Student Spotlight: Chris Mantis
Sophomore Chris Mantis has grown up in an athletic, sports-loving family. His older brother Nick (class of 2017) was a well-known basketball player at Lowell, but Chris is by no means riding in his brother’s coat tail.
Mantis has been playing basketball since he was 4 years old, and at 9 he realized he was passionate about the sport and wanted to play it for a long time. Since then, he’s been a standout player on every team he’s played because of his court presence and skill.
Today, Mantis leads the Lowell team by averaging 19 points per game, and nearly 9 rebounds per game. He’s already proving to be a leader at the varsity level, despite only being a sophomore. At six fee, six inches tall, he’s a threat in the paint, and from the outside. This season, Mantis believes his biggest improvements have been in his confidence and his on ball defense.
The sectional tournament is approaching soon, and the team has a good shot of capturing a sectional champion title. “The strengths our team will bring to sectionals is our length, intensity, and hustle,” Mantis said.
His goal throughout high school is to win a sectional championship. Best of luck to Mantis throughout the rest of his season!
What’s Happened:
From January 31 to February 2, a group of students went on the annual Cultural Crawl trip, visiting multiple colleges and museums throughout Michigan. “The Cultural Crawl exposed me to experiences I wouldn’t otherwise have had. I’m grateful that I went,” said senior Liam Collins of the trip.
In academic updates, the AP All State teams were announced, and a few of the Lowell Football players have received the honor. Defensive End Blake Jansky was named 4A AP All-State First Team. Chandler Austgen, Nate Gard, and John Alessia were named Honorable Mention All-State.
Lheanna Anderson, Natalie Kotlin, Breanne Gatlin, and Brooke Otis were named Lowell High School’s Indiana Rising Stars. Rising Stars of Indiana is a non-competitive recognition program, designed to honor high school juniors for their academic achievements.
Football player Brandon Chocholek was named Region Sports Berey Brothers Blue Collar Player of the Year.
In other sports news, the Girl’s Swim Team had a tremendous performance at sectionals, shattering multiple records. The 200 free relay team of Carly Weller, Morgan Blank, Anabel Stein, and Elisabeth Vaught broke the school record and qualified for the state championship meet.
What’s Coming Up:
After an impressive performance at the Regional Competition, seven wrestlers will be advancing to Semi State. Andres Moreno and Bryer Stoner received first place titles in their weight classes.
On January 26, 40 of Lowell High School’s band students competed in the ISSMA solo and ensemble contest, taking place at Munster High School. All performing students received either a gold or silver rating. Additionally, 10 of these students qualified for ISSMA state.
Freshmen orientation is February 6 in the Lowell High School auditorium. There will be student led tours, meetings with clubs, and an informational presentation. This is a great outlet for incoming freshmen to prepare for their transition into high school.
Winter Turnabout is from 7-10, February 9. Tickets are being sold during lunch for $15 each. The National Honor Society is hosting a bake sale at the dance! Speaking of, National Honor Society induction is taking place February 20. All juniors who have been accepted into the program will be formally inducted on this night.