All Saints Celebrates on Big Screen
July 31, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Forty years ago, Bay City All Saints brought its hometown the first of two straight MHSAA boys basketball championships – which continue to stand as the only ones won by a Bay City school.
As part of the Class of 1974’s 40-year reunion this weekend, organizers will show the broadcast of that 71-59 victory over Detroit Servite in the Class C Final, on Friday at the downtown State Theater.
The team was coached by Russell “Lefty” Franz, who sits 14th in MHSAA boys basketball coaching history with 545 wins (545-215) at All Saints, Bay City St. Stanislaus and Pinconning achieved from 1953-1991. All Saints repeated as Class C champion under Franz in 1975 with a 79-69 win over Cassopolis.
The Bay City Times caught up today with three starters from that team who are expected to return for the showing of the game. Click to read more.
Rooting for Haske
Northern Michigan basketball fans and supporters from all over are cheering on Traverse City St. Francis boys basketball coach Keith Haske, who is battling throat cancer and seeking treatment in Houston, according to a report by the Petoskey News.
Haske has coached three boys teams to MHSAA Class C runner-up finishes – St. Francis in 2012 and Charlevoix in 2004 and 2001, and also coached at St. Johns prior to taking the Rayders job in 1998. He also coached the Charlevoix girls team to a Class C runner-up finish in 2004.
Click to read more about Haske and how to donate to his treatment.
Thanks, Gary Hice
The MHSAA welcomed 43 new athletic directors to East Lansing today for training as they take over their schools’ athletic departments.
An athletic director we’ll certainly miss is Petoskey’s Gary Hice.
Hice – an MHSAA Allen W. Bush Award winner in 2002 for his contributions to high school athletics – has retired after 30 years as his school’s athletic director.
Click to read more, again from the Petoskey News, about Hice’s service to his school and community.
PHOTO: The Bay City All Saints Class of 1974 reunion this weekend will include a showing of the boys basketball team’s Class C championship game win over Detroit Servite.
What's My Why: Official Mike Pereira
August 13, 2026
Mike Pereira, Sacramento (Calif.)
Pereira is a former college and NFL football official who later became vice president of officiating for the National Football League. He is currently the head of officiating for the United Football League, and since 2010 has served as a rules analyst for Fox Sports and become one of the leading voices for officials, offering insight to TV audiences which had never been provided before his work.
He also is the founder of Battlefields to Ballfields, a national foundation that provides military veterans with scholarships, training, and mentorship to become sports officials, helping them reintegrate into their communities through the camaraderie of officiating. Pereira was the opening speaker at Officiate Michigan Day in July.
I didn’t want to officiate when they first came to me.
I said, “No.”
I said, “My dad had officiated. I don’t have any desire to.”
And they said, “Well why?”
And I said, “Because I don’t.”
“Because your dad officiated.”
“Maybe that’s it.”
I used to go to games and watch him get yelled at. And then they said, “It’s $10 a game. Three games. Thirty dollars, cash.”
I was a college student with no money. I said, “Yeah, I always thought I wanted to officiate.” And out I went. And it was kind of interesting, that first quarter of the first game, that first Pop Warner game, the parents are yelling at me, I didn’t know what I was doing, little kids running around.
And it was like somebody injected me with adrenaline. I found my passion in life.
As stupid as that maybe sounds, I found my passion in life. Thirty dollars is what I started to work for.
“What’s My Why” is a weekly feature telling the stories of MHSAA-registered officials in their own words. If you’re an MHSAA official and would like to share your reason why, please submit a 15 to 45-second video, taken horizontally, to director of officials Sam Davis at [email protected].
What's My Why
Aug. 5: Dino Paganelli, Wyoming - Watch
Aug. 3: Stacy Smith, Caledonia - Watch
July 22: Jason Nickleby, Lake Elmo, Minn. - Watch
July 15: Sam Davis, Lansing - Watch
July 9: Candace Cox, Quincy - Watch
July 1: Robert Williams, Redford - Watch
June 24: Will Godfrey, Jackson - Watch
June 19: Jarrett Skorup, Midland - Watch
June 12: Brady Driver, Sturgis - Watch
June 8: Cindy Tyzo, West Bloomfield - Watch
June 3: Jeff Spedoske, DeWitt - Watch
June 1: Mike Carrier, Commerce Township - Watch
May 27: Stan Wright, Warren - Watch
May 26: Murray Rose, Zeeland - Watch
May 22: Mike VanLaan, Alto - Watch
May 18: Clint Abbott, Newaygo - Watch