Today in the MHSAA: 4/17/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 17, 2023

1. SOFTBALL Division 4 honorable mention Mendon defeated host and No. 2-ranked Holton in the final and honorable mention Indian River Inland Lakes and No. 4 Hillman to get there in clinching the Red Devil Invitational title – Sturgis Journal

2. GIRLS SOCCER Division 2 No. 3 Richland Gull Lake bounced back from a Wednesday loss to defeat Division 3 top-ranked Hudsonville Unity Christian 1-0 – Kalamazoo Gazette

3. BASEBALL Division 1 No. 13 Bay City Western won big over Division 2 No. 5 Bay City John Glenn in the Bay County Championship final – Bay City Times

4. GIRLS SOCCER Division 2 No. 4 Spring Lake downed Division 4 No. 3 North Muskegon 6-2 – CatchMark SportsNet

5. GIRLS SOCCER Division 1 No. 5 Hudsonville downed Division 2 No. 2 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 5-0 – Grand Rapids Press

6. BOYS GOLF Belding shot a 332 to win the Ionia County Shootout for the first time – Greenville Daily News

7. BOYS GOLF Grand Rapids West Catholic was the overall winner at the Kent City Invitational with a 330 – Local Sports Journal

8. GIRLS SOCCER After defeating Division 3 No. 5 Essexville Garber 3-2 in pool play, Bay City Western clinched the Bay County championship with a big win over Bay City Central – Bay City Times

9. SOFTBALL Division 2 No. 3 Essexville Garber defeated Bay City Central to clinch a third-straight Bay County title – Bay City Times

10. BASEBALL Flushing swept Division 2 No. 15 Frankenmuth 8-5 in eight innings and 6-5 – Mid-Michigan Now

Also of note …

HOCKEY Houghton coach Corey Markham announced his retirement – Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

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.