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: 10/12/15

October 12, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Some of the most prestigious cross country races of the regular season were run across the state over both peninsulas this weekend as teams continued to gear up for the final month of their 2015 campaigns.

Cross Country

Portage Central hosted what’s annually one of the most competitive invitationals in the state – the girls races by division were won by Division 1 No. 2 Northville, Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids Christian, Division 3 No. 5 Lansing Catholic and Division 4 No. 1 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart – Kalamazoo Gazette

The Portage Central Invitational boys races were won, by division, by Division 1 No. 2 Rockford, Division 2 No. 1 Fremont, Division 3 No. 2 Lansing Catholic and Division 4 No. 1 Saugatuck – Kalamazoo Gazette

The No. 6 Harbor Springs girls and No. 7 boys (both in Lower Peninsula Division 4) swept races at the Sault Ste. Marie Invitational – Petoskey News

The Birmingham Seaholm girls and Novi boys won Oakland County championships Saturday, the Seaholm girls for the fifth straight season – Oakland Press

Boys Soccer

Division 2 No. 11 Coldwater remained undefeated at home this season with a 2-2 draw against No. 2 Mattawan – Coldwater Daily Reporter

Boys Tennis

Charlotte’s Alex Reinbold won his fourth MHSAA Regional title, and this time his team will join him at the Final for the first time in school history – Lansing State Journal

Midland Dow won its Division 2 Regional, and No. 2 singles Michael Szabo added to his MHSAA record for career wins set earlier in the week by also breaking the record for 6-0, 6-0, victories – Midland Daily News

Volleyball

Portage Central won the East Kentwood Invitational over a field that included Class A No. 4 Grand Haven; East Kentwood defeated the Buccaneers in the semifinal after falling to them Thursday – Grand Rapids Press