Amid 2020 Woes, Duba Assist Unforgettable
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
December 30, 2020
GRAND RAPIDS – Nearly two months have passed since Maggie Duba received acclaim for an unselfish act of kindness at the end of the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Girls Cross Country Finals.
Duba, a Grand Rapids West Catholic junior, sacrificed her time and position in the eventual race standings to help a fallen fellow competitor make it to the finish line.
It was an uplifting moment during an unprecedented year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m really surprised at the attention it has received, and I wasn’t thinking at all like the news is going to see this, but I’m glad it did and everyone has said how it was needed in 2020,” Duba said. “It shows the good that can come out of sports, and it’s just another reason for me to be thankful that I was able to run this season.”
Duba was heading down the final stretch of her race Nov. 6 at Michigan International Speedway when she saw Remus Chippewa Hills junior Sarah Storey in anguish.
Storey had fallen to her knees, struggling mightily to rise back up and continue.
“I remember coming around the curve, and I was on the straightaway when my legs started to give out a little bit,” Storey said. “I was determined to try and make it to the end as best I could, but I really couldn't move my legs anymore and then I finally went down.
“After that it was a struggle to get back up, and I was thinking maybe I could crawl or something. I was stuck until Maggie came along.”
After a rough start to the race, Duba had found her form in the second mile and headed into the stadium looking to make a strong closing push.
That’s when she noticed Storey. The pair were about 15-20 yards from the finish.
“I was trying to pass as many people and still get a good time,” Duba said. “I saw her down, and it was just kind of instinct to go right up to her and pick her up. I’ve seen it before in the Olympics, and I guess seeing that made me think that I needed to do that, too. I threw my goal of having my best race out the window because helping her was more important.”
Duba didn’t hesitate, and aided Storey by helping her up and offering encouraging words.
“She did not want to get up so I had to talk to her a little bit and slowly pulled her up and helped her,” Duba said. “The time is still ticking, and the girls I had worked hard on passing were passing me. I did notice that, but I didn't stop helping her.
“I just kept walking with her when she was up and got her running, and when she was running a little bit I slowly let go so she could finish on her own and I ran to the finish a little bit ahead of her.”
Duba was determined to make sure Storey also completed the race.
“I told her that you can’t not finish right now,” Duba said. “She had pushed so hard like everyone there racing, and anyone who has had that great of a finish deserves to finish that race, especially when she was so close to finishing. I was glad that I was able to help her because if she wasn’t able to finish then that would've been really sad, especially this year.”
Unforgettable finish
Although disorientated at the time, Storey vaguely remembered what Duba told her.
“From what I remember, she kind of said, ‘Come on, you can do this, you didn’t come this far not to finish.’ She just really tried to encourage me and convince me to get up and everything,” Storey said. “For me it was a big reminder of how sports are a lot bigger than just how fast you can run or how well you can do. It’s the people that make the sport, and I think what Maggie did showed a lot of people that, including myself.
“I think sometimes, especially at the state finals, you are concerned about your place or your time, but sometimes it’s not about that. It’s about the people you can help instead of just your finish.
Storey collapsed after crossing the finish line, and was taken to an ambulance. She was treated for about 20 minutes and then released.
“It was actually kind of weird because nothing like that had ever happened to me before,” Storey said. “They checked my vitals and everything and they thought about giving me an IV because they thought I might be dehydrated. They didn’t give me anything, and I went home that night and laid low and recovered the next couple days. I was pretty tired.”
Storey visited her doctor a few days later.
“They said it was a fluke thing,” she said. “It might’ve been a combination of a couple things that weren't quite right and they all came together on the same day. It might've been the heat because it was a little warmer than normal for November that day. It really was the perfect storm.”
West Catholic cross country coach Noreen Duba, Maggie’s mother, watched the entire ordeal unfold from the infield while taking pictures.
At the time, she was unsure if it was her daughter who had helped the fallen runner.
“I could see that someone had fallen, and she had helped them up. I got a little panicky at that point,” Noreen Duba said. “I saw her help her up, but I was running along behind the cement walls to get there and I didn’t see the complete finish. I didn’t see Maggie let her go and let Sarah finish on her own. Then we lost track of Sarah.”
The Dubas left the race not knowing the name of the girl, which school she attended or her condition.
“I didn’t know what happened to her, and I was going to go home and look at the results and try to find someone from a school that had a red uniform to see who this girl was and what happened,” Noreen Duba said.
