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: 10/2/15

October 2, 2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Thursday was girls golf and boys tennis league championship day for many across the state, and also saw the second Upper Peninsula Final in two days decided by a point.

Girls Golf

Hanover-Horton claimed the Cascades Conference championship, beating East Jackson by nine strokes in the league tournament and led by freshman Kristin Thompson’s 92 – Jackson Citizen-Patriot

The Kensington Lakes Activities Association is loaded this season, with Lower Peninsula Division 1 No. 6 Plymouth winning the overall championship ahead of No. 3 Brighton and Division 2 No. 3 South Lyon – Livingston Daily

Sturgis won its first league championship in 25 years, shooting a 380 to finish first in the Wolverine Conference – Sturgis Journal

Grand Rapids West Catholic edged Coopersville by five strokes, shooting 355 to clinch the Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue championship – Grand Rapids Press

Boys Soccer

Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, No. 3 in Division 2, edged No. 17 Grand Rapids Northview to move into first alone in the O-K Bronze – Grand Rapids Press

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer avenged an early-season loss to Grand Rapids Union to move into a first-place tie with Union in the O-K Black – Muskegon Chronicle

Marcellus Howardsville Christian scored two goals to St. Joseph Lake Michigan Catholic’s one during the second half of overtime to win their game 3-2 and claim a share of the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference championship – Kalamazoo Gazette

Boys Tennis

Midland Dow won its 10th straight Saginaw Valley League title, finishing seven points ahead rival Midland – Saginaw News

Traverse City Central won seven of eight flights at the Big North Conference Tournament to claim the league title for the ninth season in a row – Traverse City Record-Eagle

Bloomfield Hills fell to Troy in their dual but came back to win the Oakland Activities Association Red Tournament and share the overall title – Oakland Press

Girls Tennis

For the second straight day, an MHSAA Final was decided by a point; this time, Negaunee was the victor in Upper Peninsula Division 1 – Second Half

Volleyball

Class A No. 2 Lake Orion downed No. 8 Clarkston in three sets to improve to 39-2 and end Clarkston’s chances at a ninth straight league championship – Oakland Press

Good Reads

Bay City John Glenn will celebrate not only Homecoming tonight, but also the 50th anniversary of its first football team which “would supply the school with its first identity.” – Bay City Times

River Rouge senior Aaron Vinson has seen things and experienced heartache no youngster should, including the deaths of two siblings. But football has been part of what’s pulled him through – Detroit Free Press

The Capital Area Activities Conference Blue has belonged to powerhouses Okemos and East Lansing for boys tennis, but Holt is contending for its first league title since 1980 – Lansing State Journal