NorthPointe Pulls Away for Repeat Win, Heineman Caps Career Climb at No. 1
October 17, 2026
BIG RAPIDS – New division? No problem.
Every level of precipitation seemingly short of snow? Just a momentary challenge.
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian was uncatchable this weekend at Katke at Ferris State University, clinching a second-straight MHSAA Finals championship but this time in Lower Peninsula Division 3 after winning Division 4 a year ago.
But after winning last season’s title by one stroke, the Mustangs cleared the field this time by 37, navigating rough weather Friday to build a 14-stroke lead and going seven lower than the next closest team during Saturday’s second round to finish at 356-365-721 for the weekend.
“I honestly at first didn’t think we could do it,” NorthPointe senior Clara Velting said of the move to Division 3 this fall. “But our team pulled it together, and I’m just glad that we could.
“I’m just so glad we could have a great season all together. I just love my team. They were so special, we had a great season, we had so many laughs, so many good times together.”
Sophomore Izzy Duflo finished third to set the pace for the Mustangs, carding scores of 82 both days for a 164 total. Freshman Avery Klein missed the individual top 10 by a stroke, tying for 13th, with junior Aila Ellis and Velting also counting scores for the team champ. Senior Lauryn Graetz rounded out the lineup.
Moving into Division 3 didn’t affect NorthPointe, and the same could be said of its top challengers. Montague finished second and Lansing Catholic third at Katke after placing fourth and second, respectively, in Division 4 last fall.
“I had girls almost in tears. My seniors are in tears, sad because it’s their last day and their love their team and don’t want to leave it,” NorthPointe coach Myrna Duflo said. “At the end of the day, we did everything we were supposed to do. We worked together, we worked as a team. I have a great group of girls, and they came through.”
Detroit Country Day placed fourth this weekend, returning to contention after finishing third a year ago and led again by senior Halle Heineman – who improved from a tie for seventh last fall to finish first this time with a 76-82-158, four strokes ahead of Ionia senior and runner-up Lila Redder.
“I made that last putt, and I started crying. The adrenaline is just so high, and I can’t believe I’m done,” Heineman said. “I’ve dreamt about winning as a team, but individually not really … just a month ago, I was ‘Oh, maybe I can.’ But these past couple of years I’ve put in a lot of work, so it feels good.
“It’s all I could ask for, honestly. It’s perfect.”
(Photos by High School Sports Scene.)
Forest Hills Northern Reigns Again in D2
October 20, 2018
By Jason Schmitt
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING – Tough weather conditions are a golfer’s worst enemy. That’s particularly the case when the pressure is at its peak – like at the MHSAA Finals.
But thanks to a great first day of golf Friday, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern didn’t have to worry about the conditions, as the Huskies relied on their 1-2-3 punch of Kay Zubkus, Lilia Henkel and Anna Fay to cruise to their second consecutive Lower Peninsula Division 2 championship Saturday afternoon on the Forest Akers West course at Michigan State University.
Coach Kent Graves’ Huskies shot a two-day total of 656, beating out regional rival Muskegon Reeths-Puffer (680) by 24 strokes. Zubkus topped Northern with a score of 151. The senior beat out Okemos freshman Allison Cui on the first playoff hole to win the individual title. Both players overcame a four-stroke deficit after the first day, with each shooting a 73 to force their playoff.
“Obviously you want everyone chasing you; it takes a lot of the pressure off, maybe allows us to not press as much as maybe we would be coming from behind,” said Graves, whose team beat out Birmingham Marian for the title a year ago. “So to have that big lead after the first day, it’s tough to beat that.”
Northern fired a team score of 332 Friday afternoon, building a 17-shot advantage over Reeths-Puffer. A week earlier, the Rockets defeated Northern in Regional play, firing a state-best score of 310. But this weekend, the Huskies were just too good.
“Northern played really well (Friday). They came to play,” Reeths-Puffer assistant coach Brennan Hallberg said. “It was windy, not quite like it was today, but their top four girls all had good rounds and unfortunately our top four girls had their worst rounds of the season. We had high hopes for this weekend, but (overcoming) a 17-shot deficit is a tall order.”
Reeths-Puffer entered the tournament ranked No. 1 and was on a roll after winning the Regional title. Despite falling a little short, the Rockets by no means had a bad tournament. Senior Karina VanDuinen shot a 161, good for eighth place for the weekend. Her younger sister, Karlie, had a 168, with senior Avery Howard (172) and junior Abby Fansler (179) also scoring for the team.
Still, it was not enough to prevent the Huskies from winning their second straight – and third overall – Finals title. Henkel fired a 153, which tied for third overall with reigning individual champion Shannon Kennedy of Marian. Fay’s 162 was good for a top-10 finish.
“We won last year, and we graduated five seniors,” Graves said. “Kay, Lilia and Anna were my returners. Those three were the heart and soul of our team this year. We had five girls off the JV team come up, and they taught them how to play. They taught them how to win.”
For Zubkus, the day was extra special. The senior, who finished tied for 10th a year ago, rallied on Saturday to force the playoff with Cui. It was the third time Zubkus had played in a playoff. The first two times did not go so well. The third time was the charm.
“Last year, my good friend (Kennedy) was four shots back going into the second day, and she text me last night and said, ‘Four back’s the number. It’s a good place to be.’
“Today I was just out there trying to put up a score that I was proud of because in past state championships I haven’t really done that. It was pretty miserable out there, but I made the best of it.”
Like all the golfers, Zubkus was able to overcome the weather elements, which at times included sub-40 degree weather, hail and sleet. Twice the golfers were called off the course due to lightning and unplayable course conditions.
Finishing behind Zubkus, Cui, Kennedy and Henkel was Fenton senior Charlotte Cunaud, who shot a 156 to finish fifth overall. Rounding out the top 10 were Cailey Rooker of St. Joseph (158), Mia Sooch of Farmington Hills Mercy (159), VanDuinen, Fay and Hailey Roovers of Birmingham Seaholm (166).
Cui’s runner-up finish helped her Chiefs place third overall at 697. Mercy was fourth (724) and Marian fifth (730). Rounding out the top 10 were Fenton (731), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (733), South Lyon (743), St. Joseph (765) and Petoskey (767).
PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern holds up its championship trophy after a long Saturday in Division 2. (Middle) Okemos’ Allison Cui hits an approach during Friday’s first round. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)