A mutual friend from a cross country camp who was at the meet had seen the finish and recognized Maggie Duba.
Ironically, he went to Remus Chippewa Hills, and the coach called later that night to give an update. Noreen Duba and Storey’s mother, Beth, talked the next day.
Noreen Duba, who became emotional after the race, wondered what she would’ve done with a similar circumstance.
“I’m glad that Maggie did that, and I said to my assistant coach, ‘In that oxygen-deprived state, running hard toward the finish, focusing on that finish, would I have done the right thing?’” she said. “I was very proud and impressed by Maggie because that was her instinct. There wasn’t a thought process.
“Maggie stopped and helped her ,and I think I would’ve done that because that’s the way I’ve raised my kids and how I coach my team. You would do the right thing. Nothing is as important as helping somebody in need. I was really glad and relieved that she did that because you hate to see that happen.”
Maggie Duba, in her second straight trip to the Finals, finished the race in 20 minutes, 43.2 seconds and was 93rd. Storey was 98th (20:46.69). At the time Storey fell, she was among a pack that would go on to place in the mid-70s, while Duba’s group at the time was about 10 seconds behind and would place in the 80s.
Cartwheels up
After Maggie Duba’s show of sportsmanship, she displayed a unique move upon crossing the finish line: She did a cartwheel … sort of.
“It wasn’t as great as I thought it was going to be because I was so tired,” Maggie Duba said. “I did that, and it was awful and embarrassing and I looked really dumb, but I did it for my teammates who came to support me.”
Maggie Duba was alone at the meet after West Catholic missed out on qualifying as a team. However, her teammates made the long trip to watch her run and challenged her to do something different at the end.
“They dared me to do that because my friend and I had been working on our handstands all season and she wanted me to walk on my hands across,” Duba said. “There was no way I was doing that, but I did the cartwheel and they thought it was hilarious and they were so glad I did it. They were waiting all race for me to do that so I’m glad I did it for them because they were really happy.”
Duba and Storey hope to return to the Finals next year as seniors. Storey said she learned valuable lessons from her experience.
“I have a little more perspective about how deep the sport can really go and how many people it can reach,” she said. “It just makes me excited to finish out my senior year of cross country and see how I can impact other people by what I’ve learned through this experience.”
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for four years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Grand Rapids West Catholic’s Maggie Duba, right, encourages Remus Chippewa Hills’ Sarah Storey while helping Storey complete their Division 2 Final on Nov. 6 at Michigan International Speedway. (Middle) Duba, upon finding Storey on the ground about 15-20 yards from the finish line, assists her to her feet and guides her the rest of the race. (Below) Storey, left, and Duba approach the finish. (Click for more from RunMichigan.com.)
Scholars & Athletes 2020: Class A
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 17, 2020
The Michigan High School Athletic Association has selected 12 student-athletes from Class A member schools to receive scholarships through the MHSAA/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award program.
Farm Bureau Insurance, in its 31st year of sponsoring the award, will give $1,000 college scholarships to 32 individuals who represent their member schools in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament. The first 30 scholarships are awarded proportionately by school classification and the number of student-athletes involved in those classes; also, there are two at-large honorees who can come from any classification.
Students applying for the Scholar-Athlete Award must be carrying at least a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average and have previously won a letter in a varsity sport in which the Michigan High School Athletic Association sponsors a postseason tournament. Other requirements for the applicants were to show active participation in other school and community activities and produce an essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.
Each of the scholarship recipients will be honored at a halftime ceremony during the Division 3 Boys Basketball Final, March 28, at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing. Commemorative medallions will be given to the finalists in recognition of their accomplishments.
The Class A Scholar-Athlete Award honorees are: Ericka Asmus, Marquette; Lucy Borski, Holland West Ottawa; Morgan Cooper, Hartland; Kylie Ray, Pinckney; Elizabeth Saunders, Traverse City Central; Kayla Wolma, Hudsonville; Logan Canada, Fenton; DJ Dixon, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice; Malcolm Gaynor, Portage Northern; Tej Kothari, Jenison; Brandon Liu, Northville; and Anish Middha, Midland Dow.
Ericka Asmus, Marquette
Ran four seasons of cross country and participated in track & field as a freshman. Finished runner-up at Upper Peninsula Division 1 Cross Country Final twice and as league champion in that sport three seasons. Also is a three-time participant in Nordic skiing Junior Nationals. Served as team captain in cross country and earned academic all-state three years. Participating in third year of National Honor Society and school’s environmental club, serving as co-president of the environmental club for the second year. Spoke on environmental issues at Lake Superior Youth Symposium and Northern Michigan University Climate Strike. Also participates in math club and volunteered two years on local farm. Finalizing her college plans but intends to study materials engineering.
