MI Army National Guard Presents MHSAA Events
February 24, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Sharing in the values of leadership, sportsmanship and ethics emphasized by the Michigan High School Athletic Association, the Michigan Army National Guard is serving as the official military branch supporting MHSAA events and digital initiatives through the 2015-16 school year.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer, and soldiers are eligible for educational benefits including state and federal tuition assistance programs, the G.I. Bill and grants at Michigan colleges and universities that combined usually exceed the total cost of tuition, books and fees at most Michigan post-secondary institutions.
The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Monthly and annual summer training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom, or protecting lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
“The National Guard provides opportunities for young men and women to mature into productive citizens,” MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts said. “The emphasis the Guard puts on physical fitness, leadership and doing things the right way parallels what we strive to teach in school sports.”
The Guard has served as presenter of the MHSAA Cross Country Regionals and Finals and Football Playoffs during the fall, and this winter of the MHSAA Wrestling Tournament, which will conclude with the Team Wrestling Finals hosted Feb. 26-27 at Central Michigan University’s McGuirk Arena and the Individual Wrestling Finals scheduled for March 3-5 at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Guard recruiters also have been on-site attending numerous District, Regional and additional Finals events during the first half of the 2015-16 school year.
The Guard also is featured prevalently as part of the MHSAA’s online presence on both MHSAA.com and the MHSAA mobile app, and supports the “Michigan National Guard Performance of the Week” honoring a successful student-athlete on the MHSAA’s Second Half website.
“The Michigan Army National Guard is proud to support the MHSAA and student-athletes across Michigan,” said Lt. Col. Scott L. Meyers, who serves as recruiting and retention battalion commander for the Guard. “The Guard not only plays a key role in our national defense; we have a responsibility to serve our communities during times of state emergencies. As individuals, we are stewards in our communities and have an inherent responsibility to support our community in that role. One way to do this is to encourage student-athletes to live up to the ethics, values, and positive life choices common to the MHSAA and the Michigan Army National Guard.
“The National Guard is actively seeking these student-athletes to join our team. Their dedication combined with our education benefits and leadership training will provide the tools needed for them to become future leaders of Michigan’s communities.”
Click for additional information on the Michigan Army National Guard.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, Napoleon's McCubbins clinch 1st Finals Titles
By
Scott DeCamp
Special for MHSAA.com
October 18, 2025
BIG RAPIDS – The first time was a charm for Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian girls golf coach Myrna Duflo and her freshman daughter, Izzy, at the Lower Peninsula Division 4 Final this weekend at Katke Golf Course.
For Napoleon senior Anna McCubbins, persistence paid off in a major way.
In her first season as NorthPointe Christian’s head coach, Myrna Duflo guided the Mustangs to their first-ever Finals title. Izzy Duflo has been their No. 1 golfer all season and she was again this weekend, placing fourth individually with a two-day total of 166 (78-88).
Meanwhile, McCubbins cruised to her first championship in her fourth Finals appearance by firing a 155 (79-76) in clearing the rest of the field by five strokes.
“It’s awesome. It’s very surreal. I’m still in a little bit of shock about it,” Myrna Duflo said. “It’s my first year coaching it and I have a great group of girls, and they’re the ones that got the job done, not me. They did the hard work – I just encouraged them throughout the day.”
NorthPointe Christian shot 374 on Friday and 371 in soggy, challenging conditions Saturday. The second round was originally scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, but it was bumped to 9 a.m. in hopes of dodging some of the inclement weather before heavy rains forced a postponement to an 11 a.m. start after all.
NorthPointe Christian edged Lansing Catholic by one shot, as the Cougars came oh, so close to their second Finals crown in three years. NorthPointe Christian was runner-up last season, and Lansing Catholic also finished second in 2020 and 2021.
When the dust settled Saturday – or, more appropriately, as the wet course began to dry out a bit – Elk Rapids placed third (753), followed by Montague in fourth (755) and Napoleon fifth (778).
“It feels really good,” Izzy Duflo said as she cradled the championship trophy. “Being a freshman, knowing my team did well throughout the season, I’m happy.”
The word “happy” is not strong enough to describe the emotions McCubbins felt after she sealed the medalist honor. She birdied two of her first four holes Saturday and had three of them in her 4-over-par round.
McCubbins tied for 11th at the Final as a freshman, then placed seventh in both her sophomore and junior seasons.
“Seriously, I’ve dreamed about this moment at least four times,” said McCubbins, who will play next for Saginaw Valley State University. “It’s just such a crazy, surreal experience. Just happy tears, honestly.”
Rounding out the top 10 individual finishers were Bath’s Addilyn Duflo in second (160), Byron’s Adalen Brown third (165), Elk Rapids’ Piper Smith and NorthPointe Christian’s Izzy Duflo tied for fourth (166), Lansing Catholic’s Addi Rule sixth (173), Fowler’s Noelle Krepps seventh (177), NorthPointe Christian’s Natalie Kent eighth (179), Montague’s Cadence Fox ninth (180), and Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central’s Nora Kinsey 10th (182).
A Montague golfer’s bag of clubs went missing Saturday morning. On the driving range during warmups, McCubbins loaned her driver to the Montague golfer.
On top of the goodwill gesture, McCubbins said she felt a sense of fulfillment in capturing the individual title. Her life the past four years has been committed to golf and getting better, she said.
“Golf, it’s such a mental game. Just have a good, mental state the entire day. Stay calm, you know, don’t get super upset. Play with emotion without being emotional, and I feel like I really pulled that off today,” she said. “Especially with the weather being as bad as it was, I’ve had experience playing in bad weather, I know what that’s like, and I think that’s what gave me an advantage.”
NorthPointe’s Aila Ellis (196) and Clara Velting (204) rounded out their team’s top four scorers, while Kezia Beeke shot 221 for the Mustangs.
Beeke, who was one of two seniors on the NorthPointe squad, said that sticking with it and staying together were among the keys for her team.
“We were really encouraged. Coach did a lot of encouragement over the season and over today and yesterday, and I just think that encouragement and just knowing our team is so bonded and we’re so impacted by each other that we really just pushed through and we were able to win,” Beeke said.
“It’s proven that if you know your team well and you were loved and were cared for by your team and you know that, you significantly would do better. That’s what I think makes our team such a good team is because we can love each other well and support each other no matter what happens on the course.”
Izzy Duflo added team bonding and motivating each other also carried the Mustangs, who finished runner-up to Montague in the Regional by one shot.
Myrna Duflo quipped, maybe NorthPointe will win the Regional next year. For now, the Finals championship will suit the Mustangs just fine.
“Next year’s a new year and hopefully we’ll be standing here again,” coach Duflo said. “At the end of the day, this is what we trained for all season, and we’ve worked really hard.”
PHOTOS (Top) NorthPointe Christian's Izzy Duflo tees off during the opening round of the Division 4 Final on Friday. (Middle) Napoleon's Anna McCubbins follows an approach shot Saturday. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene. McCubbins photo submitted by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association.)