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: 5/11/17

May 11, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Michigan’s schools are celebrating the first track & field league championships of 2017 as Regionals draw near beginning a week from Friday.

Each weekday during the school year, we’ll gather and post media links covering the most significant and intriguing high school events from all over the state.

Baseball

Division 1 No. 18 Brighton clinched its seventh league title in nine seasons, sweeping Grand Blanc to secure the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West championship – Livingston County Daily Press & Argus

Boys Golf

Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 4 Flint Powers Catholic won its Saginaw Valley League jamboree with a 299, led by senior Blaise Vanitvelt’s 67 – Flint Journal

Boys Lacrosse

Division 1 top-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice downed Division 2 No. 4 Detroit Country Day 15-5 in a matchup of two of Michigan’s annual powers – Oakland Press

Girls Soccer

Portage Central, No. 17 in Division 1, downed Division 2 No. 5 Richland Gull Lake 2-0, handing Gull Lake its first Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference loss in four years – Kalamazoo Gazette

Softball

Division 1 No. 8 Howell secured the KLAA West championship with a sweep of Milford, its second title in three seasons – Livingston County Daily Press & Argus

Track & Field

Battle Creek St. Philip swept Southern Central Athletic Association West championships, with Colon second in both meets; St. Phil’s boys are ranked No. 5 in LP Division 4 – Battle Creek Enquirer

The Pittsford girls, No. 3 in LP Division 4, and Hillsdale Academy boys won the SCAA East championships – Hillsdale Daily News

The Rock Mid Peninsula girls won their invitational by 33 points over Engadine, while Engadine won the boys meet – Escanaba Daily Press

For the second time in a week, Ithaca thrower Alex VanDeWeghe broke a school record set in 1988, this time in the discus with a toss of 154-10 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Brethren’s boys claimed the West Michigan D League championship – Manistee News Advocate

From Tuesday, Ubly swept the championships at the Laker Rotary Invitational at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port, edging Bad Axe in both meets – Huron Daily Tribune