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: 10/29/18

October 29, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.

Lower Peninsula cross country teams ran for their chance to compete at this weekend’s Finals at Michigan International Speedway – with at least a pair of first-time Regional champs in the sport – and the final boys soccer Regional titles were awarded over the weekend as well. (We didn’t find coverage, but in addition to three shown below, Hudsonville Unity Christian and Burton Genesee Christian also moved on to this week’s soccer Semifinals.)

1. Cross Country: The Division 3 No. 15 Bloomingdale girls and No. 10 Berrien Springs boys won their first Regional cross country titles – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

2. Cross Country: The No. 3 Brighton boys won their first Regional title since 1993, and the No. 10 (tied) Pinckney girls dominated in Division 1 races – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

3. Cross Country: Petoskey’s girls (No. 3) won their first Regional title since 2003, while the Fremont boys (also No. 3) also claimed a title in Division 2 – Petoskey News-Review

4. Boys soccer: Warren DeLaSalle held on for a 2-1 overtime win over Utica Eisenhower in a Division 1 Regional Final – Macomb Daily

5. Cross Country: Ann Arbor Pioneer’s girls (No. 3) and boys (No. 2) teams swept Division 1 Regional championships with Saline (No. 7 both teams) finishing second in both races – We Love Ann Arbor

6. Cross Country: The No. 3 Grandville Calvin Christian girls won their seventh straight Division 3 Regional title – Grand Rapids Press

7. Boys Soccer: No. 9 Ludington repeated as a Regional champion, downing Muskegon Orchard View 5-1 in Division 3 – Ludington Daily News

8. Boys Soccer: Top-ranked Grosse Ile moved on to this week’s Semifinals with a big Division 3 Regional Final win over Brooklyn Columbia Central – Southgate News-Herald

9. Cross Country: The top-ranked Northville girls won their seventh straight Division 1 Regional title, and the top-ranked Plymouth boys also repeated – Observer & Eccentric Girls | Boys

10. Cross Country: In Division 4, the No. 8 Ubly girls extended their Regional title streak to five, while the No. 7 Unionville-Sebewaing boys won for the first time since 2010 – Huron Daily Tribune Girls | Boys