Essay Quote: “Far too often, not just in sports but in life, I see people forgetting the things they have in common with their ‘enemy.’ I’ve heard coaches yell ‘The Marquette girl looks terrible; you can pass her,’ degrading me to lift their runners up. I have learned from my running coach that competing is only worth it when I see my opponents as fellow humans, rather than people to defeat.”
Lucy Borski, Holland West Ottawa
Playing third season of varsity basketball, played three of varsity golf and will play her fourth of varsity soccer this spring. Earned all-area honors in soccer and golf and was part of academic all-state team honors in all three sports. Captained both golf and basketball teams and serves as member of Student Athlete Leadership Council. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and fourth as part of school’s LINKS mentorship program. Participated three years in Young Life. Serving as coach for youth basketball and soccer and First Tee golf school chapter, and also officiates youth hoops and served two years as site supervisor for Holland Charter Township baseball park. Serving as fundraiser and co-host for school’s “Senior Survivor” program that raises money for students in need. Finalizing her college plans but intends to study biology.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship during games is important, but it is more important off the field or the court. … Sometimes while watching/playing sports the only thing that matters at that moment is whether you win or lose. However, it comes down to being just a game.”
Morgan Cooper, Hartland
Participating in fourth season of competitive cheer and also has participated in four of sideline cheer. Will play third season of varsity lacrosse this spring. Earned all-league and all-region honors in competitive cheer and served as captain of both cheer teams. Helped competitive cheer team to MHSAA Finals in 2019 and lacrosse team to three Regional championships including after joining varsity for postseason as freshman. Earned academic all-state recognition every year of high school and served as part of student leadership group and representative to Kensington Lakes Activities Association Leadership Summit. Participating in third year of National Honor Society and second of student council. Also participated on school Honor Guard for 2019 graduation ceremony and this school year and is part of promotion team for school’s Special Olympics Project Unified program. Previously participated in 4-H, earning awards in animal showmanship, writing and photography, and earned a Bronze Award in Girls Scouts. Will attend University of Michigan and study biochemistry in pursuit of a career in oncology.
Essay Quote: “The concepts of being a good sportsman apply on and off the field, during practices, and ultimately in everyday life. Whether you are the best on the field, or the most energetic on the bench, each person plays a critical role in team success.”
Kylie Ray, Pinckney
Played three seasons of varsity volleyball and will participate in fourth of track & field this spring. Earned all-region recognition in both sports and qualified for MHSAA Finals in track as a junior. Helped track team to league championship. Earned individual and was part of team academic all-state honors. Served as captain of both teams and selected to attend Southeastern Conference Leadership Conference. Competed at 2017 indoor national meet as part of distance medley relay. Participating in fourth year of class council and this year as treasurer. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and first as part of Link Crew that assists freshmen in transition to high school; previously served on school improvement team. Earned awards as part of duet and full orchestra at state solo and ensemble competitions. Teaching third year of religious education classes. Will attend University of Findlay and study physical therapy.
Essay Quote: “In any competition, there will be a winner and a loser, but the true value is that everyone (is) doing their best, learning through the process, and supporting each other. Regardless of the sport, good teammates are the ones who work hard to help others succeed. They help other athletes reach their goals while striving to reach their own goals.”
Elizabeth Saunders, Traverse City Central
Competing in fourth season of Alpine skiing and is a three-year varsity rower; also played freshman volleyball. Earned all-state in skiing and has helped team to three top-three MHSAA Finals finishes; also raced as part of winning Michigan team in Eastern Championship. Competed in rowing junior nationals and won USRowing National Regatta inclusive double championship with partner who is blind. Served as captain of rowing club and freshman volleyball team. Won national Congressional App Challenge and Northwestern Michigan Engineering Fair for development of CalcuSaver app, and created her own startup company for app development and tech repair. Founded and serves as president of TechGirls group that helps women and minorities pursue STEM education. Participating in second year with school’s Key Club and as president of school’s SciMaTech accelerated STEM program student council. Participating in fourth year of Model United Nations. Worked with local township and regional land conservancy to create monarch butterfly habitat. Will attend Stanford University and study computer science and business.
Essay Quote: “Sportsmanship reflects the fair(ness) and generosity among competitors in a sport. … Because of equal opportunity, students and athletes are able to pursue their interests and passions.”
