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: 5/23/18

May 23, 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.

1. Baseball: A dramatic doubleheader split with No. 14 Sanford Meridian eventually netted Division 3 No. 15 Beaverton its first Jack Pine Conference championship in 28 years – Midland Daily News

2. Softball: After taking a loss to Niles in the night’s first game, Division 2 top-ranked Stevensville Lakeshore came back to win the second and clinch its third straight Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West title – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

3. Baseball: Warren DeLaSalle dealt Division 2 top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary’s a 15-8 loss to claim the Detroit Catholic League A-B championship – Macomb Daily

4. Baseball: In a matchup of two of the best in Division 3, No. 6 Bronson handed No. 2 Homer its first loss as the teams split a doubleheader – Coldwater Daily Reporter

5. Boys Golf: Big Rapids, No. 2 in Lower Peninsula Division 3, claimed its 13th straight Central State Activities Association championship by shooting a 307 – Big Rapids News

6. Baseball: Division 4 No. 20 Beal City swept Evart to claim its 15th straight league title in the Highland Conference – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

7. Softball: Alpena clinched its eighth straight Big North Conference championship with a split against second-place Traverse City Central – Alpena News

8. Boys Lacrosse: After falling to Clarkston each of the last two postseasons, No. 8 Lake Orion moved on in its Division 1 Regional with a 12-6 victory over the Wolves – Oakland Press

9. Girls Soccer: Boyne City edged Traverse City St. Francis to claim its first Lake Michigan Conference title in the sport – Petoskey News-Review

10. Softball: Division 1 No. 8 Plymouth followed pitcher Jenny Bressler to a 9-1 win over No. 6 Howell in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association semifinals – Observer & Eccentric

Also of note ...

Wrestling: Coach Nate Ethridge will be leaving Remus Chippewa Hills with more than 500 wins to take over the program at Collins Hill in Georgia – Gwinnett Daily Post