Senior Spotlight: McBain NMC’S Lanser Staying Positive After Eventful Senior Campaign

MISportsNow is putting the spotlight on northern Michigan high school senior student-athletes who had their seasons cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

After finishing mid-pack in the Highland Conference, the McBain Northern Michigan Christian girls basketball team made a strong postseason run to a Division 4 regional final before having its season cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The abrupt ending to the 2019-20 campaign was another difficult moment in Anna Lanser’s senior season.

A multi-sport athlete, Lanser was sidelined for the entirety of the 2019 volleyball season due to an ACL injury. That same injury prevented her from being on the basketball court until after the Christmas break.

“I returned pretty much after Christmas break,” she said. “The first basketball game after Christmas break I went in for two minutes at the end.

“Definitely something I’m going to remember forever. We didn’t win a state championship but our last game was a win. So, that’s something I’ll always remember and I fouled out my last game ever and I didn’t even know it.”

In March Lanser was named NMC’s valedictorian for the Class of 2020. She now awaits word if there will be a commencement ceremony and valedictorian speech.

“I’m sure I’ll bring up something about this craziness, because by the time graduation happens we probably won’t have it,” Lanser said. “If it happens I guess we probably won’t have seen each other for like three months or so.”

Although it’s been a roller coaster year for Lanser, she’s found a way to remain positive.

“I think just finding ways, whether it’s helping a teammate or giving words of encouragement or whatever, even when you’re sad or disappointed about all of this,” Lanser said. “Just reaching out to other people, because you know they’re feeling it too, especially right now with the whole coronavirus. We’re helping each other get through it and all of the seniors in Michigan, even the country, are going through this and we’re not alone.”

Lanser will attend Calvin College in the fall and plans to study pre-med.