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: 11/2/15

November 2, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Cross Country and Boys Soccer Regionals finished up over the weekend and the final volleyball league tournaments were played in advance of this week’s MHSAA Districts. Click for a few of each that stuck out among the weekend’s media reports.

Cross Country

Fenton’s unranked boys won their first MHSAA Regional since 2006 and third in school history, outpacing No. 6-ranked Bay City Western in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – Flint Journal

The Alma girls will race at the MHSAA Finals for the first time since 1990 after finishing second at the LPD2 Regional in Bay City – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

Boys Soccer

Division 3 No. 10 Gladwin continued its best season ever, winning its first MHSAA Regional title by downing No. 11 Ludington – Midland Daily News

Division 4 No. 3 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian got past No. 5 Leland 1-0 to claim a Regional title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Girls Swimming and Diving

Brighton, No. 6 in LPD1, overtook Hartland in the final event to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West meet championship – Livingston Daily

Volleyball

The Concord volleyball team entered the Big 8 Conference tournament as the fourth seed, but with a victory earned a share of its fifth straight league title – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

Class B No. 8 North Branch avenged an earlier loss to honorable mention Frankenmuth to win the all-division Tri-Valley Conference tournament championship, its 11th straight – Saginaw News