Jake Mangas of Warsaw Community High School was one of 13 recipients of the Cato Scholarship. (File photo by Mike Deak)

INDIANAPOLIS – Warsaw senior Jake Mangas and Plymouth senior Haley Harrell are among a group to receive the prestigious Cato Memorial Scholarship.

The Indiana High School Athletic Association announced this year’s group of 13 senior student‐athletes who will be honored next month with the 2015 C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarship Awards.

These well‐rounded, positive role models have demonstrated excellence in academics, school and community involvement, character, sportsmanship and citizenship.

Each individual will receive a $2,500 scholarship for their prep accomplishments and be recognized on Thursday, April 16, 2015 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis as part of the Brady Sports Achievement Awards established by Methodist
Sports Medicine.

This year’s recipients are:
Haley Harrell, Plymouth HS
Christian Kreiger, Fort Wayne Canterbury HS
Jake Mangas, Warsaw HS
Megan Mannering, Cass HS
Anisah Abdul‐Aleem, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks HS
Josh Brune, Bellmont HS
Lauren Tibbets, Oak Hill HS
Grace James, Perry Central HS
Monica Frauhiger, Norwell HS
Alexandra Lubbe, Shelbyville HS
Eric Moorman, North Decatur HS
Isabelle Ortt, Milan HS
Luke Schepers, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter HS

Harrell has excelled not only in athletics, but also academically. She is ranked fifth in her class of 280 with a 4.3 GPA. As a three‐sport athlete, Haley has earned 11 letters and numerous honors and awards. She has held multiple leadership positions on and off the court, serving as both class president and varsity volleyball captain all four years; she was also named varsity basketball captain during her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons as well. Furthermore, Haley is an active member of the Fraternal Order of Police #195, which organizes “Shop with a Cop” during the Christmas season and “Pack‐A‐Backpack” for kids to receive school supplies. She is the daughter of Julie Harrell.

Mangas is ranked first in his graduating class of 2014 with a 4.48 GPA. While at Warsaw, Jake earned six varsity letters while participating on the football and basketball teams. He was a captain in both sports and was selected as an Indiana Academic All‐star in football. Jake is also a member of the National Honors Society, is the president of the KEYS club, and helped create the Warsaw community fundraiser of “Hoops for Homework”, which raises funds for the Baker Youth Club. Aside from community and athletic involvement, he is an active member of the Business Professionals of America and competes on Warsaw’s Financial Analyst Team. Jake is the son of Tim and Ann Mangas.

Each student completed and submitted a formal application and had to meet certain criteria to qualify including: 1) be enrolled and participating in interscholastic athletics at an IHSAA member school during this school year; 2) be a senior at an IHSAA member
school who will graduate this school year; 3) win a varsity letter as an athlete in at least one of the 20 IHSAA‐sanctioned athletic programs; 4) be nominated by the school’s principal or athletic director; 5) carry a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00
on a 4.00 scale or the equivalent; 6) have no violations of the school’s athletic code of conduct.

More than 100 applications were received from across the state and a blue ribbon panel of six individuals decided upon the final recipients. They are: Quinn Buckner, Vice President, Communications, Pacers Sports & Entertainment; Joe Fonderoli, Director of
Special Events, Indianapolis Colts; Bob Gardner, Executive Director, National Federation of State High School Associations; Rich Nye, Eyewitness Sports Reporter, WTHR Channel 13; Dick Rea, Director of Communications, Methodist Sports Medicine; Bobby Cox,
Commissioner, Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc.

The scholarship program is named in tribute to the late former Commissioner C. Eugene Cato who led the IHSAA from 1983 to 1995 and also served as assistant commissioner from 1976 to 1983. “Gene’s” passion for athletics and his belief in the intrinsic value of
athletic competition on the formation of a child’s character enabled Gene to positively impact generations of young men and women with his well‐known “Firm, Fair, and Friendly” approach to caring for others. He passed away in 2008.

Since 2003‐04, the IHSAA has recognized 139 outstanding student‐athletes with scholarships totaling $347,500.

Honored guests for the 2015 Brady Sports Achievement Awards are Lou Holtz, ESPN College Football Analyst and former football coach at the University of Notre Dame and; and Buckner, who also serves as Television Analyst for the Indiana Pacers and is an
Olympic, NBA and NCAA champion. Holtz will serve as the keynote speaker for the evening.

The Methodist Sports Medicine Research and Education Foundation also will honor four Indiana high school and college student athletes that have overcome injury or hardship with Comeback Awards including Abigayle Burns of Carroll High School in Flora and
Dylan Shumaker of Bremen High School.