Stripes Worn Well (Muskegon Chronicle)

March 1, 2012

Tim Flahive has battled diabetes for all but a few years of his life. But he's also filled half of those years with high school sports as a longtime official based in the Muskegon area.

The Muskegon Chronicle's Mark Opfermann tells the story of Flahive's final basketball game last week -- and makes us appreciate even more the significant role our officials fill to no fanfare.

A powerful excerpt:

He left the court with no fanfare, took off his whistle and shed a few tears.

But Flahive's story isn’t just about sports and an official leaving the hobby he loves. It’s about courage, getting back up and pressing on.

So, I guess it’s a lot like sports after all. But it’s a whole lot more about life.

That’s because when Flahive took the court last week, he did it with half of his left foot missing.

Click to read on.

Today in the MHSAA: 10/15/19

October 15, 2019

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Boys Soccer Districts rolled on Monday with a number of championship matchups set, but the biggest headlines were made by a few more league champions crowned in girls golf and cross country.

1. Girls Golf: Harbor Springs – top-ranked in Lower Peninsula Division 4 – shot a 358 and edged LPD1 No. 9 Traverse City West on the fifth-score tie-breaker in an event that doubled as an invite and the Big North Conference Tournament, with the Titans emerging as the BNC champion – Petoskey News-Review

2. Cross Country: The UPD2 top-ranked Ishpeming boys and Westwood girls dominated the individual top-10 standings in their races on the way to claiming team titles at the Mid-Peninsula Conference championship meet – Escanaba Daily Press

3. Boys Soccer: Unionville-Sebewaing and Frankenmuth went through six rounds of a shootout before the Patriots emerged with a Division 3 District win – Huron Daily Tribune

4. Boys Soccer: Ludington advanced in Division 3 with a 2-0 overtime win over Big Rapids – Ludington Daily News

5. Boys Soccer: No. 15 Midland Calvary Baptist won its first MHSAA Tournament game, 4-0 over Alcona in a Division 4 District Semifinal – Midland Daily News

6. Boys Soccer: Lake Orion moved on in Division 1 with a 2-0 win over Utica Eisenhower – Macomb Daily

7. Boys Soccer: No. 6 East Lansing got past St. Johns 2-0 in a Division 2 District Semifinal – Lansing State Journal

8. Boys Soccer: No. 12 New Baltimore Anchor Bay also earned a 2-0 shutout, in Division 1 over Macomb L’Anse Creuse North – Macomb Daily

9. Boys Soccer: Dowagiac moved on in Division 3 with a 3-1 win over Berrien Springs – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

10. Volleyball: Division 3 No. 9 Morley Stanwood swept Big Rapids in its final home match of this season – Big Rapids News

Also of note …

Softball: Muskegon Oakridge coach Joe Coletta stepped down with a 267-122 record over 13 seasons leading the program – Muskegon Chronicle