Lowell junior Evan Stanley took a deep breath and made a beeline for his parents in the stands. That’s how the Cornell commit celebrated after winning a state title on Saturday. It was a fitting moment for a wrestler whose passion for the sport is exceeded only by his love for his family. “They were pumped,” Stanley said. “This is a tournament I’ve grown up wanting to be a part of, and for them, too, it’s a dream come true. They got to watch their son win a state title. “They’ve done so much throughout the years. I wanted to win for myself, but gratitude was shown when I won too. My result showed them how appreciative I was, and I didn’t have to say anything for them to understand that. Winning was my thank-you to them.” Stanley (46-3), who won the state title in the 138-pound weight class with a 9-8 decision over New Castle’s Tylin Thrine at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, has longed for that moment. He first stepped onto a mat when he was 4 years old, even if he didn’t understand what it meant at the time. “I thought it was WWE,” he said, laughing. “I was really excited for that. Then I found out it wasn’t WWE, and I was like, ‘Man, what am I doing here?’ “But my parents have taken me to high school state every year since I was that age. I’ve been watching role models win it my whole life. So it was actually a childhood dream come true this weekend. It was awesome.” Stanley’s other role models include his parents, Joe and Shannon; his sisters, Haven and Leia; Lowell coach Kevin English; and coaches Andrew Howe and Alex Tsirtsis. Tsirtsis, in particular, was one of the wrestlers Stanley idolized when he was growing up. Tsirtsis, a former four-time state champion who compiled a 236-0 record at Griffith, was the reason Stanley attended Mount Carmel in Chicago, where Tsirtsis is the coach. As a freshman, Stanley went 40-8 and finished fourth in the state at 132. But Stanley’s nights spent away from his family brought him back home for his sophomore year. Since returning to Lowell, he has picked up where he left off, winning 88 of 92 matches in the past two seasons, and after a narrow semifinal loss that led to a third-place finish at the 2025 state meet, he has secured his place in Lowell history. Lowell's Evan Stanley jogs under a state championship banner during a practice on campus on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Stanley won a state title three days later. (John Smierciak / Post-Tribune) Stanley’s far from done, however. “I want to win the Ironman next year — that and become an undefeated high school state champ,” he said. Stanley joined teammate Kameron Hazelett, a sophomore who pinned New Prairie’s James Hartleroad to win his second state title at 285 on Saturday. Chesterton’s Maximus Quiroz (126) and Crown Point’s Clinton Shepherd (150) and Ceasar Salas (215) also won state titles, and Crown Point and Lowell finished third and fourth, respectively in the team standings. “Our Lowell history has been so amazing,” English said. “Going through it, looking at guys like (Nathan) Cleveland, Bobby Howard, (Marcus) Schontube, (Drew) Hughes, (Colton) Cummings, all wrestlers who paved the way in Lowell wrestling until now, and now Evan and Kameron are the future. They’re laying down the foundation. “These are kids who should have aspirations to do well at the next level, and I think they’re going to spark our youth and the next generation of Lowell athletes.” Hazelett (42-2), who has a chance to become a four-time state champion, said it was difficult to compete against a friend like Hartleroad. But Hazelett had someone else on his mind. “The care comes from me wanting to win for my grandpa,” he said. “He’s done everything for me. Because he does all this stuff for me, I figured this is something I can give him that he would appreciate.” Family is a common theme in the program. “I love these kids,” English said. “I do this because I love the sport and I want to see them do great things on and off the mat. But the biggest thing is seeing them be successful off the mat and how they carry themselves. They’re such good kids when it comes to treating others the right way and giving back to the sport. “Kameron is like family. Evan is like family. They can call me anytime. That’s how wrestlers are. We build a bond that’s forever. We can not see each other for five, 10 years, and wind up back in each other’s lives like we never skipped a beat.” Noah Poser is a freelance reporter. ...read more read less