Kayla Wolma, Hudsonville
Played varsity golf, subvarsity basketball and will play her fourth season of varsity tennis this spring. Earned all-league honors in tennis and played at MHSAA Finals as a junior. Will serve as tennis team captain this upcoming season. Participating in second year of National Honor Society, and selected and participated in three-week geology field study at various national parks as part of Summer Science Institute. Earned $5,000 UGive grand prize and helped raise more than $10,000 total for Wes Leonard Foundation for purchase of AEDs for schools. Participated in mission work in Flint and Detroit. Serves as Sunday School leader and volunteer youth tennis instructor. Will attend Hope College and study business with a minor in exercise science through Hope's professional tennis management program.
Essay Quote: “My goal is to be like Wes Leonard: I want to be that person who brings teams together, who is polite on the court, and is someone who doesn't cheat or thrive on shortcuts. To be a winner on the court is rewarding, but what truly defines a person is living a life full of integrity and selflessness.”
Logan Canada, Fenton
Ran three seasons of cross country and will participate in third season of track & field this spring. Ran at MHSAA Cross Country Finals and earned all-region and all-league honors; also earned academic all-state twice in that sport. Served two seasons as cross country captain and will serve second as track captain this upcoming season. Received AP Scholar with Distinction and took math classes at University of Michigan as part of non-degree dual enrollment. Participating in second year of National Honor Society and chaired chapter’s local Freedom Festival event. Earned championship in Flint Metro League math/science competition. Founded Fenton Conservative American Student Association and participated in state representative election campaign. Serving as CEO of student-directed clothing company. Serves as soccer official and has refereed Michigan State Cup and received invitations to officiate in Midwest Regional League and National Premier League. Finalizing college plans but intends to study biomedical or chemical engineering.
Essay Quote: “Life is one convoluted competition; hence, just like any competition, demonstrating sportsmanship makes it more fun, more learning-intensive, more malleable. Indisputably, sportsmanship is an essential characteristic that high school athletes learn, apply, and develop through high school athletics.”
DJ Dixon, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice
Playing second season of varsity hockey and will play fourth of varsity lacrosse in the spring. Helped lacrosse team to two MHSAA Finals championships and hockey team to Semifinals appearance. Earned all-state in both sports and serving as hockey captain this winter. Serving as student body vice president and participating in second year of National Honor Society. Serving also as Brother Rice Band of Brothers captain and selected by faculty as student leader for Kairos student retreat program. Volunteering for fourth year with Southeast Oakland Shelter, recruiting other student volunteers and organizing athletic activities for homeless children, and Angel’s Place assisting residents with developmental disabilities. Finalizing what he will pursue academically, but will attend Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
Essay Quote: “That night, both teams displayed nothing but respect for each other. Despite our different backgrounds and levels of experience with sport, we were all just high school athletes that wanted to enjoy a meal together. Phone numbers were exchanged, pictures were shared, and a real sense of comradery was felt. I think that’s what sportsmanship is all about — bringing communities together.”
Malcolm Gaynor, Portage Northern
Played two seasons of varsity soccer, two seasons of subvarsity basketball and will play his third season of varsity baseball this spring. Earned all-state in baseball and helped team to last season’s Division 1 championship while also serving as a captain. Named National Merit Scholarship semifinalist and participating in second year of National Honor Society. Earned various honors for student journalism as part of his school student news website, including an all-state honorable mention for column writing, serving previously as sports editor and currently as editor-in-chief. Volunteering as youth baseball trainer and for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Previously volunteered as Link Crew and YWCA children’s mentor and for a U.S. Senate election campaign. Finalizing his course of study but will attend Kenyon College in Ohio.
Essay Quote: “I had always been a hard worker and an individually driven person, but I now know these traits aren't what set apart championship teams. Championship teams have a culture where good sportsmanship is expected. We don’t wallow in our mistakes. We support and encourage, elevating each other to bounce back and work even harder when faced with challenges.”
Tej Kothari, Jenison
Playing fourth season of varsity hockey and played two seasons of varsity tennis. Also played junior varsity soccer and golf. Served as tennis team captain this past fall. Earned AP Scholar designation and a Congressional Award Bronze Medal. Participating in third year of student council, and as vice president, and second year of National Honor Society and on his chapter’s executive board. Participating in third year of DECA and is a past state finalist. Serving fourth year as board member for Jenison Equity Task Force. Volunteering for West Michigan Special Hockey Association, Grand Rapids Junior Sled Wings, and founded and organized annual crayon drive for Women at Risk International. Will attend University of Michigan and major in pre-medical studies.
