 years
old and it’s something that
I’ve been working at my
entire life for and it finally
paid off,” Mahoney said.
“When I go out and play I
have nothing on my mind
but beating the other team.
I never really thought about
it, but it was really cool
when I found out.”
Mahoney helped lead the
Warriors to an 8-3 record
this season, including an
upset win over Harlem High
School in the first round of
the IHSA Playoffs.
The offensive line is one
Nate Mahoney went to Champaign late last month during
the IHSA football state finals games to receive his award.
Photo Submitted
of the most selfless positions
on the field as players
are putting their body on the
line each play to make sure
the other guys on the field
stay safe.
They do not get the same
recognition as a wide receiver
catching a touchdown
pass, a running back
breaking off a big run, a
defensive back intercepting
a pass or even a defensive
lineman sacking the quarterback.
But Mahoney is fine with
that. He enjoys the selfless
play he and his other linemen
play with and get just
as much excitement out of
a big play or touchdown,
because the offense is just
one big machine with many
working parts.
He said he is going to do
everything he can do to put
a defender in the ground
and make sure the offense
is gaining yards and scoring
touchdowns.
“We’re putting everything
on the line to make
sure guys are getting into
the end zone,” he said. “It’s
an incredible feeling to see
the guys scoring and knowing
that you were a reason
why.”
One person who may be
most grateful for Mahoney’s
services throughout the season
is senior quarterback
Greyson Grimm. Mahoney
literally and figuratively
had his back every play.
At right tackle, Mahoney
was tasked with protecting
Grimm’s blind side and
Grimm never had to worry
about anyone coming off
the edge on that side, he
said.
Grimm said it made his
job much easier with Mahoney
there and senior Martin
Bender at left tackle.
Lincoln-Way West senior offensive lineman Nate Mahoney was one of only three
offensive lineman named All-State by the Illinois Football Coaches Association.
BURNS PHOTOGRAPHY
“It gave me more of a personal
clock,” Grimm said.
“I didn’t have to get the ball
out as fast I would have regular
had to. It gave me a lot
more opportunities to make
a play.”
Grimm earned first-team
All-Conference this season,
but credited Mahoney and
the other guys in front of
him for the honor.
“It meant a lot this year
because it shows that I was
able to help the team,” he
said. “We really had another
impressive season being
8-3. That’s another award
that I like to thank the O-
Line about because I never
had to worry about protection.”
Mahoney has aspirations
to play at the next level,
which is going to happen,
the only question is where.
But one thing is for sure; his
speed has stood out.
At 6-feet-3, 255 pounds,
Mahoney is not quite as
big as some of the successful
lineman that have rolled
through West such as Colin
McGovern or Justin Witt,
but he utilizes his speed better
than anyone.
“He’s a good-sized kid,
but his speed [is what makes
him special],” Ernst said. “I
talked to a college coach
who was looking at him and
he even asked if we sped up
the film a little bit to make
him look quicker and I told
him, ‘no, he’s that fast.’”
Toughness; though, is the
No. 1 thing that stood out to
Ernst in how Mahoney was
deserving of the All-State
honor.
“He has played hurt every
year,” Ernst said. “Sophomore
year broke his femur,
junior year he was recovering
from that and this year
he tore his ACL, MCL and
PCL and both meniscus.
Most happened in one injury,
but he tore his PCL early
in the season and kept playing
with it. He’s physically
tough and even with all
those injuries he was playing
great.”
Mahoney is not the first,
nor will he be the last player
to fight through, what are
usually season-ending injuries,
but that mindset has
become a staple in the Warrior
program. “To do whatever
you have to do to get
out there and be there with
the guys.”
“That type of attitude
goes back to Colin McGovern
and what he did to play
that game against JCA with
three torn ligaments and the
cartilage being shredded,”
Ernst said. “He braced it
up and went. I think when
you see the best player on
Please see Nate, 49