Essay Quote: “As a younger athlete, sports were all about winning and losing. I was always a good teammate, but I never thought about being a good opponent. It wasn’t until high school that I began to see through the wins and the losses to a bigger picture. … As I am wrapping up my high school athletic career, I now recognize that winning is not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is inclusivity, working toward a common goal while respecting the sport, your fellow athlete, and yourself.”
Brandon Liu, Northville
Competing in fourth season of wrestling, ran four of cross country and will participate in third varsity season of track & field this spring. Also participated in subvarsity soccer and is in third season of varsity rowing. Competed in MHSAA Finals in cross country and track and earned all-state in latter; also qualified for Regionals in wrestling and rowing state competition. Earned academic all-state in cross country and track. Serving second season as wrestling captain and previously served on school’s Mustang Leadership Council. Earned AP Scholar with Distinction award. Serving fourth year as historian of Wayne County Youth Council and participating in second year of National Honor Society. Qualified for state and national competitions as part of DECA and HOSA Future Health Professionals teams. Earned medals in international Wushu Chinese martial arts competitions and instructs locally. Playing third year as part of Michigan Philharmonics Youth Orchestra and is first chair for viola. Received multiple President’s Volunteer Service Awards and Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award. Finalizing post-graduation plans but has received appointments to the U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy.
Essay Quote: “To me, sportsmanship is being respectful – no matter win or lose. I strive to exemplify proper sportsmanship despite the outcome. I try to always talk with my opponent about his season. Consequently, I have made friends from all types of teams.”
Anish Middha, Midland Dow
Played four seasons of varsity tennis, earning all-state all four seasons and helping team to MHSAA Finals championship as a freshman and runner-up finish as a sophomore. Served as team captain last two seasons. Earned AP Scholar with Distinction award and participating in second year of National Honor Society. Serving fourth year on Midland County Youth Action Council and as president, and has managed distribution of more than $100,000 in grants. Served as logistics chair for two years for Midland County Youth Leadership program. Participating in fourth year of DECA and served two years as club president; earned state championship in automotive services marketing and ranked among top 15 percent internationally. Earned Paderewski national gold medal for piano and is four-time state Student Achievement Testing competition semifinalist. Co-founded school safety initiative that integrates bulletproof panels with door-locking mechanisms. Will attend University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and study finance and economics.
Essay Quote: “Though initially difficult, I’ve developed a drastically different attitude towards athletics. In lieu of self-criticism during matches, I’ve exhibited fortitude and value of my competitors’ abilities. A simple “Nice shot!” can go a long way in a system that often glorifies wins over efforts.”
Other Class A girls finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Alexandra Montgomery, Ann Arbor Huron; Lydia Valtadoros, Ann Arbor Pioneer; Lara Janosz, Bloomfield Hills; Madelyn Crandell, Byron Center; Brenna Bailey, Haslett; Kaitlyn Stid, Holland; Mónica Ruiz, Holly; Eliza Alushi, Livonia Stevenson; Sasha Konovalenko, Midland Dow; Maddie Sermak, Okemos; Anusha Tekumulla, Port Huron Northern; Jayne Flynn, Richland Gull Lake; Grace Foster, Richland Gull Lake; Raegan McNamara, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek; Rachel Gamm, Rockford; Erin Middleton, St. Johns; Shaelie McClain, Troy Athens; and Lauren Tarnowsky, Waterford Mott.
Other Class A boys finalists for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Vaughn Hajra, Ann Arbor Pioneer; Owen Rennich, Ann Arbor Pioneer; Skyler Sebring, Battle Creek Lakeview; Vikram Strander, Battle Creek Lakeview; Jack Spamer, Brighton; Nate Sesti, Clarkston; Caleb White, Detroit Catholic Central; Luke Sayler, Dexter; George Graham, Grosse Pointe North; Nathaniel Holcomb, Haslett; Jonah Gilmore, Holland; Shadrach Cunningham, Lansing Waverly; Sean Anderson, Midland Dow; Saketh Kamaraju, Midland Dow; Ben Boss, Saginaw Heritage; Peter Apostol, St. Johns; Davis DiGiovanni, Troy Athens; and Ethan Price, Warren Cousino.
The Class C and D scholarship award recipients were announced Feb. 4, and the Class B honorees were announced Feb. 11.
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The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,500 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.